Hiring: Crowdfunding Producer

Published by: Michelle Nephew 12/18/2020

Overview

Atlas Games is seeking a person to produce Kickstarter campaigns and manage subscription programs. Although we can easily imagine hiring a part-time employee to do this work, we are also open to engaging a contractor or service provider to meet these needs.

Description of Needs

This is the work we need to have done:

Spearhead Kickstarter campaign prep. Gather internal information, draft and and deploy Kickstarter pages, craft graphics or manage graphic design, produce or manage video production, solicit and coordinate third-party preview content.
Manage and market active campaigns. Reply to backer comments and communications, draft and deploy mailing list communications, draft and deploy backer updates, manage stretch goals, manage PR outreach, draft and deploy social media, design and place ads and/or manage advertising partners.
Manage post-campaign communication and logistics. Set up and deploy pledge management, draft and deploy backer updates, coordinate fulfillment operations with internal logistics staff.
Manage direct-to-gamer subscription programs. Craft marketing and sign-up messaging, stand up and administer subscription channels, manage subscriber communications.

Key Skills

These capabilities are required in order to successfully complete this work:

A detailed, expert knowledge from firsthand experience of the tabletop crowdfunding marketplace generally, and the Kickstarter platform specifically.
Excellent copywriting, editing, and proofreading skills.
A bulletproof system for managing tasks and responsibilities.
An understanding of what constitutes excellent visual design and video production that you can explain in concrete terms other than “I know it when I see it,” and a working knowledge of Photoshop and/or Illustrator.
The ability to effectively get work done while managing up, down, and across an ersatz org chart of employees and contractors.

Other Skills

These capabilities are not explicitly required, but would help us identify exceptional applicants:

Excellent graphic design skills.
Experience with web design and related technologies.
Artistic skill in digital or freehand illustration.
Page layout experience with InDesign.

Scope, Compensation, and Location

To reiterate, we are open to hiring a part-time employee, or engaging a contractor or service provider, to meet the needs described here.

We understand both the moral and tax-reporting differences between employees and contractors. Our flexibility should not be interpreted to mean that we are looking for a contractor we can treat as an under-the-table employee. Those uncomfortable with invoicing, maintaining their own workspace and equipment, managing their own schedule, and filing their own taxes may not be a good fit for a contract role.

The time demands of this work will vary week by week and month by month. During campaigns, they may approach or exceed 40 person-hours per week. In the weeks and months when campaigns are approaching, they are likely to require 10–20 hours per week. In the times most distant from active campaigns, they may require as little as 5–10 hours per week. We aim to produce 3–4 campaigns per year, so this work probably requires 750–1,000 person-hours of work per year.

Atlas Games currently only hires employees who live in (or are willing to move to) Minnesota, and prefers employees in the Duluth area to those elsewhere in the state. Employees within Minnesota living outside the Duluth or Twin Cities metro areas must be able to work remotely.

Among contractors and service providers, a preference will be shown for those generally available during US Central time business hours.

Compensation will be commensurate with skills and experience. We anticipate that an employee meeting these needs would earn between $16–20/hour at Atlas Games, with the possibility for a truly phenomenal candidate to earn somewhat more. We would hope to pay a contractor or service provider $17.50–22/hour to do this work, but are open to any proposed pricing for these services, whether hourly or under some other arrangement.

To Apply

To apply, email a single PDF document to jeff at atlas dash games dot com.

If you live in or would relocate to Minnesota and are applying to be an employee, your PDF should comprise a cover letter, resume, and supporting materials. Your cover letter should make it clear that you are applying to be an employee. In addition to anything else you would like to include, your supporting materials should succinctly explain what key factors you believe lead to successful crowdfunding campaigns. They should also include links to crowdfunding campaigns you’ve been involved with, and provide a description of your role(s) in them.

If applying for a contract position or making a pitch for your services company, your PDF should include a cover letter, whatever supporting materials make the best case for your offer, and your proposed rate or schedule or fees. Your supporting materials should include links to crowdfunding campaigns you’ve been involved with and a clear description of your role(s) in them.

Use the subject line “Crowdfunding Producer” for your email, and assume that only the PDF (and not the body of your email) will be seen by decision-makers.