Franchise Design Director — Lead Total War Design

SEGA; Horsham; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Work from Anywhere

Enhanced holiday allowance

Flexible core hours

Performance-based bonus scheme

Relocation package

Private medical and dental insurance

Life insurance

Wellbeing support

Job summary

Creative Assembly in the United Kingdom is seeking a Franchise Design Director to lead the Total War design discipline, shaping design strategy and the craft across the franchise. You will oversee design teams, drive player value, and mentor senior designers.

The role emphasizes long-term growth of design talent, collaboration with HR, Producers, and Franchise Leadership, and setting standards for design processes while maintaining a positive, inclusive studio culture.

Qualifications

• Multiple shipped titles with leadership role on at least one title.
• Proven track record growing design teams and building training programs.
• Experience hiring senior design talent and calibrating interviews.
• Ability to coach Creative Directors and design craft.
• Strong understanding of player motivation and game design across genres.
• Comfort with data and analytics to inform design decisions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Ability to drive consensus and accountability.

Responsibilities

• Design discipline management and hiring processes.
• Develop formal design capability pathways and onboarding.
• Lead design strategy for the Total War franchise.
• Provide coaching to Project Creative Directors and teams.
• Collaborate with HR, Product leads and studio leadership.
• Monitor and improve design craft and methodologies.
• Engage with data, player research, and metrics to inform design.

Skills

Shipped titles

Design leadership

Designer development

Interview design

Player motivation

Design philosophy

Data-driven decision making

Communication

Problem solving

Mentoring

Consensus building

Tools

VB

C++

Python

Job description

Creative Assembly in the United Kingdom is seeking a Franchise Design Director to lead the Total War design discipline, shaping design strategy and the craft across the franchise. You will oversee design teams, drive player value, and mentor senior designers.

The role emphasizes long-term growth of design talent, collaboration with HR, Producers, and Franchise Leadership, and setting standards for design processes while maintaining a positive, inclusive studio culture.