Director of Design Services

Keywords Studios, a global leader in creative, engineering and technical services to the video games industry. We collaborate with world’s biggest and best studios and publishers to help bring unforgettable gaming experiences to life. Our team in Japan partners with both domestic and international clients to design, prototype, and deliver innovative gameplay experiences that delight players across platforms and genres.

Position Overview

As Director of Design Services, you will lead the Game Design function at Keywords Japan, working with Keywords’ Japanese and other international studios to shape the creative direction of Japanese client projects and ensuring design excellence across productions. This is a senior leadership role for an experienced game designer who combines creative vision, production insight, and strong client engagement skills.

You will be responsible for working closely with the client and, driving internal design teams, collaborating closely with producers, developers and other designers within Keyword’s studios, and ensuring quality and efficiency in delivery. You will also represent Keywords Japan in client pitches, helping to shape project proposals and transform creative briefs into compelling, feasible design solutions.

Creative Leadership

• Define and uphold creative standards and design methodologies across all game design projects.
• Lead the conception, prototyping, and iteration of new gameplay ideas for client and internal R&D projects and client pitches.
• Partner with clients to understand creative goals, pitch innovative game design solutions, and refine them through collaborative iteration.

Client and Stakeholder Engagement

• Represent the design team in client meetings and project pitches.
• Translate client requirements into actionable design documentation and production plans.
• Provide clear communication and creative leadership to cross-functional teams (art, engineering, production, QA). Team Development and Management
• Drive the growth of the game design team, providing mentoring and fostering a culture of collaboration, learning, and creative excellence.
• Establish performance standards, review processes, and training programs for designers at all levels.

Operational Excellence

• Develop and implement frameworks for design quality control, documentation, and delivery standards.
• Collaborate with producers and studio leaders to ensure project scope, costs, and timelines align with design intent and client expectations.
• Identify process improvements that enhance creative output while maintaining production efficiency.

Requirements

Essential

• 10+ years of experience in Game Design, including several shipped titles and proven experience in senior or lead design roles.
• Strong ability to conceptualize, document, and communicate complex gameplay systems.
• Excellent collaboration and presentation skills, with experience interfacing directly with clients.
• Deep understanding of the game development lifecycle and production pipelines.
• Fluency in English and high level of Japanese (N1) proficiency required.

Desirable

• Experience working with international teams or cross-cultural projects.
• Background in building or managing multi-disciplinary creative teams.

Benefits

Keywords Studios is dedicated to following a well-established Equal Opportunities Policy. We endeavor to create a workplace which provides for equal opportunities for all employees and potential employees.

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