RAY MCCAFFREY
Chicago
Summary
Dynamic Chief Development Officer with a proven track record at Steel Wool Studios, leading complex game development cycles and enhancing team collaboration. Expert in strategic roadmap development and talent development, driving projects to successful completion while fostering innovation and efficiency. Recognized for delivering on-time, high-quality results in fast-paced environments.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
STEEL WOOL STUDIOS
Chicago
01.2024 - 02.2025
- Spearheaded the on-time completion of large, complex development cycles for games such as Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted 2, and the upcoming Five Nights at Freddy's: Secret of the Mimic, by providing consistent mentorship and ensuring thoughtful collaboration among studio directors
- Provided direct leadership to nine directors and indirect leadership to 75+ staff
- Played a key role in defining the studio's strategic vision and crafting long-term roadmaps by engaging with C-suite peers to choose business priorities and advocate for development needs
- Empowered the team to work collaboratively by having employees of all levels present workflows to the development team and, at times, the entire company to strengthen understanding of personal approaches, streamline operations, foster innovation, and identify key opportunities for short-term, rapid growth
- Monitor emerging market trends to identify opportunities for the studio's games to secure a competitive advantage
- Assess team performance to provide personalized coaching and constructive feedback
- Navigate complex challenges and obstacles with an innovative and solution-focused mindset
- Update stakeholders and leadership on game progress, ensuring transparency
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
STEEL WOOL STUDIOS
Chicago
06.2021 - 12.2023
- Strategized and oversaw end-to-end development for major games, including Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach, Ruin DLC, and Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted 2, while providing on-demand support for other studio titles, such as Hello Neighbor: Search and Rescue
- Fostered a cohesive and collaborative work environment centered around transparent communication, accountability, and innovation while supervising cross-functional teams; oversaw 10+ production staff and had dotted line management of all project leads
- Drove continuous improvement by analyzing development workflows and implemented streamlined processes, such as introducing a live workshop process to navigate remote work challenges by establishing virtual conference rooms for collaboration, leading to a 50% reduction in MVP feature development time
- Ensured on-time, on-budget project delivery aligned with creative and technical goals by liaising with external teams to develop 9+ skus simultaneously
- Assumed additional responsibilities as needed to support the success of other production projects
- Identified opportunities to strengthen employee morale and improve work-life balance, paving the way for an 8-month development cycle that achieved 85% of its goals before any overtime was necessary
- Cultivated and maintained positive relationships with development partners and publishers
VICE PRESIDENT, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
LEVEL EX, INC / BRAINLAB.
Chicago
01.2020 - 01.2021
- Managed competing priorities while directing production activities for both games and client projects, overseeing content updates, and driving continued player engagement for live service titles
- Launched four new products in 2020 while overseeing the end-to-end product development lifecycle
- Exhibited expertise leading through change while supporting the successful acquisition by Brainlab, including overseeing accurate cost, resourcing, and performance delivery for the team and tracking individual team member responsibilities and projects for two years
- Streamlined operations through continuous process, communication, and workflow optimization, culminating in improved efficiency while maintaining quality compliance
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
LEVEL EX, INC / BRAINLAB.
Chicago
01.2019 - 01.2020
- Charted the successful development and execution of robust product roadmaps to drive the seamless development and delivery of 18+ projects and Cardio Ex
- Ensured live titles' ongoing quality and performance by rolling out 24 app updates
- Championed process improvement opportunities, including implementing Scrum methodologies to standardize product development activities and improve output
- Enabled team members to be fully engaged by promoting a strong work-life balance
PRODUCER
LEVEL EX, INC / BRAINLAB.
Chicago
01.2018 - 01.2019
- Piloted the go-to-market development strategy for Pulm Ex
- Assumed development leadership responsibilities for all previously launched titles
PRODUCER
NETHERREALM STUDIOS
Chicago
01.2017 - 01.2018
- Directed game production for Mortal Kombat X Mobile, resulting in leading app store ratings and $1M+ in revenue within 24 hours following an update
- Bolstered outcomes for major content releases by engaging with marketing and creative teams and platform holders, working collaboratively to achieve goals and drive tangible outcomes
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
NETHERREALM STUDIOS
Chicago
01.2015 - 01.2017
- Gained experience with team leadership while overseeing the UI team for Mortal Kombat X Console as well as production teams for Mortal Kombat X and Injustice Mobile
- Served as a Production Generalist for the launch of WWE Immortals
- Improved efficiency by developing pipelines for outsourcing and live operations
- Tasked with overseeing QA and first-party submissions
ASSISTANT PRODUCER
NETHERREALM STUDIOS
Chicago
01.2012 - 01.2015
- Acted as the primary point of contact for Mortal Kombat X Console UI team, adapting to quickly changing priorities while ensuring high-quality support
- Acted as a live operations producer for multiple titles, such as Injustice: Gods Among Us Console and Mobile
- Troubleshot and resolved complex issues promptly with cross-functional teams
- Coordinated and managed daily production operations for Batman: Arkham Origins Mobile, including developing localization pipelines and managing localization updates
WINDOWS ADMINISTRATOR
VIBES MEDIA
Chicago
01.2010 - 01.2012
SYSTEMS ENGINEER
VIBES MEDIA
Chicago
01.2009 - 01.2010
Skills
- PC, Mobile & Console Game Production
- Simultaneous SKU Development
- Live Ops Management
- Efficiency Enhancement
- Product Lifecycle Management
- Talent Development
- Strategic Roadmap Development
- Project Management
- Effective Team Leadership
Timeline
CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
STEEL WOOL STUDIOS
01.2024 - 02.2025
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
STEEL WOOL STUDIOS
06.2021 - 12.2023
VICE PRESIDENT, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
LEVEL EX, INC / BRAINLAB.
01.2020 - 01.2021
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
LEVEL EX, INC / BRAINLAB.
01.2019 - 01.2020
PRODUCER
LEVEL EX, INC / BRAINLAB.
01.2018 - 01.2019
PRODUCER
NETHERREALM STUDIOS
01.2017 - 01.2018
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
NETHERREALM STUDIOS
01.2015 - 01.2017
ASSISTANT PRODUCER
NETHERREALM STUDIOS
01.2012 - 01.2015
WINDOWS ADMINISTRATOR
VIBES MEDIA
01.2010 - 01.2012
SYSTEMS ENGINEER
VIBES MEDIA
01.2009 - 01.2010
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