A Studio Design Department Manager is needed to join our client’s team at the Brighton-based studio. The Studio Design Dept Manager nurtures the design job family at the studio, helping to mentor and develop the design talent. He/she establishes best practices for design across the studio.

Responsibilities

• Represent the Design Job Family at the studio level.

• Support, coach, mentor and evaluate the Design Job Family

• Constantly evaluate, adapt, establish and share best practices for design process, tools and documentation within the studio and across Global DIS.

• Hands on expert in tool design, evaluation and development.

• Establish and maintain training programs for Design Job Family, facilitating knowledge sharing between designers at the studio and across Global DIS.

• Support the studio Inspire & Motivate programme.

• Establish and drive Design Dept meetings at studio.

• Collaborate with Director, Production and Director, Art and Director, Technology to ensure that design is in sync with Production, Art and Tech on all products in development at the studio.

• Help reinforce, communicate and evangelize design dept vision throughout the studio and across Global DIS.

• Support Game Directors and their Design Directors in any way that will help them develop their products.

• Oversee and support all blind-testing and usability testing programmes within the studio.

Qualifications

• Deep experience working in video games, including at least one shipped product working in a design management capacity.

• Must have strong console experience, including experience on current generation consoles.

• Possesses a strong passion and expert knowledge for games of all genres, but particularly in the Racing and driving genres.

• Expertise in design process and documentation.

• Expertise in design tools.

• Excellent technical understanding.

• Diplomatic skills demonstrating a willingness and ability to listen.

• Strong oral and written communication skills.

• Strength in decision-making and analytical skills.

• Proven leadership skills.

• Strong in interview skills.

• Strong in talent identification and selection.

Assets

• Post secondary education is an asset, particularly in the fields of game design, fine arts, computer science or film/cinematography

• Love for paper RPGs, board games and comic books.

• Artistic and/or technical skills.