Character Outsource Manager

Sega Europe; Horsham; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading gaming company in Horsham seeks a Character Outsource Manager to manage outsourced character art development. The role involves creating briefs, managing vendors, and ensuring quality delivery of character assets. Ideal candidates will have experience in AAA titles, strong character art knowledge, and excellent management skills. The position offers hybrid working arrangements and various benefits.

Benefits

Work from Anywhere temporarily

Enhanced holiday allowance

Bespoke relocation package

Private medical and dental insurance

Free health care screening

Season ticket travel loans

Cycle to work scheme

Qualifications

• Experience working on multiple AAA titles.
• Strong background in character art creation.
• Management experience in art production.

Responsibilities

• Oversee outsourced character art development across projects.
• Collaborate to define briefs for character tasks.
• Manage multiple outsourcing pipelines smoothly.

Skills

Experience working on multiple AAA titles

Background in character art creation

Management experience

Practical understanding of character art creation pipelines

Excellent communication and organisational skills

Ability to manage multiple vendors and schedules

Experienced using industry-standard 3D software

Experience reviewing and giving feedback

Tools

Maya

ZBrush

Substance Painter

Job description

We are seeking a Character Outsource Manager to oversee the day‑to‑day management of outsourced character art development across multiple projects. This role is crucial in ensuring the quality, consistency, and timely delivery of character assets produced by external partners. You’ll serve as the bridge between internal art leadership and outsourced vendors, creating briefs, tracking deliverables, and driving a productive feedback loop.

Key Responsibilities

Brief Creation & Communication

• Collaborate with internal Art Leads and Design to define detailed, clear, and visually supported briefs for character tasks.
• Provide reference materials, style guides, and specifications to align outsourced work with project expectations.
• Manage ongoing improvements to relevant documentation and technical guides.

Vendor Management & Coordination

• Serve as the primary point of contact for external character art vendors.
• Manage multiple outsourcing pipelines across various projects simultaneously.
• Schedule and track asset production to meet milestones and delivery timelines.
• Ensure rates and turnaround times are in line with project budgets.

Feedback & Quality Control

• Review incoming assets for artistic and technical quality.
• Provide clear, actionable feedback in a timely manner, iterating with partners until deliverables meet internal standards.
• Key stakeholder in all character concept tasks to ensure concepts meet the requirements of 3D artists.

Pipeline & Process Oversight

• Maintain an organised tracking system for all outsourced character assets, including status, feedback rounds, and delivery dates.
• Help optimise outsourcing workflows and tools to improve efficiency and communication.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with production, concept, character artists, tech anim, and animation teams to ensure assets are delivered to technical and visual specifications.
• Communicate risk and capacity concerns related to external art production.

Requirements

• Experience working on multiple AAA titles
• Background in character art creation
• Management experience
• Practical understanding of character art creation pipelines, including modelling, texturing, and game engine integration
• Excellent communication and organisational skills
• Ability to manage multiple vendors and schedules across several projects
• Experienced using industry‑standard 3D software (e.g., Maya, ZBrush, Substance Painter)
• Experience reviewing and giving feedback

Desirable

• Knowledge of outsourcing contract terms and asset delivery formats
• Passion for games

Onboarding

Create character on every project

We are located in Horsham, UK and Sofia, Bulgaria. We offer many benefits to support you and your family including:

About Creative Assembly

Creative Assembly crafts deep and detailed games that last, entertaining millions of players across the globe for decades.

We care deeply about the experiences we create and put our players at the heart of our decisions.

We are all game makers, no matter our role and are empowered to make significant contributions to our games, supported by skills development and growth opportunities.

Most roles at Creative Assembly are hybrid;what this looks like will be discussed during the interview process. For many teams this is 3 days a week in the studio. CA has the right to change requirements based on the needs of the business.

Benefits

• Work from Anywhere for a temporary period each year (restrictions apply such as VISAs)
• Enhanced holiday allowance, maternity and paternity breaks, flexibility with our core hours, and no‑notice holidays
• Bespoke relocation package for you and yourself; 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 Bank holidays
• 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
• Wellbeing support and virtual confidential counselling
• Community activities including parties, football and more

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.

Note to Recruitment Agencies: SEGA Europe Limited and our studios do not accept unsolicited candidate introductions from unauthorized third parties. For the avoidance of doubt, SEGA Europe is not liable for any fees, compensation or any other costs associated with the introduction of a candidate or recruitment services unless and until an agreement has been duly executed. Further details can be found here.