General Manager

TapBlaze; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading game development studio based in Los Angeles is seeking a General Manager to oversee business operations and drive productivity. You will lead production pipelines, manage day-to-day operations, and ensure alignment across creative and business functions. Candidates should have over 8 years in the gaming industry with strong leadership experience. The role offers a competitive salary ranging from $150,000 to $180,000, plus performance bonuses. The studio values diversity and inclusion in its hiring process.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in the gaming industry with 3+ years as an Executive Producer or in a related leadership role.
• Experience managing cross-functional teams and multiple concurrent projects.
• Helped launch/manage at least one successful F2P mobile title with live operations.

Responsibilities

• Oversee production pipelines across multiple game projects.
• Drive alignment between creative, product, and business goals.
• Manage day-to-day studio operations and implement process improvements.
• Translate the company vision into actionable plans.

Skills

Mobile production processes

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Compliance knowledge

Problem-solving skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field

Master's degree or MBA

Job description

ROLE SUMMARY

As General Manager, you will report directly to the Founder/CEO and lead the studio’s business operations, focusing on driving productivity, alignment, and profitability. You will unify the company’s core functions, providing the leadership, structure, and accountability needed to ensure the organization operates cohesively and executes against its goals with excellence.

In this role, you will serve as the Integrator for Tapblaze. As defined in Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman and Mark C. Winters, “An Integrator is a person who has the Unique Ability to harmoniously integrate the major functions of the business, run the organization, and manage the day-to-day issues that arise.” You will play a critical role in turning vision into action and ensuring that great ideas translate into real results.

ABOUT TAPBLAZE

Here at TAPBLAZE, our mission is to make great games for players that will be remembered for decades. As a small team of 15 people, we have created games such as "Good Pizza, Great Pizza" that have been downloaded more than 300 million times across the globe, giving a fun, innovative experience to millions of players every day. Our core values are the reason we have found success as an independent studio and guide our hiring process: we are ambitious, disciplined, ownership-minded, results-oriented, and extraordinary. We operate internationally, and we are growing day by day.

We are seeking individuals who share our core values and are looking to level up themselves, the games they work on, and the company they work for.

OBJECTIVES

Production Leadership

• Oversee production pipelines across multiple game projects, ensuring milestones and quality targets are met.
• Manage and mentor producers, product managers, and cross-functional leads (design, art, engineering).
• Drive alignment between creative, product, and business goals.

Operational Management

• Manage day-to-day studio operations, ensuring smooth communication and workflow across offices, fostering collaboration and shared goals.
• Identify and implement operational process improvements to increase efficiency and scalability.
• Build and scale core business operations, including budgeting, vendor management, and financial tracking.
• Partner with leadership on headcount planning, hiring, and resource allocation.
• Develop and implement performance management systems, compensation structures, and incentive programs aligned with company values.
• Foster a high-performance culture by ensuring accountability, clarity, and continuous improvement across teams.
• Plan and execute team-building initiatives that strengthen engagement and collaboration.

Strategic Execution

• Translate the company vision into actionable production and operational plans.
• Support business strategy, including roadmap prioritization, monetization, and live ops initiatives.
• Own performance visibility across live games, including DAU, revenue, and platform-level metrics, using insights to inform product, monetization, and growth decisions.

Risk & Compliance Oversight

• Ensure company and games meet platform requirements (Apple, Google) and regulatory/compliance standards (COPPA, GDPR, etc.).
• Spearhead regulatory and compliance documentation, processes, and oversight.
• Proactively identify risks (technical, production, operational) and implement mitigation plans.

COMPETENCIES

• Strong understanding of mobile production processes, mobile game KPIs (DAU, ARPDAU, retention), and monetization systems.
• Prior experience and willingness to effectively oversee all studio operations, including, but not limited to, HR, IT, Finance, Marketing, Production, QA, Localization, and Product Management.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills; able to align creative, technical, and business teams.
• Knowledge of compliance, platform guidelines, and operational risk management.
• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills to effectively troubleshoot issues independently.
• Strong drive and commitment toward obtaining results.
• Track record of providing clear creative direction and delivering timely, actionable feedback that elevates quality while keeping projects on schedule and within budget.
• Strong aptitude for monitoring Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and metrics, and analyzing that data to make informed decisions that drive growth.
• Ability to maintain a sense of urgency while remaining detail-oriented; please mention "beauty is in the details" - you must love working on the details.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• 8+ years in the gaming industry with 3+ years as an Executive Producer, Studio Manager, COO, or in a related leadership role where you were a strong Integrator/Executor.
• Helped launch and/or manage at least one successful F2P mobile title with live operations.
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field; a Master's degree or an MBA is a plus.
• Pluses: Experience managing cross-functional teams and multiple concurrent projects, ideally across different geographic locations/time zones.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to work in-office five days a week in our Los Angeles, CA office.
• Prolonged period of time sitting at a desk and computer.

COMPENSATION

The annual base salary range for this role is $150,000–$180,000, depending on experience. This position is also eligible for an annual performance-based bonus.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY

As an equal opportunity employer committed to meeting the needs of a multigenerational and multicultural workforce TAPBLAZE recognizes that a diverse staff, reflective of our community, is an integral and welcome part of a successful and ethical business. We hire local talent at all levels regardless of race, color, religion, age, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability, and actively foster inclusion in all forms both within our company and across interactions with vendors and partners.