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Game Design Director
1 year ago
Creative Assembly is looking for an experienced Design Director to join the team behind Total War, Alien: Isolation and Halo Wars 2 to create unforgettable game experiences on a new project. This will be based at our studio in Horsham, in the heart of West Sussex.
Working closely with the Executive Producer and the Creative Director, the Design Director will focus on delivering the creative vision and help to steer development of the game collaborating with the other discipline directors as well as mentoring and directing the design team on the project.
Flexible working at Creative Assembly includes hybrid, fully remote within country of employment for eligible roles, and in-studio. We recognise that there is no one-size-fits-all approach and empower our teams to define the working patterns which work best for them, which may mean different things for different teams and roles and at different times.
This role is Hybrid and has an expectation of one day every fortnight in our Horsham studio. This role would consider fully remote working within country of employment, in exceptional circumstances. Further details can be discussed during the recruitment process.
Key Responsibilities
On a day-to-day basis, you will:
- Report to the Executive Producer; define, champion & realise a shared vision for establishing the genre ensuring its contemporary appeal
- Deliver a game that evolves through innovative gameplay experiences
- Manage a team of Lead and Senior Designers
- Help define a long-term roadmap and scope an ambitious multi-year release plan for the project
- Establish a design while adhering to challenging deadlines
- Manage a process that justifies and proves design ideas (wherever possible through prototypes). Encourage a team mindset of resolution and forward-thinking Champion the player experience Liaise confidently with studio management and external stakeholders. Represent the team and the studio internationally.
Knowledge, Skill and Experience
Essential
- A deep understanding of traditional and contemporary gameplay mechanics, experience drivers and business models across a variety of genres and platforms
- A feel for the appeal of strategy games and ideas on how to develop that appeal
- Awareness of current market trends and an opinion on how gamer demands will evolve
- A confident manager with an inclusive approach, leading the way and owning the design while inspiring and championing ideas from others
- Strong communicator with the ability to describe and explain game experiences clearly verbally, and in writing
- The confidence and ability to translate a desired player experience into well-defined and appropriately scoped game mechanics, systems and features
- The ability to distil desired complex emotional and psychological behaviours into specific communicable design goals
- The ability and desire to use player analytics to inform future design decisions.
Desirable
- Experience directing a design, or a significant part of a design, on a AAA game
- Experience having widened or developed the appeal of a game beyond an existing genre
- Delivered a game against a hard deadline.
About Creative Assembly
It’s an exciting time to be a part of our craft-led studio as we push boundaries, creating deep and detailed experiences that last.
Our teams are diverse from across the world, from trainees to industry veterans who constantly challenge us and make sure we are striving for the best within our games and our studio life. We are united through our shared values of Quality, Focus, Teamwork, Respect and Trust and we win awards for our culture and our people-centric approach, having won a Best Place to Work Award for six consecutive years. We invest in our people, the studio, and our projects. We are a company that’s secure and safe – you don’t need to worry about job security at CA.
We’ll give you the creative freedom, tools, support, and development to achieve your potential.
Our studios are based in Horsham, UK and Sofia, Bulgaria, including several bespoke state-of-the-art audio suites and a dedicated motion capture facility.
We offer many benefits to support you and your family including:
- Flexible working: hybrid, fully remote within country of employment for eligible roles, and in-studio working
- Work from Anywhere for a temporary period each year (restrictions apply such as VISAs)
- Enhanced holiday allowance, maternity and paternity breaks, flexibility with our core hours, and no-notice holidays
- Bespoke relocation package for you and your dependents, with support throughout the process from our dedicated Relocation Specialists
- Private medical and dental insurance, life insurance, permanent health insurance, critical illness cover and free health care screening
- Generous holiday allowance plus full studio closure over the Christmas and New Year period, and all UK Bank holidays
- Annual discretionary studio bonus
- Join our award-winning education and social responsibility programme; the Legacy Project, as an industry ambassador to mentor and educate others
- Defined career development pathways and personalised training support including SEGA Dev Day, internal masterclasses, prestigious creative workshops, on-site training with renowned specialists and global conference attendance
- Opportunity to join our Diversity and Inclusion Network – an employee-led group
- Season ticket travel loans and cycle to work scheme with free bike servicing and discounted car valet service on site
- Free games and merchandise plus access to our extensive games library
- Free breakfast in the studio every day - toast, bagels, pancakes, cereals, yoghurts, fresh fruit, smoothies, juices, milkshakes and more in our fully stocked kitchen
- Wellbeing support with an employee assistance programme and onsite confidential sessions
- In-studio heavily subsidised massage therapy
- Discounts for home technology, travel insurance, corporate gym membership, cinema tickets, holidays, trips out and Ikea vouchers, and many local businesses including estate agents
- Studio parties for you and your family; such as our Summer Festival, Christmas Party plus a separate Children’s Christmas Party. We also have Cinema days and wrap parties for game releases
- Studio community activities such as life drawing, creative writing, Pilates, Walking Challenges, Couch to 5k, basketball, game and movie evenings, board game club, 5-a-side football, CA Choir, Sword fighting (yes, sword fighting) and loads more.
Our studio sites have disabled access. We are an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief.
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