Game Design Manager

As a global gaming company, we’ve helped millions to fight their way through fearsome mobs in Minecraft Dungeons, battle each other and the environment in Rust Console Edition and most recently worked with Bethesda Game Studios to craft new adventures for Vault Dwellers around the world in Fallout 76.

Most recently, we worked with Rockstar Games to bring the beloved western experience Red Dead Redemption and its horror companion Undead Nightmare together for the first time on the Nintendo Switch and modern PlayStation systems.

We strive to avoid crunch. Overtime is optional and always paid, and we offer flexible working hours to allow you to enjoy a normal family life whilst making great games. 

We’re looking for a Design Manager to join our award winning team in Middlesbrough (UK), home to the beautiful North Yorkshire coastline and countryside. 

As Double Eleven’s Design Manager, you’ll utilise your passion, experience, and technical acumen to build, nurture and manage a multi-disciplined design team in the UK.

You’ll have a passion for mentoring and motivating a diverse team of designers to help them deliver high-quality design work. This is a “hands-off design” management position where your previous design experience will be invaluable in supporting the people who make up our design department.

This unique opportunity will see you collaborating closely across teams with other department managers from Production, Art, Code, Audio as well as Learning and Development, People and Talent, working especially closely with project Design Leads. 

Reporting to the Head of Development, you’ll be a part of the company’s leadership team, responsible for setting the  bar in design for our games, as well as supporting the Design teams and spearheading new processes, from tools to training. The role will also entail oversight and responsibility of design department recruiting for projects current and in the future.

We’re looking for someone who is excited by and capable of delivering big ideas through experience, process and world-class tools. 

We are a fully independent, multi-talented publisher and developer who picks the projects we want to work on and the studio partners we want to collaborate with, based on what we’re most passionate about. At the heart of our decision making, sits design.

We can support UK relocation and have a dedicated People team on standby to assist you and your family with every step to us.  

Feel free to reach out to Jo Luke (Talent Manager) supporting this vacancy in advance of your application for an informal chat if preferred (jobs@double11.com) 

Would you enjoy

• Helping to create great games
• Being part of an amazing team working on multiple AAA titles
• Being trusted to work independently and proactively to the highest standards
• Working with experienced teams in the industry
• All that without having to sacrifice your work-life balance or worry for your job security

What you'll be doing

• Lead, motivate, and inspire a highly creative team of designers
• Work with the department leads to review the design team's output
• Working with our in-house recruitment team to help build the department to meet the high quality bar we expect of our games
• Present best practices to design teams, critiquing asset viability, pipelines, and workflows
• Assist in the management of all design deliverables
• Communicate and prioritise dependencies
• Work with the Head of Development to create a budget for your teams including projected headcount, vendor expenses as well as hardware and software needs
• Create the processes required to facilitate a standard way of working across projects and the department
• Handle conflict resolution with empathy and understanding of all points of view
• Set department objectives and measure their progress using OKR’s and goal setting
• Review and update progression frameworks for the department
• Working with the Learning and Development Department to specify designer training needs

What we're looking for

• Experience of managing design teams through the complete life cycle of various projects 
• A strong background in game design
• Experience shipping multiple titles
• A keen eye for detail
• The ability to guide designers to convey the ideal player experience to colleagues implementing the vision
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills
• A willingness to confidently take on feedback from your peers to aid self-development
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills allowing effective collaboration with the team
• Strong negotiation and conflict resolution skills
• Strong organisational, problem-solving and time management skills
• Strong mentoring and coaching skills, and some experience of overseeing training initiatives

Qualifications

All relevant qualifications considered

What to expect

• Start your day any time between 8:00am and 10:00am
• 35 working hours per week with a flexible 1 hour lunch break 
• 29 days of holiday leave (20 days leave + 8 bank holidays + your birthday!)
• 8+ days discretionary annual leave during the end of year holiday break 
• 1 day off if you’re moving house  
• 5 additional days holiday for 5 years service and a further 5 days holiday added for your epic 10 years service milestone 
• A regularly benchmarked salary
• A personalised development plan mapped against our clear progression framework
• Vitality Private Healthcare, discounts and rewards for you and your family (upon the successful completion of your 6 month probationary period)
• Access to mental health support via Plumm (includes 4 free video counselling sessions per month) 
• Potential for annual performance bonuses and end of year bonuses
• Fast decision-making to allow you to  thrive  
• Cutting edge tools and workflows so you can focus on creativity
• Monthly free activities via our Bus Tours programme. Bring your family along for a day of fun with grub included 
• State of the art studio facilities (VR setup, games room, book library, high spec kitchen area and more)   
• Free juice, hot drinks, and fruit
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Employee referral bonus (up to £2000!)
• UK relocation package which includes financial compensation and one to one support finding accommodation / schools etc
• Opportunity to attend and speak at global events as a Double Eleven Ambassador
• Many free parties to celebrate the summer sun, winter season and game milestones 
• In-studio wellbeing programmes and support
• Opportunity to contribute to our internal Employee Diversity and Equality Network
• Free game codes, game swag and merchandise
• Free on site parking 
• Team charity events 
• Sponsored studio activities such as football, game jams etc.  (and new suggestions are always welcome)  
• Opportunity to join our monthly, family-friendly  “Bus Tour” where we visit fun and interesting places across the North East 
• Previous activities have included ice skating, crazy golf, rock climbing and a visit to Forbidden Corner 
• Maternity, paternity, shared parental, adoption and dependent leave available 
• Christmas Saving Scheme 

Ways to reach us

If you have a general query or if you need support with your application and/or an alternative way to apply, please do not hesitate to contact Jo (Talent Manager) at jobs@double11.com