We are seeking a highly analytical, strategic, and deeply product-minded Lead User Acquisition Manager to take ownership of Riftblade's growth. Starting with a highly targeted soft launch and scaling through to a profitable global release, you will not just be buying media—you will be the bridge between our marketing efforts and our core game economy. We believe that truly effective UA requires a deep understanding of our game, our audience, and our progression systems. You will thrive in this role if you are ready to navigate a compressed timeline and turn early community momentum into a scalable, highly profitable player base.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Go-to-Market Strategy & Soft Launching

• Soft Launch Execution: Lead the end-to-end UA strategy for our initial 10,000-user soft launch over a 3-4 month period.
• Phased Rollout Management: Manage the geographic rollout: starting with low-cost Tier 3 markets for technical validation, moving to Tier 2 for retention testing (D1/D7), and finally scaling into Tier 1 markets for monetization and LTV/ROAS stress-testing.
• KPI Definition: Work with Product to establish baseline targets for CPI, Retention (D1/D7/D30), and Payback Periods across different geos and platforms.

Media Buying & Campaign Management

• Network Mastery: Manage and optimize UA campaigns across primary mobile ad networks (Meta, Google App Campaigns, Unity Ads, AppLovin, TikTok, etc.).
• Budget Pacing & Allocation: Own the media buying budget. Enforce strict daily pacing controls and automated kill thresholds to prevent algorithm overspend during the highly sensitive early testing phases.
• Profitability Focus: Shift focus seamlessly from CPI and early engagement to profitability metrics, prioritizing Blended ROAS (incorporating both our robust IAP economy and our ~20% Ad Revenue).
• ASO & Organic Growth: Oversee App Store Optimization (ASO) strategies, ensuring screenshots, descriptions, and keywords align with paid acquisition hooks to maximize organic uplift.
• Retargeting Strategies: Develop early retargeting frameworks to re-engage lapsed players during major content beats.

Creative Strategy & Pipeline Management

• Creative Pipeline Leadership: Lead our creative marketing pipeline. Work alongside external creative and strategy contractors to build data-driven, highly specific creative briefs.
• High-Velocity Testing: Establish a rapid creative testing pipeline, decoding why a specific hook (e.g., showcasing the Riftforge system vs. opening Card Packs) drives better conversion.
• Competitor Analysis: Regularly monitor and deconstruct competitor ad creatives (in the TCG, Midcore, and Strategy spaces) to identify emerging trends and format opportunities.
• AI-Driven Velocity Testing: Establish a rapid creative testing pipeline. We expect you to leverage modern AI tools for rapid ad variation and predictive modeling, allowing us to test at a speed traditional agencies can't match.

Data Analytics & Economy Integration

• Attribution Mastery: Ensure immaculate tracking via our Mobile Measurement Partner (Singular) and navigate post-ATT and SKAdNetwork measurement challenges with confidence.
• Cohort Modeling: Utilize cohort analysis to project D30, D90, and D180 LTV based on early retention indicators.
• Product & Economy Synergy: Work closely with the core development team (Product & Design). Understand our early player funnel, how progression impacts retention, and use these product insights to target high-intent players. Provide feedback to the design team on which player segments are churning.

REQUIREMENTS

Experience & Track Record

• Experience: 3-5+ years of dedicated User Acquisition experience within the mobile gaming industry.
• Language: Fluent or highly proficient English.
• Launch Experience: Proven track record of taking F2P mobile games from soft launch through global scaling phases.
• Budget Management: Experience managing and profitably scaling monthly UA budgets of $50k - $500k+.

Technical & Platform Proficiency

• Platform Expertise: Deep, hands-on expertise in media buying and algorithmic bidding strategies on Meta, Google App Campaigns, Unity Ads, AppLovin, TikTok, etc.
• Attribution: Strong proficiency with mobile attribution platforms and navigating privacy-first marketing (SKAN, Privacy Sandbox).
• Ad Monetization Setup: Experience configuring or working closely with ad mediation platforms (ironSource, MAX) to optimize our 20% ad revenue stream.

Analytical & Market Literacy

• Data Fluency: Advanced Excel/data visualization skills. You don't just read dashboards; you understand the math behind LTV curves and can articulate the relationship between CPI and payback windows.
• Genre Literacy: A strong understanding of the Midcore, TCG, or Card Battler audience. You need to understand what makes a strategy game fun to effectively market it.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Experience working in agile teams, managing external creative contractors, and communicating marketing realities to product developers.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

• Analytical yet Creative: You can calculate a complex LTV curve but also recognize why an ad's visual hook is failing to capture attention.
• Autonomous & Proactive: You don't wait to be told what to test next. You are constantly proposing new channel tests, geo expansions, or creative iterations.
• Player-First Mindset: You respect the midcore audience. You abhor deceptive "fake ads" and believe in acquiring players who will genuinely love the depth of the game.
• Comfortable in Ambiguity: You thrive in the fast-paced, sometimes chaotic environment of launching a new game where the baseline metrics are actively being discovered.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Strategic Impact: This is not a "set-and-forget" media buying role. You will dictate the channel mix, geographic strategy, and budget allocation, with a direct line to product leadership.
• Close Product Collaboration: You won't be siloed. You will have deep visibility into the game's economy, roadmap, and live-ops events to sync your campaigns with our biggest moments.
• Global, Highly Collaborative Team Environment: Work together with a growing team who is passionate about the work they do and is eager to support and develop those around them. 
• Remote Flexibility: We are a fully remote company. With our core team anchored in the US and Brazil, we ask for overlap during standard business hours but offer significant flexibility with the rest of your schedule. At The Gambit Foundry, we win together.