Creative Assembly are looking for an Associate Game Director to join the Total War team based at our studio in Horsham, in the heart of West Sussex.

In this exciting role, the successful candidate will be responsible for working with the Project Game Director to help steer the design and development of the ground-breaking next historical instalment of the Total War series.

Key Responsibilities

As Associate Game Director, you will work closely with the Game Director to help realise the game vision. This will involve coordinating the design team and collaborating with other project directors to deliver an engaging, and immersive, gameplay experience that redefines Total War and sets a new standard for the future of the series.

Your daily work will include:

Collaborating with the Game Director to define and maintain the overall game direction, including design, audio, art, writing, and technical goals and quality standards
Assuming responsibility for the project design effort overall, including executive design work and the line management, leadership, and mentoring of the game design team
Planning short and long-term development milestones and resources alongside production and discipline leads, ensuring that the project is deliverable within budget and in excellent order
Working with project and studio leadership to help define the long-term roadmap and release plan
Driving cross-disciplinary collaboration and communication, identifying cross-project cooperation opportunities, and supporting brand and community team initiatives
Championing the project and the team effort both within the studio and at promotional and industry events
Being an advocate for the player, a champion of the player experience capable of defining and helping to design a meaningful player journey.

Knowledge, Skill and Experience

Essential

Proven game design skills, capable of defining and building an ideal player experience through effective feature, system, and content design
Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with a demonstrated ability to guide and inspire others with a view to delivering quality gameplay in good time
A confident and inclusive manager with a consensus-building leadership style, capable of taking responsibility for the overall design effort while championing the individual work of the design team
Deep knowledge of and interest in a wide variety of games, of current industry trends and ever-evolving player wants and needs, and a feel for how to meaningfully build upon genre standards and appeal
The ability to visualise and comprehend the overarching project direction, to help weave multiple design threads into a coherent and compelling gameplay experience
Excellent problem solving, conceptual, and analytical skills.

Desirable

Experience as a director or lead designer responsible for design on and delivery of a high-quality, well-received game
Experience designing high-quality strategy game features, systems, and content
An interest in history and a desire to adapt elements of it into immersive and engaging gameplay.

Creative Assembly is about the right people making the best games. We are united through our values; Quality, Focus, Teamwork, Respect and Trust.

We house many talented people, from trainees to industry veterans who constantly challenge us and make sure we are striving for the best within our games and our studio life.

Winner of multiple Best Place to Work Awards, we have studio sites in Horsham UK and Sofia Bulgaria, including a number of bespoke state-of-the-art audio suites and a dedicated motion capture site.

Currently we are working fully remotely, and we continue to assess the COVID-19 situation with the safety of our staff our number one priority. We are still actively recruiting and onboarding new staff each week. Our expert IT and HR teams will set you up with everything you need to join remotely whether you will need to relocate to the UK (or within the UK) now, or at a later date.

We offer many benefits to support you and your family including:

Bespoke relocation package for you and your dependents, with support throughout the process from our dedicated Relocation Specialists
Enhanced maternity and paternity leave, private medical and dental insurance, life insurance, permanent health insurance, critical illness cover and free health care screening
Generous holiday allowance plus full studio closure over the Christmas and New Year period, and all UK Bank holidays
Annual discretionary studio bonus
Join our award-winning education and social responsibility programme; the Legacy Project, as an industry ambassador to mentor and educate others
Defined career development pathways and personalised training support including; SEGA Dev Day, internal masterclasses, prestigious creative workshops, on-site training with renowned specialists and global conference attendance
Opportunity to join our Diversity and Inclusion Network – an employee-led group
Season ticket travel loans and cycle to work scheme with free bike servicing and discounted car valet service on site
Free games and merchandise plus access to our extensive games library
Free breakfast every day - toast, bagels, pancakes, cereals, yoghurts, fresh fruit, smoothies, juices, milkshakes and more in our fully stocked kitchen*
Wellbeing support with an employee assistance programme and onsite confidential sessions
In-studio heavily subsidised massage therapy*
Discounts for home technology, travel insurance, corporate gym membership, cinema tickets, holidays, trips out and Ikea vouchers, and many local businesses including estate agents
Studio parties for you and your family; such as our Summer Festival, Christmas Party plus a separate Children’s Christmas Party. We also have Cinema days and wrap parties for game releases*
Studio community activities such as free Japanese lessons, life drawing, creative writing, Pilates, Walking Challenges, Couch to 5k, basketball, game and movie evenings, board game club, 5-a-side football, CA Choir, Sword fighting (yes, sword fighting) and loads more*

*some of the above in-studio benefits are on hold while we work remotely during COVID-19.

Our studio sites have disabled access. We are an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief.