associate people director

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Craft:
HR & Business Support

Job Description:

We are seeking a passionate and strategic Associate People Director who thrives on building high-performing teams, partnering with stakeholders, and fostering an inclusive, engaging culture. This role blends strategic oversight with hands-on involvement to align people strategies with business objectives , ensuring the continued success of King and Candy Crush Saga (CCS).

You will partner with CCS managers to deeply understand the organization, our players, and our business. Reporting to the Candy Crush Franchise Sr People Director , based in Stockholm, this role will also engage closely with Centers of Excellence (COEs) and the wider HR team in King to drive impactful results.

Your Role in Our Kingdom

As an Associate People Director, you will:

Strategic Leadership :

• Design and execute people strategies for CCS, aligned with the broader King and Candy Crush Franchise agendas.

• Partner with leadership to translate business strategies into people and organizational priorities, driving cultural and operational transformation.

• Provide expert guidance on organizational design, change management, and labor law compliance.

Partnering & Advisory :

• Build trusted relationships with managers, coaching and supporting them in executing people initiatives.

• Serve as a strategic advisor, influencing decisions that align with business goals and people priorities.

• Partner with COEs to leverage expertise in Talent Management, Diversity & Inclusion, and Employee Engagement.

Talent & Workforce Management :

• Lead processes such as talent planning, succession planning, workforce planning, and performance management to build a robust talent pipeline.

• Partner with Talent Acquisition to ensure strategic hiring that aligns with business needs and DE&I goals.

• Drive retention strategies and create skilling plans to address development gaps for critical roles.

Data-Driven Insights :

• Leverage data to inform decisions, shape strategies, and influence stakeholders with compelling storytelling.

• Analyze key people metrics (e.g., attrition, talent gaps) to identify trends and drive actionable solutions.

Culture & Change Management :

• Champion Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I), embedding these values across all people strategies.

• Lead organizational development and cultural initiatives, ensuring effective communication and seamless implementation.

• Guide leaders through change management processes to enable smooth transitions and maintain high engagement.

What You'll Bring to Sweeten the Kingdom

We're looking for a highly skilled and motivated HR professional who embodies our values and thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. Ideal candidates will demonstrate :

Core Skills

• Strategic business partnering with experience in complex, matrixed organizations.

• Expertise in talent management, workforce planning, organizational design, and change management.

• Strong coaching and advisory skills, with the ability to build trust and influence across all levels of leadership.

• Proficiency in analyzing and interpreting data to drive insights and actions.

• Advanced communication and storytelling skills to effectively convey complex ideas.

• In-depth knowledge of employment law and compliance.

• Ensure excellence in execution for all people-related processes across the team.

Mindset & Attributes

• A growth mindset and a passion for fostering inclusive, high-performing cultures.

• Resilience and adaptability to thrive in a fast-paced, constantly evolving environment.

• A proactive, hands-on approach balanced with strategic thinking.

• A team player that values to be part of a collaborati ve and high perform ing team .

Preferred Experience

• Proven track record in organizational development and talent management at a senior level.

• Experience in digital, entertainment, or technology sectors.

• Familiarity with local labor laws , experience from working in an international diverse environment and a strong understanding of DE&I principles.

With the holidays almost upon us and festivities in full swing we hope you are looking forward to some well earned time off us much as we are! We wanted to let you know reply's may be a little slow over the festive period but rest assured we look forward to responding swiftly in the new year.

About King

At King, we're Making the World Playful. Heard of Candy Crush? We're the creators behind it. With game studios in Stockholm, Malmö, London, Barcelona and Berlin, and offices in Dublin, San Francisco, New York, and Malta, we have a 20-year history of delivering some of the world's most iconic games in the mobile gaming industry and are on a mission to level-up the little moments for our more than 200 million active monthly users. But we aren't just crushing it with candies, we're also behind Farm Heroes, Bubble Witch, Pet Rescue and loads of other sweet games. As a leading interactive entertainment company for the mobile world, King is part of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft.

A Great Saga Needs All Sorts of Heroes

King strives to be a place where everyone can be their most authentic self. We recognize that diversity, equity and inclusion is a vital and continuous conversation, and that change only happens when we all come together. It's our mission to build a diverse and inclusive Kingdom for our people, players, and community.

Making the World Playful

Making the World Playful is our mission - it's the thread that connects our people, our players, and our passion for our games. Let's face it, who doesn't love a bit of fun?

Kingsters are seriously playful: creative thinkers who balance art and science to bring moments of magic to millions daily. But our players aren't the only ones that can level-up. We're always looking for ways to champion each other and make what's already great, even better.

So, if this feels like a fun way to spend your days, and you share our passion, our values, and our hunger to shape the future, join us in Making the World Playful.

Applications need to be in English.
Discover King at careers.king.com