Manager, Player Connections, Paid

Who We Are 2K is headquartered in Novato, California and is a wholly owned label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO). Founded in 2005, 2K Games is a global video game company, publishing titles developed by some of the most influential game development studios in the world. Our studios responsible for developing 2K’s portfolio of world-class games across multiple platforms, include Visual Concepts, Firaxis, Hangar 13, CatDaddy, Cloud Chamber, 31st Union, HB Studios, and 2K SportsLab. Our portfolio of titles is expanding due to our global strategic plan, building and acquiring exciting studios whose content continues to inspire all of us! 2K publishes titles in today’s most popular gaming genres, including sports, shooters, action, role-playing, strategy, casual, and family entertainment. Our team of engineers, marketers, artists, writers, data scientists, producers, thinkers and doers, are the professional publishing stewards of 2K’s portfolio currently includes several AAA, sports and entertainment brands, including global powerhouse NBA®️ 2K, renowned BioShock®️, Borderlands®️, Mafia, Sid Meier’s Civilization®️ and XCOM®️ brands; popular WWE®️ 2K and WWE®️ SuperCard franchises, TopSpin 2K25, as well as the critically and commercially acclaimed PGA TOUR®️ 2K. At 2K, we pride ourselves on creating an inclusive work environment, which means encouraging our teams to Come as You Are and do your best work! We encourage ALL applicants to explore our global positions, even if they don’t meet every requirement for the role. If you're interested in the job and think you have what it takes to work at 2K, we encourage you to apply! Position Summary 2K is seeking a highly skilled and execution-oriented Manager, Paid – Player Connections to join the Player Connections Planning team, based out of our Novato office. This role directly addresses a critical capability gap on our team: holistic media planning across both RTB (Real-Time Bidding) and Direct IO, combined with the ability to translate complex data sets—including GWI, MRI Nielsen, and Pathmatics—into clear, actionable recommendations for our Business Units (BUs). The Manager will operate autonomously as a senior lead within the team, owning the end-to-end development and optimization of US & Global paid media strategies, while serving as the primary connector back to BU stakeholders. A critical component of this role is the hands-on execution and oversight of in-house media channels, including major platforms such as Meta and Google, as well as the activation of 1st party data. This position requires a candidate who can build actionable media briefs for agency partners, manage cross-functional agency integration, and drive data-grounded recommendations that optimize high-value spend across both agency-led and in-house channels. Primary Responsibilities Media Planning & Strategy Development • Lead the development of strategic paid media plans for the globe, ensuring holistic media planning that encompasses both RTB (Real-Time Bidding) and Direct IO (Insertion Order) media—operating autonomously as a senior lead and owning the BU recommendation cycle end-to-end. • Collaborate with media agencies and in-house execution teams to develop global paid media plans that align with overarching business goals. • Author clear, actionable media briefs for agency partners and internal teams—serving as the strategic lead on cross-functional agency management and integration, and providing the guardrails necessary for high-impact execution. • Ensure all media strategies are grounded in a deep understanding of the region level media industry nuances while considering global brand consistency. • Determine optimal channel mixes and platform strategies based on campaign objectives and player insights. In-House Execution & Channel Oversight • Directly oversee and execute campaigns within in-house media channels, with a specific focus on performance and brand uplift eg. Meta and Google platforms. • Manage the activation and integration of 1st party data into paid media workstreams to drive personalized player connections and improved targeting efficiency. • Monitor real-time platform health and performance, making tactical adjustments to bidding, creative rotation, and audience segmenting. • Stay at the forefront of platform updates (Meta, Google, etc.) to ensure 2K is leveraging the latest alpha/beta features and best practices. Operational Oversight • Manage the end-to-end lifecycle of media campaigns, from initial plan development through to "live" status. • Oversee critical executional workstreams, including budget management, finance processes, trafficking, spec sheet coordination, and campaign reporting. • Serve as the primary point of contact for day-to-day media operations, ensuring all tactics are executed with precision and on schedule. • Maintain rigorous oversight of media investment, ensuring adherence to financial protocols and internal procurement…