Lead Narrative Designer

Firesprite is looking for a Lead Narrative Designer to join their team, collaborating with the Director team to shape narrative design for all games and empower the Narrative Design team. The role involves working with external writing partners on story creation, overseeing gameplay narrative content implementation, ensuring consistency across disciplines, and proactively addressing storytelling issues. The Lead Narrative Designer will also iterate on scripts, attend user testing, support mocap and VO sessions, and manage the Narrative Design team's growth, training, tools, and localisation efforts.

Must Have

• Understand and shape all aspects of narrative design and storytelling.
• Collaborate with external writing partners on story creation and script iteration.
• Oversee implementation of all gameplay narrative content to AAA quality standards.
• Ensure gameplay storytelling beats are clear and consistent across the game.
• Proactively seek and address storytelling issues.
• Iterate on scripts in Final Draft.
• Attend User Testing to understand player comprehension and enjoyment of narrative.
• Support script preparation for mocap shoots and VO sessions.
• Lead the Narrative Design team day to day, including line management.
• Play a vital role in growth, training, and strengthening of the Narrative Design team.
• Oversee all tools, systems, and pipelines for rapid iteration and implementation.
• Manage and coordinate written and VO localisation.
• Outstanding knowledge of branching narrative games and crafting interactive, non-linear stories.
• Strong understanding of how to craft a horror experience.
• Ability to integrate storytelling seamlessly with gameplay for emotional player experiences.
• Strong screenwriting skills.
• Experience of having shipped a branching narrative game.
• Collaborative mindset.
• Flexibility to adapt stories based on game development constraints and feedback.
• Ability to create effective working relationships within game teams and external partners.
• Experience in mentoring and guiding team members.
• Experience with Unreal Engine and industry-standard narrative tools and software.

Perks & Benefits

• Competitive Salary
• Discretionary bonus opportunity
• Pension (double match up to 5%)
• Employee referral program
• Enhanced parent and caregiver leave
• Emergency days for parents and caregivers
• Compassionate leave
• Wellbeing breaks throughout the year
• Daily quiet hours
• End of month early finish Fridays
• Broad range of wellness resources
• Internal support and external employee assistance (24-hour confidential helpline)
• 25 days holiday allowance
• Public bank holidays
• Mid and end of year wellness breaks (up to 35 days total annual leave)
• Buy and sell holiday scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Comprehensive corporate private medical plan
• Comprehensive corporate dental plan
• Access to free refreshments (on-site)
• Gaming areas (on-site)
• Wellness areas (on-site)
• Neurodivergent spaces (on-site)
• Prayer room (on-site)
• Dedicated breakout areas (on-site)
• Social hubs (on-site)
• Latest in cutting-edge tech (on-site)
• Robust learning and development opportunities
• Relocation assistance
• Financial planning services
• Eye care support
• Staff sales
• Game code allocation
• Discounts on activities, services and experiences
• Additional holidays and special gifts for 5 years of service

Role Overview:

We are looking for a Lead Narrative Designer to join our team. You will collaborate with the Director team to help shape the narrative design for all our games, and empower the Narrative Design team to create best-in-class storytelling.

What you'll be doing:

• Working with the Narrative Design Director to understand and shape all aspects of narrative design and storytelling
• Attending regular meetings with our external writing partners, collaborating on the story creation and iteration of existing scripts
• Overseeing the implementation of all gameplay narrative content, ensuring AAA quality standards
• Collaborating with all disciplines to ensure gameplay storytelling beats are clear and consistent across the game
• Proactively seeking issues with any aspect of storytelling, and suggesting improvements and iterations to address them
• Iterating on scripts in Final Draft where necessary
• Attending User Testing to learn first-hand how the narrative is being comprehended and enjoyed by players
• Supporting the script preparation for mocap shoots and VO sessions
• Leading the Narrative Design team day to day, including the line management of team members
• Play a vital role in all growth, training and strengthening of the Narrative Design team
• Overseeing all tools, systems, and pipelines that allow for rapid iteration and implementation
• Managing and coordinating written and VO localisation

What we're looking for:

• Outstanding knowledge of branching narrative games and a strong background in crafting interactive and non-linear stories
• Strong understanding of how to craft a horror experience
• Ability to integrate storytelling seamlessly with gameplay, in creating emotional and memorable player experiences
• Strong screenwriting skills
• Experience of having shipped a branching narrative game
• Collaborative mindset to bring narrative visions to life with the team.
• Flexibility to adapt stories based on game development constraints and feedback.
• Ability to create effective working relationships within game teams and external partners
• Experience in mentoring and guiding team members
• Experience with Unreal Engine and with narrative tools and software commonly used in the industry

Benefits:

• Discretionary bonus opportunity
• Hybrid Working (within Flexmodes)
• Private Medical Insurance
• Dental Scheme
• 25 days holiday per year
• Access to cycle garage and showers

Firesprite is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, with a commitment to a culture of inclusion and mutual respect for all employees from every walk of life, reflecting the community we make games for. We welcome and encourage applications from all suitable applicants regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.