Design Director - Unnanouced project | Directeur·trice Design - Projet non annoncé

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Director - Unannounced Project | Directeur·trice Design - Projet non annoncé

Company: Behaviour Interactive

Location: Montreal, QC, Canada

Job Type: Permanent Full-Time | Permanent temps-plein

Category: Game Design & Development Leadership

Date Posted: 2026-08-04

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and define the overarching design vision for an unannounced project, ensuring alignment with the Creative Director's strategic objectives and player engagement goals.

• Direct and mentor multidisciplinary design teams, including specialists in missions, narrative, level design, and user experience (UX) implementation, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment.

• Act as the primary point of contact for external clients (Co-Dev, Publishers, Product Group) concerning specific mission design and related content, ensuring clear communication and stakeholder satisfaction.

• Champion design quality, structure, and communication standards throughout the development lifecycle, from concept to release, ensuring a cohesive and compelling player experience.

• Crucially involved in feature prioritization, gameplay pacing, and mechanical cohesion to deliver a complete and satisfying end-product that meets market and player expectations.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the raw job description focuses heavily on game design specifics, the "Design Director" title and the emphasis on leadership, vision-setting, and client interaction indicate a strategic operations-adjacent role within game development. This role requires managing design processes, ensuring cross-functional alignment, and acting as a key liaison, mirroring operational oversight in other industries. The "unannounced project" nature suggests a need for adaptability and strategic foresight.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Translate the Creative Director’s vision into actionable design blueprints and player experiences that are clear, deep, and engaging.

• Oversee and guide the design teams across various specializations (missions, narrative, level design, UX implementation) to ensure cohesive and high-quality output.

• Mediate and balance design requests from other disciplines (e.g., Art, Audio, Engineering) with the realistic capabilities and scope of the mission design team.

• Conduct rigorous evaluations of design work at all development stages to guarantee clarity, balance, depth, and intuitive player comprehension.

• Serve as the primary interface for external clients (Co-Development partners, Publishers, Product Groups) for discussions pertaining to specific missions and associated content.

• Establish and uphold design quality standards, ensuring consistency in structure, communication, and execution across all design deliverables.

• Play a pivotal role in feature prioritization, pacing, and ensuring the mechanical cohesion of the game to deliver a complete and satisfying player experience.

• Contribute to the overall strategic direction of the project, ensuring design decisions align with business objectives and market expectations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly outline a leadership role focused on process definition, team management, and strategic alignment within the game design domain. This involves operational oversight of the design function, akin to a Head of Operations for a creative department. The emphasis on client interaction and mediation highlights the need for strong stakeholder management, a core operational competency.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Game Design, Computer Science, Fine Arts, or a related field is often preferred for senior leadership roles in game development. Equivalent practical experience will be strongly considered. Experience:

• Proven track record in leading design teams and successfully shipping PC/Console titles, demonstrating a deep understanding of the full game development lifecycle.

• Extensive experience in mission design, narrative design, level design, and UX implementation, with a portfolio showcasing successful projects. Required Skills:

• Proven Experience as Design Director, Game Director, or Associate Design Director: Demonstrated success in a senior leadership role on at least one shipped PC/Console game.

• Exceptional Collaboration Skills: Proven ability to work closely and effectively with cross-functional teams including Narrative, Level Design, Art, and Audio departments.

• Leadership and Mentorship: Strong experience in managing, mentoring, and developing teams of designers, fostering a positive and productive work environment.

• Visionary Thinking & Strategic Alignment: Ability to define and drive a project's design vision in alignment with overall creative and business objectives.

• Client/Stakeholder Management: Experience acting as a primary interface for external clients (Co-Dev, Publishers, Product Group) on design-related matters.

• Game Design Expertise: Deep understanding of game mechanics, systems design, player psychology, and user experience principles.

• Problem-Solving & Mediation: Ability to effectively mediate between competing requests from various disciplines and ensure design feasibility.

• Quality Assurance & Evaluation: Skill in evaluating design work at all stages to ensure clarity, balance, depth, and player comprehension.

• Industry Trend Awareness: Passion for creating innovative player experiences and staying current with industry trends and best practices in game development.

Preferred Skills:

• Mission Design Acumen: Specific experience and a strong track record in delivering engaging narrative and gameplay-driven mission content.

• Narrative Design Integration: Understanding of how to weave narrative elements seamlessly into gameplay systems and level design.

• UX Implementation Understanding: Familiarity with UX principles and their practical implementation within game design.

• Agile/Scrum Methodologies: Experience working within agile development frameworks.

• Budget Management: Familiarity with managing design team budgets and resource allocation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "10+ Years" experience level suggested by AI indicates a senior leadership role. The required skills emphasize not just design craft but also operational aspects like team management, cross-functional collaboration, client liaison, and strategic planning, which are critical for operational effectiveness in a creative studio.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated Leadership in Design: Showcase examples of projects where you directed design teams, outlining your strategic approach to vision setting and execution.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration Case Studies: Present instances where you successfully collaborated with Art, Narrative, Audio, and Engineering teams, detailing your role in ensuring design integration.

• Client Interaction Examples: Provide evidence of managing client relationships and communicating complex design concepts and project status to external stakeholders.

• Design Process Documentation: Include examples of how you've documented design processes, established quality standards, and implemented feedback loops for design iteration.

• Impactful Feature/Content Delivery: Highlight specific features or content you led the design for, demonstrating how they contributed to player engagement, satisfaction, or commercial success.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Document how you've designed, optimized, and standardized design workflows to improve efficiency, quality, and team collaboration.

• System Design & Cohesion: Illustrate your approach to designing interconnected game systems, ensuring mechanical cohesion and a balanced player experience.

• Feature Prioritization & Pacing: Provide examples of methodologies used for prioritizing features and managing the pacing of gameplay content.

• Quality Assurance & Evaluation Frameworks: Detail your methods for evaluating design work, establishing quality benchmarks, and implementing feedback mechanisms for continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Design Director role, the portfolio should not only showcase design output but also the candidate's ability to manage processes, lead teams, and interact with external partners – key operational competencies. The emphasis is on demonstrating how they achieve results, not just what they've achieved.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on industry benchmarks for a Design Director with 10+ years of experience in a major Canadian tech hub like Montreal, the estimated annual salary range for this role is CAD $150,000 - $220,000. This range accounts for the senior leadership responsibilities, the strategic nature of directing an unannounced project, and the high demand for experienced game design directors.

• Methodology: This estimate is derived from analyzing compensation data for similar senior game design leadership roles in Canada, specifically Montreal, considering factors like company size (Behaviour Interactive is a large studio), project type (unannounced AAA-level project), and the extensive experience required. Data sources include industry salary reports, professional networking platforms, and recruitment agency insights for the gaming sector.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health & Dental Coverage: Including medical, vision, and dental insurance plans to support employee well-being.

• Retirement Savings Plan: Options for company-matched pension or RRSP contributions to aid in long-term financial planning.

• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation days, paid holidays, and sick leave to ensure work-life balance.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for training, conferences, workshops, and access to industry resources to foster continuous learning and skill enhancement.

• Performance Bonuses: Potential for annual bonuses based on individual and company performance, recognizing contributions to project success.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Confidential counseling and support services for employees facing personal or work-related challenges.

• On-site Amenities: Depending on the office setup, this may include cafeterias, fitness centers, or other perks.

• Game Discounts & Perks: Access to company games or related industry benefits.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours are typically around 40 hours per week. However, the nature of game development, especially for unannounced projects, may require flexibility and occasional extended hours during critical development phases (crunch time). The company likely offers a hybrid work model, balancing in-office collaboration with remote flexibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimation is based on market data for senior roles in Montreal's thriving game development sector. Benefits are standard for large, established tech companies in Canada. The mention of potential "crunch time" is a common reality in game development and should be acknowledged for transparency.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Video Game Development & Interactive Entertainment. Behaviour Interactive operates within a highly competitive and rapidly evolving sector, known for its creative demands, technological innovation, and strong community engagement.

Company Size: 1200+ employees. This indicates a large, established studio with significant resources, diverse teams, and established processes, offering stability and opportunities for impact.

Founded: 1992. With a long history, Behaviour Interactive has a deep understanding of the industry, a strong legacy, and a proven ability to adapt and thrive through market changes.

Team Structure:

• Design Leadership: The Design Director likely sits within a broader Creative or Game Development leadership team, reporting to a VP of Development, Executive Producer, or Chief Creative Officer.

• Direct Reports: Will manage multiple Design Leads or Senior Designers responsible for specific disciplines (Mission Design Lead, Narrative Design Lead, Level Design Lead, UX Design Lead).

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Works intimately with leads from Art, Audio, Programming, Production, QA, and Narrative departments to ensure cohesive project development.

Methodology:

• Agile Development: Behaviour Interactive likely employs agile methodologies (e.g., Scrum, Kanban) to manage the iterative nature of game development, emphasizing flexibility, rapid prototyping, and continuous feedback.

• Data-Driven Design: While creative intent is paramount, data from player feedback, analytics, and playtesting is increasingly used to inform design decisions and optimize player experiences.

• Iterative Design Process: Emphasizes prototyping, playtesting, and refinement cycles to ensure features and systems are robust, engaging, and meet player expectations.

Company Website: https://www.bhvr.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Behaviour Interactive's size and history suggest a well-structured environment with established operational frameworks. The emphasis on collaborative, iterative design is typical for leading game studios. The "unannounced project" implies a focus on innovation and potentially new IPs or significant expansions of existing ones.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents a senior leadership position within the game design discipline, akin to a "Director" level in traditional operations or product management. It involves strategic oversight, team management, and significant influence on product direction.

Reporting Structure: The Design Director typically reports to a Creative Director, Executive Producer, or VP of Development. They, in turn, manage a team of Design Leads and Senior Designers. This structure ensures alignment with higher-level project and company objectives.

Operations Impact: The Design Director's impact is critical to the success of the game. By ensuring a clear, engaging, and well-executed player experience, they directly influence player acquisition, retention, satisfaction, and ultimately, the commercial viability of the game. Their role bridges creative vision with operational execution.

Growth Opportunities:

• Advancement to Executive Producer/VP of Development: Successful leadership in this role can pave the way for broader executive responsibilities within the studio or even a move into a Chief Creative Officer role.

• Lead on Larger/More Complex Projects: Opportunities to direct design for flagship titles or more ambitious, unannounced projects with higher stakes and greater creative freedom.

• Specialization in Creative Direction: Potential to transition into a full Creative Director role, focusing more on the overarching artistic and thematic vision of games.

• Studio-Wide Process Improvement: Involvement in shaping and improving design methodologies, tools, and team structures across the entire studio.

• Mentorship and Talent Development: Opportunity to build and nurture the next generation of game design talent within Behaviour Interactive.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant career growth within the gaming industry, moving beyond pure design craft into strategic leadership and operational management of creative teams. The "unannounced project" aspect could mean a high-impact, high-visibility role with substantial growth potential.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Behaviour Interactive operates with a hybrid work model, combining in-office collaboration with remote flexibility. This suggests a modern office environment designed to facilitate teamwork, brainstorming, and cross-disciplinary interaction.

Office Location(s): Primarily Montreal, QC, Canada, with additional studios in Toronto, Rotterdam, and the UK. The Montreal studio likely serves as a central hub for many core development functions.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: Offices are likely equipped with meeting rooms, brainstorming areas, and open-plan spaces to encourage spontaneous interaction and idea sharing among design teams and with other disciplines.

• Technology & Tools: Access to industry-standard hardware, software, and development tools necessary for high-fidelity game design and production. This includes powerful workstations, VR/AR development kits (if applicable), and robust networking infrastructure.

• Team Interaction: Designed to foster strong team cohesion and facilitate daily stand-ups, design reviews, and collaborative problem-solving sessions.

Work Schedule:

• While a standard 40-hour work week is the baseline, the role may require flexibility to accommodate project deadlines and international team collaboration across different time zones. The hybrid model aims to balance work and personal life while ensuring operational needs are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a key aspect of the work environment, indicating a modern approach to employee flexibility. The focus on collaborative spaces and advanced technology is standard for leading game development studios.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: HR or a recruiter will review your resume and portfolio to assess basic qualifications and experience.

2. Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager (likely a Creative Director or VP of Development) to delve deeper into your experience, leadership style, and vision for game design.

3. Team/Peer Interviews: Meetings with other Design Directors, Leads, or key stakeholders from departments like Art, Narrative, or Production to evaluate collaboration skills and cultural fit.

4. Design Challenge/Presentation: Candidates may be asked to present a case study from their portfolio or tackle a hypothetical design problem relevant to the unannounced project. This assesses problem-solving, strategic thinking, and communication skills.

5. Executive Interview: A final interview with senior leadership (e.g., CCO, Studio Head) to confirm strategic alignment and suitability for the role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Focus on 2-3 of your most impactful projects that best demonstrate your leadership, strategic thinking, and ability to direct complex design efforts.

• Highlight Leadership & Process: For each project, clearly articulate your role, the design vision you championed, how you managed your team, and the processes you implemented to achieve success.

• Showcase Client Management: If applicable, include examples or descriptions of how you managed client expectations and delivered on co-development or publisher requirements.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics or qualitative feedback to demonstrate the positive impact of your design direction on player experience, engagement, or commercial outcomes.

• Presentation Readiness: Be prepared to walk interviewers through your portfolio, explaining your design philosophy, decision-making process, and problem-solving approaches.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Studio's Portfolio: Research Behaviour Interactive's existing games (especially Dead by Daylight) to understand their design ethos, target audience, and market position.

• Think Strategically: For hypothetical challenges, focus on strategic solutions that consider player experience, technical feasibility, business goals, and team management.

• Articulate Your Process: Be ready to explain your thought process, how you would approach problem-solving, and how you would involve your team and collaborate with other departments.

• Prepare Questions: Develop insightful questions about the unannounced project, the team structure, design challenges, and company culture to demonstrate engagement and strategic thinking.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured to assess both design leadership and operational management capabilities. The portfolio and challenge components are crucial for demonstrating practical application of these skills in a game development context.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Game Engines: Deep familiarity with Unreal Engine and/or Unity is essential, as these are the industry standards for PC and console development.

• Design & Prototyping Software: Proficiency with tools like Miro, Figma, or specialized game design software for documentation, wireframing, and prototyping.

• Project Management Software: Experience with tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello for tracking tasks, managing workflows, and facilitating agile development processes.

Analytics & Reporting:

• In-Game Analytics Platforms: Familiarity with tools for tracking player behavior, engagement metrics, and game performance (e.g., custom solutions, GameAnalytics, Unity Analytics).

• Data Visualization Tools: Experience with tools like Tableau or Power BI to analyze data and create reports for stakeholders.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a traditional CRM role, understanding how player feedback systems and community management tools integrate with the development pipeline is beneficial.

• Internal Communication Tools: Proficiency with Slack, Microsoft Teams, or similar platforms for seamless team communication and collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is heavily oriented towards game development software and project management tools. The emphasis is on leveraging these tools to facilitate design, manage workflows, and analyze player data for informed decision-making.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Player-Centricity: A core value at Behaviour Interactive is creating experiences that players love. Decisions are ultimately made with the player’s enjoyment and engagement in mind.

• Collaboration & Respect: Fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are valued, and team members work together respectfully towards common goals.

• Innovation & Creativity: Encouraging exploration of new ideas, pushing creative boundaries, and embracing novel approaches to game design.

• Excellence & Quality: A commitment to delivering high-quality products that meet rigorous standards and exceed player expectations.

• Accountability & Ownership: Empowering individuals and teams to take ownership of their work and be accountable for outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Design teams work in tight integration with Art, Narrative, Audio, and Engineering, participating in regular syncs, reviews, and collaborative problem-solving sessions.

• Open Communication: Encouraging direct and transparent communication across all levels and departments, facilitating the free flow of ideas and feedback.

• Iterative Feedback Loops: A culture of constructive criticism and continuous feedback, where design work is regularly shared and refined based on input from peers and stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture emphasizes a blend of creative passion, collaborative execution, and a strong focus on the player experience. This aligns with operational principles of stakeholder management and process-driven quality.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Directing an Unannounced Project: Leading design for a project under wraps requires strategic foresight, adaptability, and the ability to make decisions with incomplete information, balancing creative ambition with development realities.

• Managing Diverse Design Disciplines: Effectively integrating and leading teams with distinct specializations (narrative, level, mission, UX) requires understanding each discipline's nuances and fostering synergistic collaboration.

• Client Expectations Management: Navigating the demands and feedback from external clients (publishers, co-dev partners) while maintaining the integrity of the game's vision and design quality.

• Balancing Innovation with Scope: Driving creative innovation while ensuring designs are feasible within the project's scope, budget, and timeline.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership Training: Access to programs or mentorship focused on executive-level decision-making, strategic planning, and large-scale project management.

• Industry Conferences & Events: Opportunities to attend major gaming conferences (e.g., GDC, E3) for networking, learning about emerging trends, and professional development.

• Cross-Disciplinary Skill Enhancement: Exposure to the challenges and workflows of other departments (programming, art, marketing) to broaden understanding of the game development pipeline.

• Mentorship Programs: Formal or informal mentorship from senior studio leadership to guide career growth and strategic development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the strategic and operational complexities of leading a high-stakes, unannounced project. The growth opportunities focus on developing leadership skills beyond core design into broader studio management and strategic influence.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for defining and driving a design vision for a new IP or a major project. How do you ensure alignment with executive leadership and creative direction?" (Focus on strategic planning, vision translation, and stakeholder alignment).

• "Walk us through a time you had to mediate between conflicting design requests from different disciplines or external partners. What was your approach, and what was the outcome?" (Highlight your mediation, problem-solving, and communication skills).

• "How do you ensure the quality, balance, and player comprehension of design work across multiple specialized teams throughout the development lifecycle?" (Emphasize your quality assurance processes, evaluation methods, and team management). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you most about Behaviour Interactive and this specific unannounced project? How do you see your leadership style fitting within our studio culture?" (Research the company's values, recent projects, and community presence).

• "How do you foster a collaborative and inclusive environment for your design teams, especially when working with diverse personalities and disciplines?" (Demonstrate your understanding of team dynamics and leadership best practices).

• "How do you measure the success of your design decisions and your team's output? Can you provide examples of how you've used data or player feedback to inform strategic design choices?" (Focus on data-driven decision-making and impact measurement). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your presentation logically, starting with the project's goals, your strategic approach, your team's execution, and the final outcomes.

• Emphasize Leadership Role: Clearly articulate your contributions as a director – vision setting, team guidance, process implementation, and problem-solving – rather than just individual design contributions.

• Showcase Process & Collaboration: Detail the methodologies you used, how you collaborated with other departments, and how you managed feedback and iterations.

• Quantify Results: Use metrics where possible to demonstrate the positive impact of your leadership on player engagement, retention, or commercial success. Be ready to discuss the ROI of your design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic leadership, operational management of creative teams, and the ability to navigate complex stakeholder relationships within the game development context.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Design Director position:

• Submit your application through the provided Lever link.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 key projects that best showcase your leadership in defining and executing game design vision, managing cross-functional teams, and interacting with external clients. Ensure your portfolio highlights your strategic thinking and operational approach to design direction.

• Tailor Your Resume: Emphasize your experience as a Design Director, Game Director, or Associate Design Director, focusing on achievements in team leadership, project management, and successful game launches. Use keywords relevant to game design leadership and operations.

• Prepare Your Case Study: Be ready to present a detailed case study from your portfolio during the interview process. Focus on your strategic role, the challenges you overcame, the processes you implemented, and the quantifiable impact of your leadership.

• Research Behaviour Interactive: Understand their portfolio, company culture, and recent news. Prepare thoughtful questions about the unannounced project, the team's structure, and the studio's approach to design leadership and innovation.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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