External Development & Vendor Manager

Balor Games; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Balor Games is seeking an External Development & Vendor Manager to own vendor and partner relationships that support Localization, Porting/Co-Development, and QA. You will manage Balor Games' network of external partners; negotiate rates and contract terms, book Statements of Work (SOWs) and quotes against Producer requests, and ensure every engagement is scoped, priced, within budget and delivered on time.

You'll work cross-functionally with Production, Finance/Accounting, and Marketing.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in vendor/partner management, publishing operations, production, or business affairs within the video game industry.

Responsibilities

• Manage Balor Games’ network of external Localization vendors (in-game text and store page localization).
• Porting/Co-Development partners for first-party platforms (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, Google, Apple, and others).
• QA vendors (FQA, CQA, LQA, etc.), and other publishing services partners.
• Source, vet, and onboard new vendors to expand Balor Games’ roster of trusted partners.
• Negotiate rates, terms, and contract language with vendors and partners, in partnership with Business & Legal.
• Draft, and review Master Service Agreements (MSAs), Statements of Work (SOWs), and quotes for vendor engagements.
• Field requests from Producers for localization, porting/co-dev, and QA needs; scope requirements and book SOWs/quotes against those requests.
• Track and manage vendor budgets, purchase orders, and invoicing; flag variances against approved budgets.
• Maintain a current view of vendor capacity, specialties, rate cards, and performance history to recommend the right partner for each project.
• Monitor vendor quality and delivery performance, managing issue escalation and resolution alongside Producers and QA leads, and continually evaluate partnership effectiveness to ensure optimal collaboration and the highest quality outcomes.
• Coordinate with Producers to align Porting/Co-Dev partner requirements with platform-specific submission and certification needs.
• Track contract renewals, amendments, and expirations across the active vendor portfolio.
• Build and maintain documentation, templates, and tools that streamline vendor onboarding, contracting, and engagement tracking.

Skills

Vendor management

Negotiation

Contract management

Project management

Localization

Tools

MS Excel

MS Word

Job description

Balor Games is a "Triple I" independent game publisher dedicated to long-term stewardship of high-quality creative works. Formed by former leaders of Humble Games, Balor Games oversees an expansive catalog of acclaimed indie games, following the acquisition of the Humble Games and Firestoke catalogs.

Balor Games aims to serve as a cultural curator for independent games, while providing expertise, resources, and belief-driven support to visionary developers.

Position Intro:

Balor Games is looking for a External Development & Vendor Manager to own the vendor and partner relationships that support our titles through Localization, Porting/Co-Development, and QA. In this role, you'll manage Balor Games' network of external partners; negotiate rates and contract terms, book Statements of Work (SOWs) and quotes against Producer requests, and ensure every engagement is scoped, priced, within budget and delivered on time. You'll work cross-functionally with Production, Finance/Accounting, and Marketing.

Key Responsibilities include but not limited to:

Manage Balor Games’ network of external Localization vendors (in-game text and store page localization), Porting/Co-Development partners for first-party platforms (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, Google, Apple, and others), QA vendors (FQA, CQA, LQA, etc.), and other publishing services partners.

Source, vet, and onboard new vendors to expand Balor Games’ roster of trusted partners.

Negotiate rates, terms, and contract language with vendors and partners, in partnership with Business & Legal.

Draft, and review Master Service Agreements (MSAs), Statements of Work (SOWs), and quotes for vendor engagements.

Field requests from Producers for localization, porting/co-dev, and QA needs; scope requirements and book SOWs/quotes against those requests.

Track and manage vendor budgets, purchase orders, and invoicing; flag variances against approved budgets.

Maintain a current view of vendor capacity, specialties, rate cards, and performance history to recommend the right partner for each project.

Monitor vendor quality and delivery performance, managing issue escalation and resolution alongside Producers and QA leads, and continually evaluate partnership effectiveness to ensure optimal collaboration and the highest quality outcomes.

Coordinate with Producers to align Porting/Co-Dev partner requirements with platform-specific submission and certification needs.

Track contract renewals, amendments, and expirations across the active vendor portfolio.

Build and maintain documentation, templates, and tools that streamline vendor onboarding, contracting, and engagement tracking.

Qualifications:

5+ years of experience in vendor/partner management, publishing operations, production, or business affairs within the video game industry.

Demonstrated experience negotiating and administering vendor contracts, SOWs, and quotes (localization, porting/co-development, QA, or similar service categories strongly preferred).

Familiarity with game localization workflows (in-game text and storefront content) and QA vendor engagement models.

Strong negotiation, organizational, and project management skills; comfortable managing multiple concurrent vendor engagements and deadlines.

Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with internal and external partners.

Relationship management skills with the ability to build and maintain internal and external partnerships.

Self-motivated with experience working independently and with a team, while being comfortable with ambiguity and shifting priorities.

Proficiency with contract/SOW documentation, spreadsheets, and project tracking tools.

Bonus Points:

Existing relationships with localization, porting/co-development, or QA vendors in the games industry.

Experience with platform partner programs (PlayStation Partners, Xbox ID@Xbox/Partner, Nintendo Developer Portal).

Experience working with indie game developers.

Passion for process improvement and cross-functional collaboration.

We are an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected category.