art manager Royal Leamington Spa, England
Job description
Job Title - Art Director
Location - Leamington Spa/ Hybrid
A Little Bit about Kwalee….
Kwalee is one of the world’s leading multiplatform game developers and publishers, with well over 900 million downloads worldwide for mobile hits such as Draw It, Teacher Simulator, Let’s Be Cops 3D, Airport Security and Makeover Studio 3D. We also have a growing PC and Console team of incredible pedigree that is on the hunt for great new titles to join TENS!, Eternal Hope, Die by the Blade and Scathe.
What’s In It For You?
Hybrid working - 3 days in the office, 2 days remote/ WFH is the norm
Flexible working hours - we trust you to choose how and when you work best
A dog friendly office (There’s dog-free areas too, if pooches aren’t your thing)
Profit sharing scheme - we win, you win
Private medical cover - delivered through BUPA
Life Assurance - for long term peace of mind
On site gym - take care of yourself
Relocation support - available
VISA Sponsorship - available
Quarterly Team Building days - we’ve done Paintballing, Go Karting & even Ninja Warrior
Pitch and make your own games on Creative Wednesdays!
Kwalee Artificial Intelligence (K.A.I) - win prizes for proposing useful AI initiatives
Are You Up To The Challenge?
As the Art Director you’ll be spearheading the artist vision for all of our casual games. You’ll use your experience and market knowledge to develop games that standout from the crowd, applying critical thought to every element of the visuals to ensure players receive the quality they deserve.
Your Team Mates
As a member of our art team, you will be working closely with other game artists to create visually stunning and engaging game assets. Our collaborative and inclusive work environment encourages open communication, feedback, and idea-sharing, allowing everyone to contribute to the art direction and overall visual style of our games.
What Does The Job Actually Involve?
Lead and inspire a team of talented artists: As the creative leader, you will mentor, guide, and empower your team to produce their best work, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment where creativity thrives.
Establish the visual style and artistic direction: Alongside your team you will develop and define the visual identity for each game, creating style guides, mood boards, and concept art that sets the tone and lays the foundation for the entire project.
Develop efficient production processes: By implementing best practices and streamlining workflows, you will ensure that the art team operates efficiently and meets project milestones, while maintaining the highest level of quality.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams: As the Art Director, you will work closely with game designers, programmers, and other stakeholders to ensure that the visual style complements the gameplay and aligns with the overall vision for each project.
Oversee asset creation and implementation: From characters and environments to UI elements and animations, you will supervise the production of all game art assets, ensuring consistency, quality, and adherence to the established visual style.
Upskill and develop your team: By identifying skill gaps and providing training opportunities, you will help your team members grow and develop their abilities, while nurturing a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
Own the hiring efforts within the art department, including job specifications, interview and testing process.
Ensure quality and polish: You will review and provide constructive feedback on art assets, ensuring that they meet the highest standards and are ready for integration into the game.
Stay up-to-date with industry trends: As an Art Director, you will actively research and stay informed of the latest developments in mobile game art, incorporating cutting-edge techniques and technologies to maintain a competitive edge in the market.
Your Hard Skills
At least 5 years of experience in a Lead / Art Director role within the games industry, with a focus on casual mobile games
Strong portfolio showcasing a variety of styles and techniques (3D, 2D, UI, VFX)
Expertise in Photoshop, Illustrator, and other industry-standard art tools
Deep understanding of UI/UX
Excellent communication and collaboration skills
Ability to lead and mentor a team of artists, identify skill gaps and layout a process to improve your team over time
Excellent knowledge of Unity
Your Soft Skills
Kwalee has grown fast in recent years but we’re very much a family of colleagues. We welcome people of all ages, races, colours, beliefs, sexual orientations, genders and circumstances, and all we ask is that you collaborate, work hard, ask questions and have fun with your team and colleagues.
We don’t like egos or arrogance and we love playing games and celebrating success together. If that sounds like you, then please apply.
A Little More About Kwalee
Founded in 2011 by David Darling CBE, a key architect of the UK games industry who previously co-founded and led Codemasters, our team also includes legends such as Andrew Graham (creator of Micro Machines series) and Jason Falcus (programmer of classics including NBA Jam) alongside a growing and diverse team of global gaming experts.
Everyone contributes creatively to Kwalee’s success, with all employees eligible to pitch their own game ideas on Creative Wednesdays, and we’re proud to have built our success on this inclusive principle.
We have an amazing team of experts collaborating daily between our studios in Leamington Spa, Lisbon, Bangalore and Beijing, or on a remote basis from Turkey, Brazil, Cyprus, the Philippines and many more places around the world. We’ve recently acquired our first external studio, TicTales, which is based in France.
We have a truly global team making games for a global audience, and it’s paying off: - Kwalee has been voted the Best Large Studio and Best Leadership Team at the TIGA Awards (Independent Game Developers’ Association) and our games have been downloaded in every country on earth - including Antarctica!
