Creative Director

As Creative Director at Sumo Nottingham, you will lead the creative vision for game projects, fostering collaboration and ensuring all development decisions align with the shared goal. You will establish clear creative concepts, deliver updates, and maintain game quality and consistency. A key aspect involves advocating for new trends and understanding player expectations, particularly within the horror genre, to bring compelling experiences to life for players worldwide.

Must Have

• Be a visionary and inspirational leader with a strong creative vision for gaming's future.
• Craft a compelling and unique creative vision and lead a team to deliver on it.
• Possess organisational, interpersonal, and presenting skills.
• Demonstrate excellent cross-discipline communication.
• Ability to consider technical and manufacturing viability when developing concepts.
• Deep understanding of the market and a lifelong passion for video games, particularly horror games.
• Strong understanding of player psychology and motivations.

Perks & Benefits

• Flexible, personalised benefits package
• Flexible benefits allowance
• Salary sacrifice pension
• Employee referral scheme (up to £1,000)
• Financial/home buying consultations
• Workplace ISA
• Schemes for tech loans and bicycles
• Competitive Electric Vehicle Scheme
• Flexible working
• 21 free choice days holiday
• Bank holidays
• Birthday off
• Duvet day (raising to 4 with service)
• Christmas shutdown (Christmas Eve to New Year)
• Options to buy or sell +5/-5 days annual leave
• Dental insurance
• Income protection
• Life assurance
• BUPA private healthcare
• Leading EAP programs (Remote GP, Mental Health and Physio appointments)
• Critical illness cover
• Health cash plan
• Funded flu vaccines/eye tests
• Regular one to ones
• 5 learning days per annum (1 can be used as a volunteer day)
• Engagement and Admin team dedicated to looking after you
• Free drinks fridge
• Free gym membership
• Always full fruit bowl
• Thursday morning buffet
• Advent calendars
• Easter eggs
• Regular cake
• Wrap parties
• Halloween dress up

About Sumo Digital, Nottingham

Established in 2016, our studio has already made a mark with co-development on high-profile titles like Forza Horizon and Hogwarts Legacy. With a studio of over 80 developers, our talented teams are excited to embark on new adventures, including creating our own original IP.

Our approach combines expertise with a supportive, inclusive environment, where every team member is empowered to collaborate, innovate and grow. With a pedigree in delivering AAA experiences and licensed IPs like Team Sonic Racing and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Sumo Nottingham thrives on bringing fresh ideas to life.

A day in the life of a Creative Director:

As the Creative Director, you will foster an environment of creative collaboration and be the champion for the creative vision you have created in unison with the project stakeholders. You oversee establishing the overarching creative direction while cultivating a culture of collaborative creativity that empowers teams to come up with the best ideas they can to support it. You ensure that everybody is focused on the same goal, the same shared vision. You make sure that every decision taken during production is in line with the vision to bring the intended experience to life for players all around the world.

In this role you will:

• Establish a clear and unified creative concept for the game in collaboration with project stakeholders.
• Collaborate closely with other members of your core team to create their individual portions and to bring your ideas together.
• Deliver creative updates to the development team on a regular basis and communicate and champion the creative concept.
• Assist in ensuring the game's quality, continuity, and consistency across all elements.
• Advocate for new trends in game development and how they might be applied to the product.
• Highlight what existing high-water marks in similar games look like and how they'll impact player perception and expectations.
• Bring knowledge and enthusiasm for horror to the project team.
• Keep a finger on the pulse of the latest trends and viral hits in the horror space.

What do you need to do this job:

• Be a visionary and inspirational leader with a strong creative vision for gaming's future.
• Craft a compelling and unique creative vision and lead a team to deliver on it.
• Organisational, interpersonal, and presenting skills.
• Excellent cross-discipline communication: you have the skills to communicate effectively with people from various disciplines.
• When developing concepts, the ability to consider technical and manufacturing viability is essential.
• A deep understanding of the market and a lifelong passion for video games, particularly horror games.
• A strong understanding of player psychology and motivations.

What’s in it for you?

Sumo understands the importance of having control over your benefits. That's why we offer a flexible, personalised benefits package designed to meet your unique needs, no matter where you are in your career.

My Money: A flexible benefits allowance, salary sacrifice pension, employee referral scheme (up to £1,000), financial/home buying consultations, workplace ISA and other schemes for tech loans and bicycles including a competitive Electric Vehicle Scheme.

My Lifestyle: Flexible working, 21 free choice days holiday, bank holidays, birthday off, a duvet day raising to 4 with service, Christmas shutdown (Christmas Eve to New Year), options to buy or sell +5/-5 days annual leave*.

My Health and Wellbeing: Dental insurance*, income protection, life assurance, BUPA private healthcare*, leading EAP programs (Remote GP, Mental Health and Physio appointments), critical illness cover*, health cash plan* and funded flu vaccines/eye tests.

My Development: Regular one to ones, and 5 learning days per annum (1 can be used as a volunteer day).

Extra Perks: An Engagement and Admin team dedicated to looking after you, free drinks fridge, free gym membership, always full fruit bowl, Thursday morning buffet, advent calendars, easter eggs, regular cake, wrap parties and Halloween dress up.

Add-on benefits to purchase marked*

Inclusion and Belonging at Sumo Digital:

At Sumo Digital, we believe that when people feel supported, valued, and empowered, they create their best work and that’s what drives our success.

We’re committed to building a sustainable, people-first business where everyone can thrive. Our focus is on nurturing talent, fostering creativity, and creating a healthy, inclusive, and enriching environment where everyone feels they truly belong.

PRISM, our employee-led diversity group, champions inclusion, equity, and wellbeing across all our studios. It plays a vital role in shaping a culture where every voice is heard, every background is respected, and every team member feels safe, welcome, and represented.

We’re proud to support meaningful causes through our charitable and community initiatives-reflecting the passions and values of our people, partners, and players.

We’re actively working to improve diversity in our recruitment and career development processes, and we encourage individuals from underrepresented and marginalised communities to explore careers at Sumo Digital.

Together, we’re building a studio where everyone can grow, contribute, and feel proud to be part of something special.