Electronic Arts

Job Title: Development Manager - Live Quality Verification

Location: Hyderabad, India Team: SONAR

About Us: Join Electronic Arts, a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. We create next-level experiences that inspire players worldwide. Here, everyone is part of the story, contributing to a community connected across the globe. We foster environments where creativity thrives, new perspectives are welcomed, and every team member helps make play happen. Our Quality Verification (QV) team is a crucial part of the development process, supporting all EA games across all platforms by delivering insights that help optimize quality and elevate gameplay.  

The Role: Are you passionate about ensuring the highest quality for top-tier PC and console games? Do you excel at leading teams and managing complex projects in a live service environment? As a Development Manager in our Hyderabad office, you will play a vital role within our Central Quality Verification team. You will oversee QV efforts for multiple projects, focusing specifically on the live service phase. Your leadership will be key to maintaining the quality, stability, and overall player experience for millions of players enjoying EA's diverse portfolio of games. You will act as a guardian of live quality, guiding your teams to identify issues, verify fixes, and ensure our live games meet EA's high standards.

What You'll Do (Responsibilities):

• Live QV Project Oversight: Manage the planning and execution of Quality Verification strategies for multiple global game projects during their live service phase.

• Team Leadership & Mentorship: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of QV professionals, fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment. Monitor team performance, conduct reviews, and support career development.

• Process Improvement: Drive the evolution and improvement of live QV practices, identifying opportunities for increased efficiency, effectiveness, and predictability within your teams.  

• Stakeholder Collaboration: Work closely and effectively with internal development teams, Live Operations/SONAR, central technology teams, and other QV departments globally. Clearly communicate status, risks, and priorities.

• Live Health Monitoring: Oversee the processes for monitoring the health and stability of live game services, ensuring critical issues impacting players are identified and escalated rapidly.

• Issue Management: Guide the team in the investigation, documentation, and tracking of complex issues found in the live environment, ensuring clarity and accuracy in reporting (e.g., using JIRA, Hansoft).

• Risk Assessment & Mitigation: Proactively identify quality risks within live services and work with partners to develop mitigation plans.

• Data-Driven Decisions: Utilize quality data, metrics, and player feedback analysis to inform QV strategies, report on project health, and drive improvements.

What You Bring (Requirements & Skills):

• Required:

  • Proven experience in Quality Assurance/Verification within the games or software industry, with significant exposure to live service operations.

  • Demonstrated experience in a leadership or management role, including people management.

  • Strong understanding of software development lifecycles, QA methodologies, and live service management.

  • Experience with game development (PC, Console, Mobile).

  • Excellent project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

  • Exceptional communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.

  • Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.

  • Experience building and motivating teams.

  • Commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive team culture.

  • Advanced English proficiency (written and verbal).

• Nice-to-Haves (Bonus Points):

  • Experience working within a central team supporting multiple products.

  • Familiarity with various EA franchises and game engines.

  • Experience with bug tracking software (JIRA, Hansoft, etc.).

  • Experience with test automation strategies and tools relevant to live services.

  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent industry experience.

Why Join Us?

• Be a key leader in ensuring the quality of diverse, high-profile HD games enjoyed by millions globally.

• Directly impact player satisfaction across EA's live service portfolio.

• Work in a dynamic, collaborative, and international environment based in Hyderabad.

• Lead and develop talented QV teams.

• Opportunity for significant growth and development within the Quality Verification and Development Director career paths at EA.

• Benefit from EA's holistic approach to employee wellness, including competitive benefits packages tailored to local needs.

Ready to lead quality for the future of play? If you are a skilled leader passionate about game quality, experienced in live services, and ready to guide teams overseeing multiple HD titles, we encourage you to apply! Join the SONAR team in Hyderabad and help us deliver the best possible experiences to our players.