Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organisation Communicating with people outside the organisation, representing the organisation to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Interacting With Computers Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Scheduling Work and Activities Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

The Work

Whether it’s a board game, mobile game, or otherwise — if a game has players then it has a community. Managing the growth, attitudes, and expectations of a game’s community can be very beneficial to the player experience, a company’s reputation, and a game’s success.

A Community Manager is a primary point of contact between a company and its users. They tend to be active across any major channels where their users can be found — such as twitch, youtube, discord, and other socials. They’re likely to have a presence at major events, if a game is lucky enough to have them.

They work closely with all the teams involved in creating and publishing a game to ensure that the end users understand what to expect, and that they’re consistently satisfied with a product.

At its best, being a Community Manager can mean contributing to and steering upcoming content to excite a community, like trailers and events. It can be a platform to uplift people, celebrate achievements, and bring people together.

However, a Community Manager may also have to endure some of the fallout when a community isn’t happy with how things are going. They may not always have the seniority or resources to give a community what it wants or needs.

Sometimes management will be tempted to lie to a community! Games aren't easy to make, and there can be a lot of anxiety around admitting fault. Keeping accountablity can be a challenge.

Online game communities can be tough to manage, and many exhibit ‘toxic’ behaviours. This can be demoralising to deal with on a daily basis.

In 2022, 74% of users of online games in the US and UK report having experienced harassment.

In multiplayer games of any kind, a user’s time spent with other people is a huge part of whether they’ll be a satisfied customer. Community Managers help to shape this essential part of the experience.

Work tasks...

• Create and nurture an environment that players want to be a part of.
• Establish and manage social channels for a company or game title, such as discord, twitch, steam forums, and an official website.
• Collaborate with the art team to develop new assets for use on social media, the design and development teams to understand upcoming changes, and the customer support team to resolve issues facing the community.
• Write internal style guidelines for public communications, including how to edit, how to be clear, best practices, and the right tone to use for specific products.
• Manage a team of moderators, and develop public-facing policy documents such as a community code of conduct.
• Respond to player questions and concerns, which may involve asking around internally to find answers, and working closely with the customer support team.
• Gather feedback from players, and pass this on to the appropriate internal teams.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Consult with customers to determine objectives and requirements for events, such as meetings, conferences, and conventions.
• Review event bills for accuracy and approve payment.
• Coordinate services for events, such as accommodation and transportation for participants, facilities, catering, signage, displays, special needs requirements, printing and event security.
• Arrange the availability of audio-visual equipment, transportation, displays, and other event needs.
• Confer with staff at a chosen event site to coordinate details.
• Inspect event facilities to ensure that they conform to customer requirements.
• Maintain records of event aspects, including financial details.
• Monitor event activities to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and laws, satisfaction of participants, and resolution of any problems that arise.
• Negotiate contracts with such service providers and suppliers as hotels, convention centers, and speakers.
• Evaluate and select providers of services according to customer requirements.

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

Administrative

Administrative people are interested in work that offers security and a sense of being part of a larger process. They may be at their most productive under supervisors who give clear guidelines and while performing routine tasks in a methodical and reliable way.

They tend to enjoy clerical and most forms of office work, where they perform essential administrative duties. They often form the backbone of large and small organisations alike. They may enjoy being in charge of office filing systems, and using computers and other office equipment to keep things running smoothly. They usually like routine work hours and prefer comfortable indoor workplaces.

Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.

Usually, the road to becoming a game Community Manager starts with being very active in game communities! This could be as a player who reports lots of issues, a content creator or influencer, a cosplayer, a moderator, or someone who runs events or esport competitions.

Ultimately, it should be someone who has learned through experience what a good game community looks like!

Game companies will want to see this history of engagement with games — ideally ones similar to the project they’re hiring for.

Having qualifications in Marketing, Public Relations, Creative Writing, or other communication disciplines is likely to be useful, as there is overlap between these roles.

It also helps to have done an internship or taken on a role working with a game company or publisher of any kind, to have experience seeing things "from the company's side".

Further info...

• IntoGames — Community Manager
• Hitmarker — Community Manager
• British Esports — Esports Community Manager
• Victoria Tran — Game Community Management

Last Updated: January, 2023

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €29k - €70k

Salaries vary by employer, location, role, duties, project, shift pattern, and experience.

Data Source(s):
Prosperity/ Morgan McKinley/ Lincoln/ Indeed/ Clark/ Blake & Filip, UK Game Industry

Last Updated: February, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

Despite a strong employment growth rate for this occupation, employment levels fell between 2021 and 2022. Employment is spread across a number of roles including marketing associate professionals, buyers & procurement officers, conference/expo managers and estate agents. Employment permits issued in 2022 were primarily for roles in the ICT sector such as digital marketing and accounts managers with language skills required for some.

The Recruitment Agency Survey highlighted issues in sourcing candidates for procurement roles. The number of job adverts for this role grew in 2022, driven by increases for buyers/procurement officers and conference organisers etc. In addition, procurement/tendering documentation skills were not confined to this occupation, but were also in demand outside of sales roles, albeit in small numbers.

• Imirt Irish Game Makers

  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Ardan

  • Cluain Mhuire Wellpark Road, Galway City, Ireland, H91 WP9K
  • 091 770 748
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Ireland ESports

  • 087 217 6167
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• COMREG Communcations regulator

  • 018049600
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here