[Hiring] Talent & Community Manager @Collectivus

Role Description

Build and sustain a vibrant, engaged global community of tabletop gaming and TCG enthusiasts who choose, complete, and remain connected to Merchant Guild's educational programs. The ideal person for this role sits at the intersection of tabletop enthusiast and passionate community builder — someone whose energy and enthusiasm naturally draw others in.

Key Responsibilities

• Community Management
  • Manage and moderate Merchant Guild's student community channels, including Discord and forums.
  • Establish community guidelines, tone, and norms that keep spaces welcoming, active, and on-brand.
  • Run day-to-day community operations: discussions, announcements, Q&A, and conflict de-escalation.
  • Monitor community health and step in early on issues that could affect engagement or retention.
• Student Recruitment
  • Own public-facing recruitment efforts, including social and community posting, to attract prospective students.
  • Lead outreach to tabletop and TCG communities, groups, and partners to build a pipeline of prospective students.
  • Develop and test recruitment campaigns and messaging in partnership with Marketing.
  • Track recruitment funnel performance and adjust outreach based on what's converting.
• Student Retention & Engagement
  • Design and run online community activities, events, and programming that keep students engaged.
  • Track engagement metrics (participation, activity, drop-off) and act on trends that signal disengagement.
  • Build touchpoints and rituals that increase completion and long-term community involvement.
• Feedback Collection
  • Collect student feedback through surveys, community listening, and direct conversation.
  • Synthesize feedback into clear themes and pain points and route it to the educational design team and other stakeholders.
  • Close the loop with the community on feedback received and changes made.
  • Receive questions submitted through the Learning Management System and coordinate answers with appropriate stakeholders for timely answers.
• Subject Matter Expert (SME) Management
  • Recruit, onboard, and manage the Subject Matter Experts who support their communities as a distinct community function.
  • Identify and engage community influencers for work on special projects.
  • Coordinate Subject Matter Expert participation in community activities, Q&A, and events.
  • Maintain strong relationships with Subject Matter Experts and ensure they're supported and recognized.

Key Success Metrics

• Growth in quantity of active, engaged community members
• Strong student recruitment pipeline and conversion
• High student retention, driven by community engagement
• Consistent, actionable feedback loops between students and program teams
• A reliable, well-supported network of Subject Matter Experts
• Healthy, well-moderated community spaces (Discord, forums, and others)

Strategic Impact

• Builds Collectivus public-facing community presence in the tabletop and TCG space.
• Strengthens the recruitment pipeline feeding educational programs.
• Improves retention and completion through community engagement, supporting workforce and certification goals.
• Surfaces student feedback and delivers it to appropriate stakeholders for strengthening programs and learning design.
• Builds a sustainable, well-managed Subject Matter Expert community to support ongoing programs.

Year One Priorities

• Launch and grow Merchant Guild's Discord and forum communities.
• Build an expanding student recruitment and outreach pipeline.
• Stand up retention and engagement programming, with metrics to track impact.
• Establish a consistent feedback collection process and reporting cadence.
• Recruit and onboard the first cohort of community Subject Matter Experts for determined games and publishers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Learning & Development, Organizational Development, Education, Business, Student Development, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of experience in talent development, learning and development, workforce planning, program management, community management, or a related field.
• Experience managing learning, certification, or talent development programs.
• Experience with Learning Management Systems (LMS) and learner engagement platforms.
• Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple initiatives and priorities simultaneously.
• Experience analyzing data and developing insights to improve learner engagement, program effectiveness, and workforce readiness.
• Experience in gaming, hobby retail, consumer products, events, or community-driven organizations.
• Familiarity with tabletop gaming, organized play, or publisher ecosystems is a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences.
• Proven ability to build collaborative relationships with cross-functional teams and external partners.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and follow-through.
• Self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced, evolving environment and works independently with minimal supervision.