VP Business Development Jobs in California

We are seeking a VP, Head of Strategy & Business Operations to serve as a senior strategic partner to the division’s leadership team and build the operating foundation for our growing games business.

Reporting to the EVP, Head of Commercial & Marketing, Paramount Games, this executive sits at the intersection of strategy, analytics, finance and operations. They will lead the division’s long-range strategy alongside Games leadership and Paramount’s Corporate Strategy organization, build its data and KPI infrastructure, model major opportunities and transactions, and own the operating mechanisms behind faster, better-informed decisions.

The ideal candidate pairs exceptional strategic and analytical ability with a pragmatic operating mindset, moving from the long-term evolution of the global games market to a complex deal model, to a leadership dashboard, to a quarterly business review. They work through ambiguity independently and influence senior leaders across a highly matrixed global organization.

This is a high-impact role with broad visibility across Paramount Games and Paramount Skydance, and a chance to shape the strategy and operating model of a key growth business.

Division Strategy & Strategic Planning

• Partner with Games leadership to develop and refine the division’s strategy, priorities and long-range plan, translating ambition into clear choices, investment frameworks and measurable objectives.
• Lead strategic analyses of new business models, platforms, markets, capabilities, partnerships and growth opportunities, and develop the frameworks that guide portfolio and investment decisions.
• Lead preparation of strategic plans, executive presentations and business reviews for Games and senior Paramount leadership.
• Serve as the primary strategic liaison to the Paramount Corporate Strategy team, aligning with enterprise priorities and partnering across divisions to unlock the full value of Paramount’s IP, capabilities and platforms.

Data, Analytics & Business Intelligence

• Build and lead the data and analytics strategy for Paramount Games, establishing the infrastructure, processes and capabilities needed for data-driven decisions.
• Define the division’s KPI architecture and a single source of truth for commercial, audience, product, financial and operational performance, partnering with data, technology and finance teams on tools, reporting and governance.
• Develop dashboards, scorecards and analytical frameworks that give leadership clear visibility into performance, opportunities and risks.
• Identify data gaps, build a roadmap to expand analytical capability, and translate complex data into clear, actionable recommendations.

Deal Strategy, Modeling & Business Analysis

• Lead strategic and financial modeling for major Paramount Games deals, partnering closely with Finance, Business Affairs, Legal and Commercial.
• Build scenario and sensitivity analyses to evaluate deal structures, economics, risk, return and strategic fit.
• Support the evaluation and structuring of publishing, licensing, development, distribution, platform, partnership and investment transactions, including analytical support through negotiations.
• Pressure-test assumptions to surface the key economic drivers, risks and tradeoffs behind each decision.
• Establish consistent evaluation frameworks and reusable models that speed and standardize future transaction decisions.

Industry, Competitive & Market Intelligence

• Establish a systematic view of the global games industry, covering market size and growth, consumer behavior, platform evolution, business models, competitive activity and emerging technology, and track adjacent entertainment and technology players for shifts that create opportunity or risk.
• Deliver regular industry and competitive intelligence to Games leadership and corporate stakeholders, surfacing the strategic questions the organization should be addressing before they become urgent.
• Build relationships with external research, data and industry partners to strengthen access to high-quality market intelligence.

Business Operations & Operating Rhythm

• Own the rhythm of business for Paramount Games, creating the operating mechanisms that keep leadership aligned, accountable and focused on top priorities.
• Design and run leadership meetings, business reviews, annual and long-range planning, setting agendas, synthesizing materials, framing decisions and tracking commitments to completion.
• Maintain scorecards against strategic priorities, surface material performance gaps and risks, and coordinate cross-functional inputs into divisional and corporate reporting.
• Partner with Finance on planning, forecasting and performance reporting and with People/HR on organizational planning.
• Drive continuous improvement in how the division operates, simplifying processes and increasing organizational velocity.

Strategic Projects & Leadership Support

• Lead high-priority strategic and operational projects, particularly initiatives that span functions or lack a natural owner.
• Structure ambiguous problems and drive work from initial question through recommendation and execution, anticipating issues and bringing recommendations to leadership rather than waiting for direction.
• Build strong relationships across Games, Corporate Strategy, Finance, Business Affairs, Legal, Data & Technology and other Paramount organizations.
• Over time, build and lead a Strategy & Business Operations team sized to the division’s growth.

• 7+ years in corporate strategy, strategic finance, business operations, management consulting, investment banking or corporate development.
• Track record leading complex strategic and financial analyses and translating them into recommendations for senior executives.
• Advanced financial modeling capability, including evaluating investments, partnerships or complex commercial transactions.
• Experience developing business strategies, long-range plans and executive-level presentations.
• Strong analytical orientation, including work with large or complex datasets to drive business decisions.
• Experience operating cross-functionally in complex, highly matrixed organizations.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

• Video game industry experience strongly preferred, including publishing, development, licensing, distribution, platform economics and evolving business models; media, entertainment, consumer technology or other IP-driven experience is also highly relevant.
• Management consulting, investment banking or similarly rigorous analytical training strongly preferred.
• Exceptional strategic judgment, moving seamlessly between long-term thinking and detailed execution, with the ability to structure ambiguous problems and determine what analysis is required to decide.
• Strong technical and analytical fluency; experience with business intelligence and visualization tools and familiarity with SQL and modern AI-enabled workflows is a plus.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication, including executive and board-level materials, and the ability to turn complicated analysis into a simple, compelling narrative.
• Strong executive presence, with the ability to build credibility, influence decisions and challenge assumptions constructively.
• Intellectual curiosity and a deep interest in the evolution of games, technology, AI, media and consumer behavior.
• Collaborative, low-ego style paired with the ability to work independently, with strong prioritization and follow-through across concurrent priorities.

The annual salary range for this position in Los Angeles is $250,000 – $325,000. The salary offered may vary based on the candidate’s location, qualifications, experience and relevant expertise, among other factors. The range indicated is for base salary only and does not reflect the total compensation package, including bonus, benefits, etc.

We realize that skills and expertise can come from many different experiences and paths, and we encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all of the requirements as written in the job description.

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