Senior Director of Development

JR United Kingdom; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the gaming industry seeks a Senior Director of Development based in Sheffield. This pivotal role entails overseeing production lifecycles and delivering top-notch gaming experiences across console and PC platforms, while leading a dynamic team and managing partnerships with major stakeholders.

Benefits

23 days annual leave

Enhanced Maternity and Paternity pay

Private Healthcare

Dog-friendly studio

Employee Assistance Programme

£300 wellbeing stipend

Access to Udemy courses

Discretionary Bonus

Qualifications

• 10+ years in game production or development, with 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Proven track record of shipping AAA games.
• Knowledge of production methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead the production of console and PC titles.
• Oversee the entire Production development lifecycle.
• Manage relationships with external publishing partners.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Organisational

Game Development Knowledge

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Job description

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Senior Director of Development, sheffield, south yorkshire

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Client:

Steel City Interactive

Location:

sheffield, south yorkshire, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Views:

1

Posted:

31.05.2025

Expiry Date:

15.07.2025

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Job Description:

About Steel City Interactive

SCI was born out of passion for video games and boxing, with the ambition to create an authentic and exciting boxing game that does justice to the sport we love. What started as a fun prototype has grown into ‘Undisputed’, the first major boxing video game in over a decade.

SCI is a welcoming place for expression and open communication, where everyone has a voice. We’re a diverse bunch, consisting of people with decades of games industry experience, graduates and talented individuals who come from other industries. We all bring knowledge and learn from each other.

Together we are driven by ambition to bring the world of boxing into a video game like never before.

The Role

Supporting the VP of Product Development, the Senior Development Director leads the production of console and PC titles.

They are responsible for overseeing the entire Production development lifecycle—from early concept to gold master—working closely with internal cross-disciplinary leadership, and external development and publishing partners to deliver a world-class player experience. They will drive execution and team performance, ensuring that the game achieves its vision, quality standards, and milestone goals to both time and budget.

Responsibilities

• Own and drive the full production roadmap for a AAA console titles, coordinating efforts across design, engineering, art, audio, QA, and publishing.
• Partner with creative and technical leadership to translate the vision and goals into executable plans, ensuring alignment across all departments.
• Build and maintain detailed schedules, development budgets, staffing plans, and production processes tailored for console development.
• Ensure production plans are well communicated across all departments.
• Lead and mentor a team of producers, fostering a high-performance and collaborative culture.
• Manage relationships with external publishing partners, and platform holders (e.g., PlayStation, Xbox).
• Anticipate project risks and dependencies, mitigating and solving problems proactively and effectively.
• Represent the game at Senior Leadership/Executive reviews, partner meetings, and major internal milestones.
• Champion quality, innovation, and sustainable development practices across the team.

Experience

• 10+ years of experience in game production or development, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Proven track record of shipping high-quality console games, preferably in the AAA space.
• Strong knowledge of game development pipelines, production methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, hybrid), and tools (e.g., Jira, Confluence).
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and organisational skills.
• Ability to inspire teams, resolve conflicts, and drive accountability across all levels of the organisation.
• Deep understanding of game design, technology, and art pipelines.
• Experience managing large teams across multiple/remote is a plus.
• UK based

What we offer

Healthy work-life balance:

• 23 days annual leave (plus bank holidays), that increases 1 day per year of service.
• Christmas shut down
• Holiday exchange programme

Support for family life:

• Enhanced Maternity and Paternity pay
• Private Healthcare which includes Optical & Dental

Great office environment:

• A dog friendly studio based in Sheffield, with free snacks, fruit and drinks!
• Free parking
• Company sick pay
• 2 days paid Mental Health leave per year
• Access to 24/7 doctors
• Employee Assistance Programme
• £300 wellbeing stipend every January

Learning support:

• Unlimited access to Udemy courses
• Technology scheme (up to £750)
• Discount Club at over 350 high street stores
• Discretionary Cost of Living Payments
• Electric Car Vehicle Scheme
• Discretionary Bonus

Connection and perks:

• Wrap parties & company paid outings
• Individual entertainment budget to cover team events

To apply or learn more speak to [emailprotected] - Part of their exclusive recruitment team