Franchise Design Director (Game Design)

Location: United Kingdom; hybrid work with three days per week in the studio for most roles

Company

Creative Assembly is a game development studio within hirify.global, creating long-lasting games including the Total War franchise.

What you will do

• Lead the design discipline across Total War and own the overall franchise design strategy.
• Build competency frameworks, career progression paths, onboarding programs, and structured development for designers.
• Set design hiring standards, create and calibrate interview processes, and attract senior design talent.
• Support and coach Project Creative Directors while connecting franchise leadership with project teams.
• Define and maintain the Total War design vision, philosophy, standards, and teachable design methodologies.
• Analyze franchise design, player feedback, data, and industry trends to identify improvement opportunities.

Requirements

• Multiple shipped game titles, including at least one shipped in a design leadership role such as Lead, Principal, or Design Director.
• Demonstrated experience growing designers through competency frameworks, career progression, onboarding, mentoring, or formal training.
• Experience setting hiring standards and designing or calibrating interviews for design roles.
• Broad knowledge of games, player motivation, game design craft, and games development across platforms and genres.
• Strong communication, mentoring, consensus-building, accountability, and complex problem-solving skills.
• Confidence using data and spreadsheets to interrogate design decisions.

Nice to have

• Modding experience or experience with strategy titles, design tools, metrics, or IP holders.
• Experience with VB, C++, Python, art, writing, formal design education, teaching, or academic design training.
• Critical thinking training.

Culture & Benefits

• Player-focused, inclusive environment with opportunities for skills development and career growth.
• Temporary Work from Anywhere period each year, subject to visa and other restrictions.
• Enhanced holiday allowance, parental leave, flexible core hours, and no-notice holidays.
• Performance-based discretionary bonus, private medical and dental insurance, life insurance, and health screening.
• Relocation package for employees and dependents, wellbeing support, confidential counselling, free games, and technology discounts.