Job Details

DSS Games International Business Development Manager

DSS Games is a leading US publisher of one-of-a-kind social and party games, sold at Target, Walmart, Amazon, and major retailers across North America. Our next chapter is international, and Europe is where we see the biggest untapped opportunity.

We're hiring our first Europe-based team member to build DSS's international business from the ground up. Your job is to grow our distributor and publishing partnerships across the UK, Europe, Australia, and other high-potential territories.

This is a builder's role. You'll operate independently, on European time, with direct access to company leadership. You should be energized, not intimidated, by owning a channel end to end: sourcing partners, negotiating deals, managing relationships, and being accountable for the revenue number.

Job Responsibilities

International Business Development - 50%

• Identify and prioritize new distributors and publishing partners across the UK, Europe, Canada, Australia, and other high-potential regions
• Manage and optimize existing relationships with distributors and rep agencies
• Lead outreach, pitch calls, negotiations, and deal structuring from first contact through signed agreement
• Attend major international trade shows with a DSS presence (Spielwarenmesse Nuremberg, London Toy Fair, Essen SPIEL) and run pitch meetings with prospective partners
• Travel to key territories to scout opportunities, meet potential partners, and assess market fit
• Evaluate partner capabilities: distribution strength, retail relationships, language coverage, strategic fit, and long-term potential
• Build market-entry strategies by region, including prioritization of English-language export versus localized publishing deals
• Identify agents for territories not currently serviced where an agent model makes more sense than direct

International Partner Management - 40%

• Own day-to-day communication with established distributors and publishing partners
• Manage pricing, FOB terms, replenishment flow, and sell-through expectations across territories
• Own purchase order entry and ERP system workflow
• Work with the DSS Production team to coordinate print runs for international orders and localized editions, including minimum order quantities and consolidation opportunities
• Ensure sales samples ship to partners on a timely basis
• Provide product training and, working with DSS Marketing, deliver marketing assets and go-to-market plans for each territory
• Travel to partner territories as needed for new title pitches, planning sessions, line reviews, and retail walkthroughs
• Build annual sales budgets, targets, launch plans, and forecasts by territory
• Maintain strong relationships while holding partners accountable to commitments

Market Insights & Global Strategy - 10%

• Monitor international market trends, competitor activity, and pricing norms
• Identify opportunities for new regions, product versions, or format adjustments based on partner and market insights
• Provide internal teams with clear intel on localization needs, packaging and compliance requirements (CE/UKCA marking, language regulations), and launch timing by region
• Keep leadership informed on regional performance and strategic priorities

Requirements

Required:

• 5-8+ years of experience in international sales, distributor management, or licensing/publishing partnerships
• Experience in tabletop games, toys, or adjacent consumer products categories
• Proven success signing and growing international distributors or publishing partners, with specific deals you can point to
• Self-starter who has operated independently or remotely from a head office, ideally as the sole owner of a region or channel
• Strong negotiation, relationship-building, and cross-cultural communication skills
• Ability to manage forecasts, pricing structures, and sell-through expectations across multiple regions
• Comfortable with frequent international travel for partner meetings and trade shows
• Highly organized with excellent follow-through across multiple countries and time zones
• Fluent English; based in the UK or EU with existing work authorization

Preferred:

• Existing relationships with game distributors or publishers in key European or English-speaking markets
• Background with localized/translated product lines or international licensing deals
• Experience running or supporting a booth at Nuremberg, London Toy Fair, or Essen
• Familiarity with FOB China trade terms, international wholesale pricing, landed costs, and logistics basics
• Additional European language(s)