Director, Corporate Development

Wwshemi; Culver City (CA); Hybrid; USD 164,000 - 247,000; Full time

Job summary

Scopely is seeking a Director of Corporate Development in Culver City, hybrid role, to lead investment and strategic partnership activity with game studios worldwide. You will originate, negotiate, and close deals with founders and C-level executives, coordinating with investment banks and advisors.

The position requires 10+ years in relevant fields, a track record of closing transactions, and the ability to travel internationally. Visa sponsorship and relocation support are available.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in corporate development, investment banking, private equity, venture capital, M&A, consulting, or business development, ideally in games.
• Proven track record of negotiating and closing investments, partnerships, or M&A.
• Knowledge of deal structuring, valuation, and related legal/financial/tax considerations.
• Experience managing, coaching, or mentoring team members.
• Knowledge of video game/interactive entertainment industry.
• Strong executive presence and experience leading deal reviews with senior leadership.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to build trust with founders and executives.
• Proactive entrepreneurial approach; self-starter in partnering with studios.
• Strategic thinking; sound judgment balancing value, risk, long-term partnership potential.
• Professional fluency in English.
• Willingness to travel internationally and collaborate across time zones.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage relationships with studio founders, executives, banks, financial advisors, and partners to develop a global deal pipeline.
• Lead execution of investment and strategic partnership transactions from sourcing through close and post-deal enablement.
• Partner with Legal, Finance, and Tax to structure deals, including equity investments, incentive structures, tax treatment, and risk allocation.
• Negotiate with C-level executives and investment banks on valuation, terms, and structure.
• Prepare and lead weekly C-suite deal review meetings.
• Manage, coach, and support the development of at least one direct report.
• Articulate Scopely's vision and operating model to founders and advisors to identify best partnership fit.
• Travel internationally and understand regional business norms.
• Monitor industry trends, studios, new releases, and competitive activity via market research and events.

Skills

Corporate development

Investment banking

Private equity

M&A

Business development

Strategic partnerships

English fluency

Deal negotiation

Leadership

Job description

Scopely is looking for a Director, Corporate Development to join our team in Culver City, USA, on a hybrid basis. We can support with visa sponsorship and relocation assistance from any location.

At Scopely, we care deeply about what we do and want to inspire play, every day - whether in our work environments alongside talented colleagues or through our deep connections with our communities of players. We are a global team of game lovers who are developing, publishing, and innovating in the mobile games industry, connecting millions of players around the world daily.

The Corporate Development team identifies, evaluates & executes potential M&A, investment, and partnership opportunities. We utilize market and product data to inform decisions around our M&A strategy and execution, including building detailed analyses for review by our executive team when evaluating potential partnership opportunities.

As Director, Corporate Development, reporting to the VP of Corporate Development, you will help drive Scopely's investment and strategic partnership activity with game studios worldwide. You will originate, negotiate, and close deals directly with founders and C-level executives at target studios, as well as with the investment banks and advisors representing the other side of the transaction.

What You Will Do

• Build and manage relationships with studio founder/s, executives, investment banks, financial advisors, and other industry partners to develop a global deal pipeline

• Lead execution of investment and strategic partnership transactions with game studios globally, from sourcing through close and post-deal enablement

• Partner with Scopely's Legal, Finance, and Tax teams to structure deals, including equity investments, incentive structure, tax treatment, and risk allocation

• Negotiate directly with C-level executives at target studios and with investment banks and financial advisors representing the other side of the deal, on valuation, terms, and structure

• Prepare and lead weekly meetings with Scopely's C-suite to review deal negotiations and the broader deal pipeline

• Manage, coach, and support the development of at least one direct report.

• Articulate Scopely's vision, capabilities, and operating model to studio founders, executives, and their advisors, and identify how Scopely can best partner with each studio

• Travel internationally, with an understanding of how business and deal-making norms vary by region

• Monitor industry trends, emerging studios, new releases, and competitive activity through market research, gameplay industry events, and conferences

What We're Looking For

• 10+ years of corporate development, investment banking, private equity, venture capital, M&A, consulting, or business development experience, ideally with exposure to games or interactive entertainment

• A demonstrated track record of personally negotiating and closing investment, partnership, or M&A transactions

• Working knowledge of deal structuring, valuation, and the legal, financial, and tax considerations involved in structuring investments and strategic partnerships

• Experience managing, coaching, or mentoring team members

• Knowledge of the video game or interactive entertainment industry, or the ability to learn industry dynamics quickly

• Strong executive presence and comfort running recurring deal reviews with senior leadership

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build trust with founders, executives, and advisors

• A proactive, entrepreneurial approach; a self-starter focused on improving how Scopely partners with studios

• Strategic thinking, sound judgment, and the ability to balance deal value, risk, and long-term partnership potential

• Professional fluency in English

• Willingness to travel internationally and collaborate across time zones.

Bonus Points

• Experience working with game studios or other IP-led businesses

• Familiarity with gaming business models, market trends, and industry performance indicators

• Experience working across different regions and cultural environments

At Scopely, we create games for everyone - and want to ensure that the people behind our games reflect that! We are committed to creating a diverse, supportive work environment where everyone is treated with respect. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities and welcome individuals from all backgrounds to join us & embrace the adventure!

For candidates in CA, CO, NJ, NY, and WA, the annual salary range is provided below. In addition to base pay, employees may be eligible for equity, bonuses, and a comprehensive benefits package, including healthcare benefits, retirement benefits, pet insurance, paid holidays, paid Scopely free days, and unlimited paid time off. Base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

CA, CO, NJ, NY, and WA Annual Salary Range

$164,000-$247,000 USD

About Scopely

Scopely is a leading video game and global interactive entertainment company, home to many of the world’s most beloved and enduring experiences, including two of the most successful mobile games of all-time “MONOPOLY GO!” and “Pokémon GO,” along with “Stumble Guys,” “Star Trek Fleet Command,” “MARVEL Strike Force,” “WWE Champions,” the Scrabble franchise, “Yahtzee With Buddies,” and many others. Across mobile, web, PC, and console, Scopely creates, develops, publishes, and live-operates one of the most diversified and award-winning portfolios in the games industry - bringing hundreds of millions of players together through a shared love of play.

Founded in 2011, Scopely is powered by its exceptional team - including thousands of world-class gamemakers around the globe, a distinctive tenet-driven culture, and its proprietary technology platform, Playgami. Together, these strengths have fueled Scopely’s position as the #1 mobile games company in the U.S. and #2 globally, generating more than $10 billion in lifetime revenue. Whether building global sensations like “MONOPOLY GO!” from the ground up, or expanding through strategic acquisitions, including the FoxNext, GSN, and Scopely Explore games businesses - Scopely consistently delivers experiences players love today and return to for years to come.

Recognized multiple times as one of the "100 Most Influential Companies in the World" by TIME magazine and one of Fast Company's "World's Most Innovative Companies" and “Best Workplaces for Innovators,” Scopely believes that video games can be a force for good - creating meaningful connections, vibrant communities, and making life better through play.

Scopely has global operations and partners across four continents in more than a dozen countries worldwide. For more information, visit: https://www.scopely.com/ (https://www.scopely.com/).

Should you have any questions or encounter any fraudulent requests/emails/websites, please immediately contact [e-mail]. Our job applicant privacy policies are available here: California Privacy Notice (https://www.scopely.com/en/job-applicant-privacy-notice-for-ca-residents) and EEA/UK Privacy Notice (https://www.scopely.com/en/eea-and-uk-job-applicant-privacy-notice).

Employment at Scopely is based solely on a person's merit and qualifications. Scopely does not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding), or any other basis protected by law. We also consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law.