Lead Franchise Strategist

PlayStation Global•San Mateo, CA

5d•$155,800 - $233,600•Hybrid

About The Position

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) is seeking a Lead Franchise Strategist to shape the growth of PlayStation's intellectual properties (IP) beyond game releases. This role focuses on building entertainment franchises over time across various audiences, stories, formats, products, experiences, and partners. The ideal candidate will understand how to identify and capitalize on IP potential, develop growth plans, and work collaboratively across multiple departments and external partners to nurture and expand beloved PlayStation franchises.

Requirements

Strong experience in franchise strategy, IP development, entertainment strategy, brand expansion, audience growth, or a related field, with a track record of independently leading complex strategic work
A track record of helping build, shape, expand, or revitalize entertainment IP, ideally across multiple formats or business areas
Strong understanding of fandom — how audiences discover, engage with, spend around, advocate for, and stay connected to IP over time
Experience working across creative and commercial disciplines, including areas such as production, research, finance, marketing, licensing, consumer products, and external partnerships
Ability to synthesize complex creative, audience, and commercial information into clear recommendations, influence senior stakeholders, and build alignment around a direction
Strong creative taste and commercial judgment — someone who can see both the magic of an IP and the business around it
Experience with areas such as franchise architecture, audience segmentation, IP positioning, content roadmaps, commercial planning, or long-range portfolio strategy
Comfort operating in ambiguity and creating structure around IP that may not yet have a fully formed franchise ecosystem
Ability to challenge assumptions constructively and make thoughtful calls about what is worth doing, what should wait, and what should not happen at all
A practical, collaborative approach and the ability to influence across teams without always owning final execution

Nice To Haves

Gaming experience is valuable but not required.
Experience in film, television, animation, publishing, consumer products, licensing, live experiences, or location-based entertainment may be just as relevant.
Experience with global entertainment brands or IP with multi-market potential is a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead franchise strategy work for assigned priority PlayStation IP, from initial opportunity assessment through long-term planning and cross-functional alignment
Develop franchise strategies that define audience opportunity, positioning, expansion potential, commercial rationale, and priorities for growth
Proactively identify new ways priority IP could grow, including opportunities that may sit outside PlayStation’s existing franchise playbook
Identify where each franchise has the strongest potential across film, television, animation, publishing, consumer products, music, live and location-based experiences, partnerships, and digital/community engagement
Help define what each franchise should become over time — and just as importantly, where it should not go
Use audience research, fandom insights, market trends, competitive benchmarks, and commercial data to make clear recommendations to leadership and cross-functional partners
Translate franchise ambition into practical roadmaps, sequencing, decision frameworks, and execution priorities
Support the development of franchise bibles, IP briefs, creative guardrails, and other tools that enable partners to build from a shared understanding of the IP
Partner with finance and business teams to understand and articulate the value of franchise activity across games and adjacent businesses
Help evolve PlayStation’s approach to long-term franchise planning, bringing greater consistency and rigor to how opportunities are identified, evaluated, and prioritized
Champion the fan perspective — understanding what audiences love, where they want more, what will feel authentic, and where expansion could damage trust