Game Evaluation Manager – UK

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Date posted

Jul 07, 2025

Job number

1833145

Work site

Up to 100% work from home

Travel

25-50 %

Role type

Individual Contributor

Profession

Business Development & Ventures

Discipline

Business Development

Employment type

Full-Time

Game Evaluation Manager – UK

Join Microsoft’s Game Portfolio Team to Shape the Future of Gaming

Overview

Are you passionate about gaming, data-driven evaluation, and fostering meaningful partnerships within the industry? Microsoft’s Global Portfolio Team is seeking a dedicated, detail-oriented, and collaborative Game Evaluation Manager based in the United Kingdom. In this pivotal role, you will support and drive critical initiatives that shape the future of Microsoft’s gaming portfolio, working closely with cross-functional teams and external partners to help curate the Xbox game catalog, highlight the most exciting games, and act as a key resource on game knowledge for a variety of teams across Xbox.

• Prior experience in the game industry, working in a role at a publisher or developer of any size, or at a press outlet with a games focus or section, is required in order to understand the unique challenges and opportunities facing this industry segment.

• Gameplay experience is also a requirement; successful candidates can quickly and authentically “talk the language” of developers and games. We deeply value diversity in play style and taste – what games you play is unimportant, but you must play games.

• A Bachelor’s degree is a helpful way to show an ability to complete a goal; it is not at all required for those with relevant work experience.

• Demonstrated experience in game evaluation, QA, or product management.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to troubleshoot technical issues with software builds.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor information for various audiences and for different goals. Experience with building presentation decks and leading or supporting presentations.

• Proficiency with Windows devices and a broad familiarity with gaming hardware and software ecosystems. Proficiency with Excel or other spreadsheet software and database systems preferred.

• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and engage with partners across cultures and geographies.

• Love of learning, and a desire to understand and share and evangelize your knowledge about games and developers is a plus.

• Ability to work or learn to work collaboratively with teams and partners across a wide variety of regions and cultures.

• Ability to work independently in highly ambiguous environments, with both technical and business groups internally and externally. Proven ability to be self motivated and self directed, managing multiple tasks with autonomy, and hit deadlines with high attention to detail.

Preferred Qualifications

• Project management experience, with a record of supporting or leading cross-functional initiatives.

• Familiarity with database systems and workflow automation tools.

• Experience with or desire to learn processes and systems.

• Passion for games and a keen understanding of current industry trends.

• Previous experience working in a global, matrixed organization.

• Game Evaluation, Testing, and Documentation

• Evaluate a wide variety of games, often in early or in-progress builds, on Windows devices.
• Run and troubleshoot different builds, identify and escalate technical issues, and provide feedback to internal and external teams for resolution.
• Apply a broad and empathetic perspective to assessments, considering diverse player experiences and unique gameplay aspects.

• Author detailed, objective, and insightful game evaluations, considering games at all stages of development.
• Assess using a broad and inclusive lens, providing constructive feedback on gameplay, accessibility, potential risks, and opportunities, always applying empathy for both developers and players.
• Adhere meticulously to the established evaluation format, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and completeness.

• Consistently and fairly apply Microsoft’s established safety and quality standards during all evaluations, ensuring all incoming games meet our criteria for release.
• Champion best practices and support continuous improvement in evaluation methodologies.

• Work with other team members on prioritization of games for various initiatives for business impact, like content deals and marketing activations.

• Game Database Hygiene and Program development

• Accurately enter and maintain comprehensive game data within internal systems, ensuring all information is up-to-date, precise, and correctly formatted.
• Demonstrate a deep understanding of how your data populates across teams and systems, proactively validating and troubleshooting discrepancies to maintain the highest data integrity standards.

• Design and pull reports from the database to meet business goals and help teams make business decisions.

• Work across other teams to ensure that games in the database are up to date and accurately represented.

• Build, optimize, and document workflows and programs from our central database to support business initiatives, automate repetitive tasks, and streamline team operations.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to identify process improvements and implement effective solutions that enhance efficiency and scalability.

• Clear and Effective Communication

• Maintain timely, efficient, and transparent communication with various internal teams and external partners.
• Clearly document findings, share status updates, and escalate issues where necessary to ensure alignment and progress across all stakeholders.

• Contribute to ongoing team documentation and communications, such as the internal newsletter, sharing insights, updates, and best practices that foster a collaborative and informed team culture.

• Write and contribute to comprehensive, action-oriented reports on business trips, industry events, and partner engagements.
• Ensure reports are clear, timely, and structured to drive actionable outcomes and foster knowledge sharing within the team.

• Lead the creation of presentation decks and own or contribute to compelling presentations for both internal teams and external partners. Tailor messaging and content to diverse audiences, ensuring clarity, impact, and actionable next steps.

• Cross-Team Initiative Participation

• Support or drive Portfolio involvement in a range of cross-team initiatives, including events, partnership deals, marketing campaigns, and more.
• Act as a liaison between the Portfolio team and collaborators, ensuring seamless coordination and successful outcomes.

• Regional Portfolio Liaison

• Serve as the principal Portfolio point person for your assigned region, maintaining a deep understanding of the local gaming landscape, fostering relationships with key stakeholders, and representing Microsoft at regional industry events.

• Support other regions as necessary with game evaluations.

• Support other teams in the region with events, partner outreach, summits, etc as necessary.