Franchise Design Director

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Franchise Design Director

Company: SEGA (Creative Assembly)

Location: Horsham, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full time

Category: Game Design Leadership / Franchise Strategy

Date Posted: 2026-08-07

Experience Level: 10+ years (Senior/Director Level)

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and evolve the design discipline for the highly successful Total War franchise, setting the strategic direction for game design methodologies and craft.

• Manage, mentor, and develop a team of design professionals, fostering a culture of excellence, continuous improvement, and player-centric value delivery.

• Define and champion the franchise's design philosophy, ensuring alignment with overarching business and player experience goals.

• Drive innovation and R&D within the design discipline, leveraging player feedback, data analysis, and market trends to identify growth opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a senior leadership position within Creative Assembly, focusing on the strategic direction and operational excellence of the design discipline for the Total War franchise. The emphasis on "player value" and "data-informed creativity" suggests a highly analytical and player-centric approach to game design leadership.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design Discipline Management: Oversee the entire design discipline, including people management (hiring, onboarding, 1:1s, career development, performance management, motivation, and escalation paths).

• Capability Development: Establish and maintain a formal design capability pathway, including competency frameworks, career progression routes, and comprehensive onboarding programs to cultivate expert-level designers.

• Talent Acquisition: Own the design hiring bar by defining role profiles, designing interview processes, and calibrating candidate assessments to attract and secure world-class design talent for Creative Assembly.

• Design Craft & Methodology: Define, maintain, and continuously improve design craft standards and methodologies across the franchise, ensuring consistency and quality.

• Project Creative Director Support: Provide frequent communication and strategic guidance between Franchise Leadership and Project Teams, coaching Creative Directors on design craft and ensuring adherence to agreed goals and direction.

• Franchise Design Vision: Develop and maintain a cohesive franchise design vision and philosophy that aligns with the overall Total War franchise vision, defining the essence of Total War design for training and development.

• Analysis & R&D: Conduct exploration and analysis of the existing and evolving design landscape of the Total War franchise, identifying opportunities for improvement and advancement.

• Team Culture & Values: Promote company values and culture, foster a positive and inclusive working environment, provide mentoring and coaching, and build high-performing teams.

• Strategic Planning: Collaborate with Franchise Leadership Team colleagues on internal and external strategies for the design discipline and the wider business, anticipating and solving problems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly delineate between managing the design discipline (people, process, hiring) and guiding the creative output of individual projects. The emphasis on formalizing processes like competency frameworks and onboarding programs points to a need for structured, scalable leadership.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Formal education in design or a related discipline is desirable, particularly experience in formal design education, teaching, or academic training. Experience:

• Minimum of 10+ years of experience in game development.

• Multiple shipped titles, with at least one in a significant design leadership role (e.g., Lead Designer, Principal Designer, Design Director, or equivalent).

• Proven track record of growing designers through structured development programs (competency frameworks, career progression, onboarding, mentoring), with demonstrable results.

• Experience developing designers who transitioned from other disciplines, with a clear strategy for formal, repeatable training.

• Demonstrated success in raising a hiring bar, including designing and calibrating interview processes for design roles and attracting senior design talent.

• Experience working on strategy titles is desirable.

• Experience working with IP holders is desirable. Required Skills:

• Design Leadership & Management: Expertise in leading design teams, managing people, and driving strategic initiatives.

• Mentoring & Coaching: Ability to develop and guide designers at all levels, fostering their growth and potential.

• Design Craft & Methodology: Deep understanding and ability to define and refine game design principles, processes, and standards.

• Talent Acquisition & Development: Proven experience in hiring, onboarding, and developing design talent, including creating formal career pathways.

• Franchise Strategy: Ability to define and champion a long-term design vision and philosophy for a major game franchise.

• Data Analysis & Interpretation: Confident working with data and spreadsheets to interrogate design decisions and inform strategy.

• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and succinctly to diverse audiences.

• Problem Solving: Constructive approach to complex problem-solving, consensus-building, and navigating teams to optimal outcomes.

• Player Motivation Understanding: Deep insight into player psychology, motivations, and what drives engagement in gaming.

• Industry Knowledge: Broad knowledge of games across platforms and genres, with a keen interest in overall game development trends and the Total War series specifically.

Preferred Skills:

• Modding experience.

• Proficiency in VB, C++, or Python.

• Art or Writing skills.

• Experience working on design tools.

• Experience using metrics to improve design outcomes.

• Critical thinking training.

• An interest in history.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a blend of strategic vision, people leadership, and a hands-on understanding of game design craft. The "10+" years of experience and specific leadership role requirement place this firmly in a senior director-level position.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Design Leadership Case Studies: Showcase examples where you led design teams through significant projects, detailing your approach to strategy development, process improvement, and team execution.

• Talent Development Evidence: Provide documented examples of how you've built and managed structured design development programs, including competency frameworks, career progression, and onboarding initiatives, demonstrating measurable impact.

• Hiring Process Design: Illustrate your experience in designing and calibrating interview processes for design roles, including examples of talent attracted and retained.

• Design Philosophy Articulation: A clear, well-articulated design philosophy that demonstrates how it shapes your practice and guides design decisions, ideally supported by examples of its application.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Examples of how you've used data and spreadsheets to interrogate design decisions, justify strategic choices, and measure the impact of design initiatives.

Process Documentation:

• Methodology Standardization: Demonstrations of how you've established and maintained design craft standards and methodologies, with examples of continuous improvement processes implemented.

• Onboarding & Training Programs: Evidence of formal onboarding programs and design capability pathways created, illustrating teachable material and formal training structures.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration Frameworks: Examples of how you've facilitated effective communication and collaboration between design teams and other departments (e.g., Production, Product Owners, HR, Resource Managers).

• Player Value Frameworks: Documentation or examples of how you've championed and implemented "player value" as a core principle in design strategy and execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: While not explicitly asking for a traditional "portfolio" of design assets, the role demands evidence of leadership in building design processes, teams, and strategy. Candidates should prepare to present detailed case studies and frameworks that illustrate their impact on design discipline maturity and strategic direction.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Given the senior director-level nature of this role, the location (Horsham, UK), and the company's standing in the gaming industry, a competitive salary is expected. Based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in the UK, we estimate a range of £90,000 - £140,000 per annum, potentially higher for exceptionally qualified candidates. This estimate considers extensive experience, leadership responsibilities, and the strategic impact of the role on a major franchise. Benefits:

• Work from Anywhere for a temporary period each year (restrictions apply such as VISAs)

• Enhanced holiday allowance

• Maternity and paternity breaks

• Flexibility with core working hours

• No-notice holidays

• Performance-based discretionary bonus scheme

• Bespoke relocation package for you and your dependents

• Private medical insurance

• Dental insurance

• Life insurance

• Free health care screening

• Additional benefits ranging from free games and work parties to discounts on technology

• Wellbeing support and virtual confidential counselling Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours are expected, likely around 40 hours per week. The role emphasizes hybrid working, with 3 days per week in the Horsham studio. While core hours are flexible, the need for team collaboration and leadership presence suggests a commitment to regular studio attendance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on aggregated data for senior game design leadership roles in the UK, factoring in the specific responsibilities and the strategic importance of the Total War franchise. The extensive benefits package reflects Creative Assembly's commitment to employee well-being and work-life balance.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Video Game Development (PC and Console)

Company Size: Large (Creative Assembly is a significant studio within the SEGA group, employing over 700 people). This scale allows for dedicated teams and specialized roles, while also requiring robust management structures.

Founded: Creative Assembly was founded in 1997. Its long history, particularly with the Total War series (launched in 2000), signifies a deep-rooted culture of strategic development and long-term franchise building.

Team Structure:

• Design Discipline: The Franchise Design Director will lead the overarching design discipline, which likely comprises various sub-disciplines (e.g., Systems Design, Content Design, UI/UX Design).

• Reporting Structure: This role reports into Franchise Leadership and collaborates closely with the Head of Product and Project Leadership (Producers, Creative Directors). The Director will manage Creative Directors and potentially other senior design leads.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: The role necessitates strong collaboration with HR, Resource Managers, Product Owners, Discipline Team Leads, Brand, and Player Research teams. This indicates a highly integrated approach to game development, where design strategy is informed by and informs multiple facets of the business.

Methodology:

• Data-Informed Creativity: A core principle, suggesting a blend of creative vision with analytical rigor. Design decisions are expected to be supported by player data, research, and performance metrics.

• Player Value Focus: Everything created must be worth the players' time. This principle guides design strategy and prioritizes player satisfaction and engagement.

• Continuous Improvement: Emphasis on refining design craft, methodologies, and team capabilities through ongoing learning and process optimization.

• Craftsmanship & Excellence: A commitment to high-quality product development, treating game design as a craft that can be understood, taught, and improved.

Company Website: https://www.creative-assembly.com/ (Creative Assembly is part of SEGA)

📝 Enhancement Note: Creative Assembly's long-standing success with the Total War franchise indicates a culture that values deep strategic thinking, long-term franchise development, and a commitment to quality. The emphasis on "player value" and "data-informed creativity" highlights a modern approach to game development leadership.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Director/Senior Leadership. This role is responsible for a critical functional discipline within a major franchise. It requires strategic oversight, people leadership, and significant influence over product direction and team development. The scope extends beyond individual projects to the entire design ecosystem of the Total War brand.

Reporting Structure: The Franchise Design Director will report to senior franchise leadership (e.g., Head of Franchise, VP of Product) and will directly manage Project Creative Directors and potentially other senior design leads. They will work closely with other functional directors (e.g., Art Director, Technical Director) and collaborate extensively with HR and Resource Management.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is profound, directly shaping the creative output and player experience of the Total War franchise. By defining design strategy, nurturing talent, and upholding quality standards, the Director influences player engagement, franchise longevity, and ultimately, commercial success. Their decisions will guide the evolution of one of the most iconic strategy game series.

Growth Opportunities:

• Franchise Leadership Expansion: Potential to move into broader franchise leadership roles, overseeing multiple IPs or expanding responsibilities across different SEGA studios.

• Strategic Development: Opportunities to contribute to higher-level SEGA strategy, influencing the direction of PC and strategy gaming for the company.

• Mentorship & Advocacy: Act as a key mentor for emerging leaders within the design discipline and advocate for best practices in game development across the industry.

• Specialization Deepening: While this role is broad, there's opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas of strategy game design, player psychology, or team development through continuous learning and project involvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role represents a significant career milestone, offering the chance to shape a beloved franchise and influence the future of strategy gaming. Growth opportunities are focused on expanding strategic influence and leadership scope within SEGA.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. Creative Assembly operates a modern studio environment designed to foster collaboration and creativity. While remote work is possible for a limited period annually, the expectation is for regular on-site presence.

Office Location(s): The primary studio is located in Horsham, West Sussex, United Kingdom. This location offers a balance between a dedicated development hub and accessibility within the UK.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The studio likely features open-plan areas, meeting rooms, and breakout spaces designed to encourage spontaneous interaction and teamwork among design disciplines.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard development tools, powerful workstations, and internal systems necessary for game design, data analysis, and project management.

• Team Interaction: Regular opportunities for direct interaction with design teams, project leadership, and cross-functional colleagues, crucial for effective leadership and decision-making.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, with flexibility around core hours. However, the hybrid model (3 days in studio) and the demands of a leadership position necessitate a structured approach to work, balancing focused individual work with collaborative team activities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model reflects a modern approach to work, balancing flexibility with the recognized benefits of in-person collaboration for creative and strategic roles. The Horsham studio is the hub for this significant franchise.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and portfolio/evidence of leadership in design, focusing on your experience in team management, strategic development, and franchise-level thinking.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A deep dive into your experience, leadership style, design philosophy, and how you approach team development, hiring, and strategy. Expect questions about your track record in growing designers and raising hiring bars.

• Panel Interview / Presentation: Likely involves a presentation of your portfolio or a case study demonstrating your approach to franchise design strategy, team leadership, and problem-solving. This stage will assess your ability to articulate complex ideas and your fit with Creative Assembly's culture and values. This may include interviews with peers and senior leadership.

• Cultural Fit & Values Assessment: Discussions focused on how you embody SEGA's and Creative Assembly's values, your approach to inclusive leadership, and your ability to drive excellence.

• Final Decision: Based on overall assessment of experience, leadership capabilities, strategic vision, and cultural alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Leadership Impact: Showcase not just your design work, but your leadership in driving design outcomes. Highlight how you've built teams, improved processes, and shaped strategy.

• Structured Case Studies: For each significant project or initiative, detail the challenge, your approach, the methodologies used, the team you managed, and the quantifiable results or impact achieved (e.g., improved team performance, successful new hires, defined design pillars).

• Evidence of Talent Development: Specifically include examples of competency frameworks, career progression plans, or mentoring programs you've implemented, along with their outcomes.

• Hiring Process Design: Be prepared to walk through how you've designed and calibrated interview processes for design roles.

• Design Philosophy Articulation: Have a clear, concise, and well-reasoned design philosophy ready to present, supported by examples of its practical application.

• Data & Metrics: Demonstrate how you use data and spreadsheets to inform decisions and measure success. Quantify your achievements whenever possible.

Challenge Preparation:

• Strategic Scenario: Be prepared for a scenario-based question or a mini-case study related to the Total War franchise's design challenges or future direction. Focus on how you would approach problem-solving, strategy development, and team alignment.

• Leadership Scenarios: Anticipate questions about how you would handle common leadership challenges, such as motivating a team, resolving conflict, or driving change within a large organization.

• Presentation Skills: Practice presenting your portfolio and ideas concisely and persuasively, as you will likely need to present your strategic vision and leadership approach.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to assess strategic thinking, leadership effectiveness, and a deep understanding of game design at a franchise level. Candidates should prepare to demonstrate tangible results and a clear, data-informed leadership philosophy.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Game Engines: While not a direct development role, familiarity with the engine used by Creative Assembly (likely proprietary or heavily modified Unreal Engine for modern titles) is beneficial. Understanding engine capabilities and limitations is key for design strategy.

• Design Software: Proficiency with industry-standard tools for prototyping, documentation, and potentially specific design scripting languages.

• Project Management Tools: Experience with tools like Jira, Confluence, Asana, or similar for task tracking, workflow management, and documentation.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Tools: Confidence in using spreadsheets (Excel, Google Sheets) is explicitly mentioned. Familiarity with data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) or in-game analytics platforms would be advantageous for understanding player behavior and game performance.

• Player Research Platforms: Understanding how to leverage player feedback, surveys, and playtesting data from internal or external research tools.

CRM & Automation:

• While not traditional CRM, understanding systems for managing internal resources, talent pipelines, and project workflows is relevant. Experience with HRIS (Human Resources Information System) for talent management aspects could be a plus.

• Internal Documentation & Collaboration Platforms: Extensive use of internal wikis, shared drives, and communication tools (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams) is standard.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "data and spreadsheets" for interrogating design decisions is a key technical requirement. While direct coding skills are not essential for the Director, understanding the technical landscape and how design interacts with it is crucial.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Player Value: A foundational principle. Every design decision must be justifiable in terms of player time and enjoyment. This drives a player-centric approach to strategy and execution.

• Craftsmanship & Excellence: A commitment to high-quality products and a belief that game design is a craft that can be honed, taught, and improved. This fosters a culture of continuous learning and attention to detail.

• Data-Informed Creativity: Balancing artistic vision with analytical rigor. Decisions are informed by player data, research, and performance metrics, leading to more robust and effective designs.

• Collaboration & Consensus: Encouraging the best ideas to win, regardless of origin. This involves building bridges, open communication, and navigating teams towards shared goals.

• Accountability: A critical value for both self and others. This ensures ownership of tasks, decisions, and outcomes, fostering a responsible and high-performing environment.

• Inclusivity & Positivity: Promoting a working environment where all team members feel valued, empowered, and motivated.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Strong emphasis on collaboration across design, production, brand, and player research teams to ensure cohesive product development.

• Process Review & Feedback: A culture that encourages open feedback loops for refining design methodologies and ensuring continuous improvement.

• Knowledge Sharing: Fostering an environment where best practices, insights, and learnings are shared openly to elevate the entire design discipline.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is built around a deep passion for games, a commitment to quality, and a modern, data-driven approach to development. The emphasis on player value and collaborative excellence is central to the working environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Maintaining Franchise Relevance: Ensuring the Total War franchise continues to innovate and appeal to both long-time fans and new players in a competitive strategy game market.

• Balancing Creative Vision with Business Goals: Aligning the design team's creative aspirations with SEGA's commercial objectives and franchise strategy.

• Managing a Large, Distributed Team: Effectively leading and developing a diverse design discipline across multiple projects, potentially with remote or hybrid team members.

• Integrating Data without Stifling Creativity: Finding the optimal balance between data-driven insights and the intuitive, artistic aspects of game design.

• Adapting to Evolving Player Expectations: Staying ahead of trends in player behavior, engagement models, and the broader entertainment landscape.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership Development: Opportunities to hone skills in executive-level strategy, cross-functional leadership, and organizational development.

• Industry Trend Analysis: Deep engagement with current and future trends in PC gaming, strategy genres, and player engagement.

• Mentorship & Succession Planning: Playing a key role in identifying and nurturing future design leaders within Creative Assembly and SEGA.

• Industry Engagement: Potential to represent Creative Assembly at industry events, conferences, or through thought leadership in game design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are characteristic of leading a major franchise in a dynamic industry. Growth opportunities are focused on expanding strategic influence and leadership capabilities within the broader SEGA organization.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you define and champion 'player value' as a core design principle for the Total War franchise?"

• "Describe your approach to developing a formal design capability pathway, including competency frameworks and career progression, for a large design team."

• "What are the key elements of a successful design hiring bar, and how would you implement and maintain it at Creative Assembly?"

• "How do you balance data-informed decision-making with creative intuition in game design strategy?"

• "Outline your strategy for analyzing and evolving the design of an established franchise like Total War." Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on your understanding, how would you contribute to Creative Assembly's culture of craftsmanship and player value?"

• "How do you foster inclusivity and build high-performing teams in a hybrid work environment?"

• "Describe a situation where you had to drive consensus among stakeholders with differing opinions on design direction."

• "How do you stay current with industry trends, and how would you apply that knowledge to the Total War franchise?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Begin with a high-level overview of your leadership philosophy and strategic vision. Then, present 2-3 key case studies that best demonstrate your experience in team development, strategic leadership, and franchise-level thinking.

• Quantify Achievements: Whenever possible, use metrics to illustrate the impact of your leadership (e.g., improvements in team performance, successful hires, positive feedback from stakeholders, measurable design improvements).

• Focus on "How" and "Why": Don't just state what you did, explain how you did it and why you made those decisions. Highlight your thought process, methodologies, and problem-solving approach.

• Tailor to Total War: Show that you've researched the Total War franchise. Discuss how your experience and philosophy align with its specific needs and opportunities.

• Be Prepared for Q&A: Anticipate detailed questions about your experience, decision-making, and approach to leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic foresight, robust people leadership, and a deep understanding of game design principles within the context of a major, long-standing franchise.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Franchise Design Director position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday link.

• Curate Your Evidence: Prepare a summary of your leadership experience that highlights your track record in managing design teams, developing talent, and setting design strategy. This is more crucial than a traditional design portfolio.

• Craft Your Narrative: Develop clear, concise examples and case studies that showcase your approach to design leadership, talent acquisition, and franchise strategy, focusing on tangible results and impact.

• Research Creative Assembly & Total War: Understand the studio's culture, values, and the current state and future potential of the Total War franchise. Prepare to discuss how your vision aligns with theirs.

• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse your portfolio presentation and answers to anticipated strategy and leadership questions, ensuring you can articulate your ideas clearly and persuasively.

⚠️ 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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