Design Director

Who is PlaySide Studios?
PlaySide is the largest independent games studio in Australia. Founded in 2011, we’re a team
with big ideas and the skills to deliver with our incredible team.

In our history, we have released over 50+ titles across Mobile, PC, VR, AR, and now moving
into consoles. We take so much pride in each and every project we create. Playside is a place
of endless opportunity, where we focus on keeping the fun in game development.

We offer an amazingly professional, playful and supportive working environment. If you thrive on
challenges and want to work on a diverse range of projects for a forward-thinking company, we
want to hear from you

Overview
As a Design Director, you’ll be an expert in the fundamentals of game design and be able to set
vision for and deliver on game design. You will utilize your exceptional communication skills to
ensure that the work of multiple teams developing action gameplay aligns to create cohesive,
exciting, and clearly understandable gameplay. You will also ensure that the work of this area
aligns with that of the wider design direction of the project.

The role
In this role, you’ll lead a team of Designers and will report directly to the General Managers who
oversee holistic design strategy. Collaborating within your craft, but also cross-functionally, you
will direct and generate briefs for your Lead Designer to report and their teams, steering
high-level vision and helping guide teams of complementary skills and abilities to deliver design
ready to be experienced.

In this role you will…
● Lead the design teams to create exceptional game experiences that meet the studio's

standards and align with the overall project direction.

● Collaborate with other department leads to ensure the features being developed bring
the vision to life.

● Evaluate the workload against production capacity, plan the work, and set priorities for
the game design team.

● Assign tasks to the design team, evaluate the quality of deliverables, and provide
feedback for improvement.

● Develop and maintain a positive and productive culture within the design department
and the project team.

● Communicate project objectives, sprint objectives, strategies, and general information to
all team members to ensure visibility and advancement of the game's development.

● Supervise and be responsible for providing clear and structured project documents to
ensure that gameplay intentions are understood, and team members are working on the
right elements.

● Participate in the hiring and mentoring of team members.

Requirements:
● Experience in game design, with at least a few years in a leadership role.
● Proven track record of delivering successful game titles, with experience across multiple

platforms.
● Strong understanding of game design principles and experience with different game

genres.
● Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to provide clear and

constructive feedback.
● Solid understanding of the game development process and ability to manage competing

priorities and deadlines.
● A passion for gaming and a strong desire to create exceptional experiences for players

Bonus Points!
● Experience working on a range of platforms such as VR, PC and fp2 mobile.
● Sound knowledge in analytics and product management.

What we offer here at PlaySide:
● Playdays - an additional 5 paid days off per year to do something you love.
● Incredible studios based in gorgeous Port Melbourne, right next to the city and many

public transport options.
● Industry leading Parental Leave benefits
● Employee Assistance Program to support mental wellbeing
● Mentoring. We're agile and fast growing, giving plenty of chances for you to grow in your

role.
● Half price state of the art Gym access! (right next door) - you can wear your free

PlaySide Swag!
● Social events! Including Games night, karaoke nights, Movie Nights (We hire out the

cinema!), group activities and food trucks! Just as some examples!
● Relocation allowance, if you move to one of our head offices

● The chance to work on some of the most exciting projects, with the most incredible
companies in the world - just take a look at our website

What to expect from us:
We want you to get to know us as much as we get to know you! Our process will go as follows:

● You apply with your killer CV and a folio of examples of your work!
● Quick phone chat with one of our delightful Talent team.
● You may then be invited in for an interview (in-office or via Zoom) to outline all of your

past work, and we will let you know all about PlaySide.
● 2nd stage interview or Zoom call, to meet one of our General Managers or Directors
● You’ll then get the opportunity to meet some of our current PlaySiders - this is a casual

chat and a get to know you session!