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Project Design Director - In-Studio or Hybrid

Sumo Nottingham develops action and racing games for console and PC, bringing character and innovation to everything we do. We are working on multiple AAA projects with some of the biggest names in the industry, including some very well-loved franchises, and are looking for more talented developers to join our team!

Sumo Nottingham is made up of a diverse mix of fantastic people, although sometimes, some groups are still under-represented. We are working to remove obstacles that can make it difficult for those groups to progress their careers in the games industry. We welcome applications from under-represented people in the gaming industry, including but not limited to women, members of BAME communities, older people and those from working-class backgrounds.

We are looking for a Project Design Director to join Sumo Digital Nottingham. This is a fantastic opportunity to play a key creative role on an exciting new action project!

We are in the early stages of prototyping an innovative multiplayer action title based on a new IP, and are looking for talented developers to join the team. This is a unique opportunity to help shape an ambitious new game from the very earliest stages, work with the latest technologies (e.g. Unreal Engine 5) and to play a crucial role delivering on the game vision!

As Project Design Director, you will be responsible for crafting the project vision, and providing ongoing design direction, readily justifying design decisions in terms of the high-level experience they create. You will evangelise that vision to motivate and inspire the team and senior stakeholders alike, and act as guarantor for the quality of the overall game experience. You will also work closely with other discipline directors to ensure the design reflects their vision and technical / resource constraints.

Your responsibilities will include: acting as a primary client liason, to ensure that stakeholders are appropriately informed and involved in project progress; developing and maintaining a comprehensive knowledge of the project and reference points; monitoring and managing the health of the design team; establishing an atmosphere of psychological safety to maximise the team’s creative potential; and supporting the development of all your designers to ensure they reach their potential.

We're open to this person being based in-studio position or operating in a hybrid model.

We need you to have:

• Delivered at least one AAA project in a design-focused lead, principal or director role.
• Creative problem-solving skills and the ability to analyse and define games conceptually.
• Comprehensive knowledge of design techniques and the gaming landscape.
• A demonstrable track record for delivering high quality work.
• The ability to work autonomously, setting goals for yourself and others, and managing their implementation.
• Excellent communication skills, making complex ideas clear, concise, and compelling.

It would be great if you also had:

• Prior experience designing action games.
• Experience developing and pitching game concepts.
• Experience mentoring or managing team development.

· Annual bonus

· Electric car scheme

· Share incentive plan

· Competitive pension

· Flexible working

· Employee referral bonus

· 27 days holiday, including your birthday and duvet day

· 5 learning days

· Access to 4,000 Udemy Courses

· Wrap parties & gifts

· Competitive maternity / paternity and adoption leave

· Comprehensive benefits package including a dental option

· Alternative travel prize draw

· Game jams and creative jams

· Big family events

· Studio clubs, inc. running, board games, film

· Life drawing

· Yoga classes

· Career development

· Employee assistance programme

· Life assurance 4x salary

· Income protection of 75%

· Relocation support to the UK

· Visa sponsorship

· Career development support through recognised discipline pathways

· 5 learning and development days to use as you choose

· Regular game jams and creative jams

· Access to a wealth of training materials from leading content providers such as Udemy, Epic, Gnomon Workshop and the GDC Vault

· Internal project showcases for knowledge sharing across Sumo Digital

· Take advantage of a big selection of titles within our Game & Book Libraries

· Long service and game completion awards

· Studio tuck shop

· Free fruit and drinks

· Cake and savoury buffets on Friday mornings

· Last Friday of the month drinks and games

· Awesome Christmas party

· Summer Family Big Day Out

At Sumo, we want to enable everyone to bring their full, authentic selves to work every single day. We acknowledge that the games industry is far from perfect and a global organisation with people all over the world, from all kinds of backgrounds, we know it’s part of our duty to provide everyone at Sumo with a safe, accepting and affirming working environment.

We encourage and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

We are a studio with a friendly, fun vibe, committed to maintaining our family feel culture with strong team relationships both inside and outside of work. For this reason, we call ourselves Sumo Nottingham Family or SNF for short. We genuinely care about each other and support each other through our successes and failures, through our good times and bad. When we celebrate success, we are proud to shout about it.

We take huge pride in our inclusive working environment and in making our teams happy and comfortable at work.

We thrive on our Studio traditions, including our Friday treats, our birthday celebrations, our milestone celebrations and our socials.

Everybody in the Nottingham family has a voice and all ideas are encouraged and listened to.

We’re just a mile outside the City Centre, ten minutes walk from the train station, with good tram and bus links. The Nottingham Cycle Superhighway is also on our doorstep as is PureGym, where we offer a free membership to staff. We also have two big supermarkets located close by, together with some fast food options, very handy for a lunchtime treat.

Nottingham is bustling, busy city of nightlife, culture, sport and stories. For the seventh year in a row, Nottingham has been awarded a Purple Flag as being recognised as one of the best nights out in the UK. It has a diverse offering of bars hidden down alleyways, under pavements, indie hotspots, cosy pubs and cocktail bars.

Visit England awarded Nottingham the Home of Sport title in 2015 and Trent Bridge International Cricket ground, the National Ice Centre, the National Water Sports Centre, Nottingham Forest and Notts County football grounds are all within walking distance of the studio.

We’re a cultured lot and we like to get our fix at the Theatre Royal, Royal Concert Hall and the world renowed Nottingham Playhouse where some of our greatest actors got their starts. The Nottingham Contemporary Art Gallery has some incredible exhibits and, if you’re a history buff, take a trip to the newly refurbished hilltop Nottingham Castle and visit the Robin Hood statue whilst there.

Further afield, Wollaton Hall and Park is an amazing venue to visit and was used as a filming location for Wayne Manor in Warner Bros’ ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ film. We also have Sherwood Forest around 15 miles away from the city centre where you can visit the Robin Hood visitors centre and see the Major Oak.

We are so lucky that Nottingham is surrounded by glorious countryside. To the North, we are only and quick journey away from the majestic Peak District and the beautiful Vale of Belvoir sits to the East of the City.

We are confident that you’ll love not only our studio but the city and its surrounding areas.

Sumo Digital is an award-winning international family of studios. Recent releases from Sumo Digital studios include: BAFTA-Award winning Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Hood: Outlaws & Legends, Control Ultimate Edition on Google Stadia, Apple Arcade Award-winning Little Orpheus, Hot Shot Racing, WST Snooker and Spyder.

As winners of the TIGA Star Employment Award for 2021, recipients of the GI Biz 2020 Best Places to Work Award and listed as one of the UK’s 100 Best Large Companies to Work for in 2021, Sumo Digital has enjoyed 18 years of stability and growth since its formation in 2003 and continues to strive for excellence across every single project.