Design Director

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Director

Company: Scopely

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Game Design / Creative Leadership

Date Posted: April 9, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the creative vision and strategic execution for the GSN Casino game portfolio to ensure engaging, innovative, and market-leading player experiences.

• Develop and refine the product roadmap in collaboration with General Manager and Director of Product, aligning game development with overarching business goals and market opportunities.

• Drive a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within the design team, pushing for production values comparable to land-based casino games.

• Leverage data analysis and A/B testing to optimize game features, themes, and player experience, directly impacting key performance indicators.

• Mentor and develop a team of game designers, fostering professional growth and a high-performing creative environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is critical for shaping the future of Scopely's GSN Casino offerings. The Design Director will act as a key strategic leader, bridging creative excellence with quantifiable business outcomes in the competitive free-to-play mobile gaming market, specifically within the social casino vertical.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and champion the overarching creative vision and design strategy for the GSN Casino division, ensuring a cohesive and compelling player experience across all titles.

• Collaborate closely with senior leadership, including the General Manager and Director of Product, to establish a strategic roadmap for game development that aligns with business objectives and market trends.

• Oversee all aspects of game design, from conceptualization and prototyping through to live operations and post-launch optimization, ensuring high standards of quality and innovation.

• Conduct thorough research and analysis of competitive trends in casual games, social casino, and real-money gaming markets to identify opportunities and inform design decisions.

• Foster a studio culture that emphasizes continuous improvement, innovation, and the pursuit of exceptional production values, aiming to match or exceed the quality of land-based casino experiences.

• Partner with Analytics and Player Insights teams to design and execute rigorous A/B tests on features, game mechanics, and thematic elements, using data to drive optimization and maximize key performance metrics such as player engagement, retention, and monetization.

• Provide strong leadership, mentorship, and professional development support to junior game designers, cultivating their skills and career progression within the organization.

• Develop and implement comprehensive design standards and best practices for both player experience and the game design process, ensuring consistency and efficiency.

• Translate high-level strategic objectives and market insights into actionable, well-documented design projects and initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership, creative direction, team management, and data-driven decision-making, all focused on optimizing the player experience and business performance within the social casino gaming sector.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Game Design, Digital Media, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience:

• 10+ years of progressive experience in designing and/or producing successful mass-market casual games.

• Demonstrable experience specifically within the social casino market is highly preferred.

Required Skills:

• Creative Leadership: Ability to define and articulate a compelling creative vision for complex game products.

• Strategic Planning: Expertise in developing product roadmaps and aligning design initiatives with business strategy and market analysis.

• Game Design Expertise: Deep understanding of core game mechanics, player progression, monetization strategies, and user experience design principles, particularly within casual and social casino genres.

• Team Mentorship & Development: Proven ability to mentor, guide, and develop junior designers, fostering a collaborative and high-performing team environment.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Strong ability to partner effectively with product management, analytics, engineering, art, audio, and marketing teams.

• Communication Skills: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, capable of clearly articulating complex ideas to diverse stakeholders, from creative teams to executive leadership.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Proficiency in leveraging player data, A/B testing results, and analytics insights to inform design decisions and optimize game performance.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with free-to-play (F2P) monetization models and strategies.

• Familiarity with the nuances of real-money gaming (RMG) regulations and player expectations.

• Knowledge of current trends and emerging technologies in mobile gaming and interactive entertainment.

• Experience with project management methodologies and tools to effectively manage multiple concurrent projects.

• Understanding of player psychology and behavioral economics as applied to game design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "mass-market casual games" and "social casino market" is critical. Candidates should be prepared to showcase experience not just in game creation, but in designing for broad appeal and understanding the specific engagement loops and monetization drivers common in this genre. Leadership and strategic thinking are paramount given the Director title.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Design Vision & Strategy: Showcase examples of how you've defined and executed a creative vision for a game or product line, including the strategic thinking behind those decisions.

• Product Roadmap Contribution: Demonstrate instances where you've contributed to or led the development of a product roadmap, illustrating how design decisions supported business goals.

• Team Leadership & Mentorship: Provide evidence of your leadership style, team management approach, and impact on team development, ideally with examples of designers you've mentored.

• Player Experience Optimization: Include case studies detailing how you've used data, A/B testing, and player feedback to significantly improve player engagement, retention, or monetization.

• Process Innovation: Highlight any initiatives you've led to improve game design processes, implement new methodologies, or enhance production values within a studio.

Process Documentation:

• Be prepared to discuss your experience in documenting and standardizing game design processes, including user experience flows, feature specifications, and best practices for creative execution.

• Showcase how you've implemented or improved workflows for A/B testing, data analysis integration into the design cycle, and cross-functional team collaboration.

• Demonstrate an understanding of how to measure the effectiveness of design processes and iterate for continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Design Director role, the portfolio should emphasize strategic impact and leadership over granular design execution. Focus on showcasing the why and how behind your decisions, how you influenced teams, and the measurable business outcomes achieved through your leadership.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Design Director role with 10+ years of experience in a major European tech hub like Barcelona, and considering the company's size and market position, the estimated annual salary range is €90,000 - €130,000. This range is indicative and subject to adjustment based on the candidate's specific experience, qualifications, and negotiation.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and performance-based bonuses.

• Comprehensive health insurance package.

• Generous paid time off (PTO) and company holidays.

• Retirement savings plan with company contributions.

• Professional development opportunities, including training, conferences, and workshops.

• Hybrid work model offering flexibility between remote and in-office work.

• Access to company-provided resources and tools for creative and analytical work.

• Employee assistance programs and wellness initiatives.

• Potential for stock options or equity participation.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours are approximately 40 hours per week. While a hybrid model is offered, specific in-office days may be required for team collaboration and strategic meetings. Flexibility is often provided, but a commitment to meeting project deadlines and team needs is expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on data for senior design leadership roles in Spain, particularly in tech hubs. It accounts for the extensive experience required and the strategic importance of the position. Benefits are typical for a company of Scopely's caliber in the gaming industry.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Interactive Entertainment / Mobile Gaming. Scopely is a prominent player in the free-to-play mobile gaming market, known for its successful portfolio of engaging titles and its focus on player communities. The company operates in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving sector.

Company Size: Scopely is a large organization, with a global presence and a significant number of employees. This implies a structured environment with established processes, but also opportunities for impact within specific divisions like GSN Casino.

Founded: Scopely was founded in 2011. Its history reflects a journey of growth, strategic acquisitions, and a consistent focus on building and operating successful live-service games. This maturity suggests a stable yet innovative operational framework.

Team Structure:

• The GSN Casino team is part of Scopely's broader gaming division, likely comprising specialized functions such as Product Management, Game Design, Art, Engineering, Analytics, Player Insights, and Marketing.

• The Design Director will report to senior leadership within the Casino Division, likely the General Manager or a VP of Product/Games. They will directly manage a team of game designers.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Scopely emphasizes using data analytics and player insights to inform product strategy and game design. This includes rigorous A/B testing and performance monitoring.

• Agile Development: While not explicitly stated, game development, especially for live-service titles, typically employs agile methodologies to facilitate iterative development, rapid prototyping, and continuous improvement.

• Community-Centric Approach: The company values deep connections with its player communities, suggesting a design philosophy that prioritizes player engagement, feedback, and long-term retention.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Scopely's emphasis on "tenet-driven culture" and "Playgami" (proprietary technology platform) suggests a company that values both its people and its underlying operational infrastructure. As Design Director, understanding and contributing to these cultural and technological foundations will be key.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a senior leadership role, equivalent to a Director or Head of Design within the GSN Casino division. It signifies a position responsible for both strategic direction and team management, with significant influence over product success and player experience.

Reporting Structure: The Design Director will report to senior executives within the GSN Casino division (e.g., General Manager, VP of Product/Games) and will directly manage a team of game designers, including potentially junior and senior roles. Collaboration will extend across various departments.

Operations Impact: The Design Director's impact is directly tied to the success of the GSN Casino portfolio. This includes driving player acquisition, engagement, retention, and monetization through innovative and well-executed game design. Their strategic decisions will shape the future direction of these games and contribute significantly to Scopely's revenue and market position in the social casino space.

Growth Opportunities:

• Expanded Leadership Scope: Potential to grow into a VP-level role overseeing design for multiple game studios or broader product categories within Scopely.

• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to play a more significant role in overarching company strategy, new product exploration, and M&A due diligence related to design and creative capabilities.

• Specialization/Cross-Pollination: Chance to deepen expertise in social casino or explore design leadership in other gaming genres within Scopely's diverse portfolio.

• Mentorship & Advocacy: Becoming a key figure in shaping the design talent pipeline and advocating for design excellence across the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for advancement within a major gaming company. Success here can position the candidate for broader leadership responsibilities, directly impacting the company's growth trajectory in the highly lucrative mobile gaming market.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Scopely operates with a hybrid work model. This means the role involves a blend of in-office collaboration and remote work. The office environment is likely designed to foster collaboration, innovation, and team cohesion.

Office Location(s): The role is based in Barcelona, Spain, a vibrant European city with a strong tech and gaming presence. This location offers access to a talented local workforce and a dynamic cultural scene. Specific office address details would be provided during the application process.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: Offices are likely equipped with meeting rooms, breakout areas, and common spaces to facilitate brainstorming, team discussions, and cross-functional interaction.

• Technology & Tools: Access to industry-standard design software, development tools, analytics platforms, and communication technologies essential for modern game development.

• Team Interaction: The hybrid model encourages intentional in-office time for strategic planning, team building, and hands-on creative synergy, while remote days offer focused work time.

Work Schedule: The standard work week is around 40 hours, with flexibility offered through the hybrid model. However, the nature of game development often requires dedication to meet project milestones and live-ops demands, which may occasionally necessitate working beyond standard hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role in a city like Barcelona suggests a modern work environment that balances flexibility with the need for in-person collaboration crucial for creative leadership and team building.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and resume, focusing on your experience in game design, leadership, and the social casino market.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A detailed discussion with the direct hiring manager (likely a senior leader within GSN Casino) to assess your strategic thinking, leadership style, and alignment with the role's responsibilities. This is where your high-level portfolio presentation might be first discussed.

• Team/Peer Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders, including other design leads, product managers, and potentially engineering or art directors, to evaluate your collaborative abilities and technical understanding.

• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where you will present a curated selection of your work. This is a critical stage to demonstrate your design vision, strategic impact, leadership capabilities, and ability to drive results.

• Executive Interview: A final interview with a senior executive (e.g., GM of the division, VP) to assess your strategic fit within the broader company and your potential to contribute at a high level.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: For a Director role, emphasize strategic contributions, team leadership, and measurable business outcomes (e.g., increased engagement, revenue growth, improved player satisfaction).

• Showcase Strategy: Include case studies that detail your thought process, the strategic challenges you addressed, the solutions you designed, and the rationale behind your decisions.

• Highlight Leadership: Demonstrate instances where you mentored designers, influenced team direction, or led the implementation of new design processes or standards.

• Quantify Results: Use data and metrics wherever possible to illustrate the success of your projects. Be prepared to discuss how you used A/B testing and analytics to achieve these results.

• Tailor to Scopely: Research Scopely's games and company values. Frame your experience and portfolio examples to align with their focus on player communities, innovation, and data-driven development.

• Conciseness: Be prepared to present your most impactful work concisely and effectively within a set time limit.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be ready for a hypothetical design challenge or strategic scenario relevant to the social casino market. This could involve proposing a new feature, analyzing a game's performance, or outlining a design strategy for a new title.

• Prepare to discuss your approach to complex problems, how you would leverage data and team input, and how you would ensure alignment with business goals.

• Practice articulating your ideas clearly and persuasively, as if presenting to senior leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to evaluate strategic thinking, leadership, and the ability to translate creative vision into tangible business success within the social casino gaming domain. A strong portfolio showcasing leadership and data-informed decision-making is paramount.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Game Engines: While not always directly used by designers, familiarity with engines like Unity or Unreal Engine and their capabilities is beneficial.

• Prototyping Tools: Software for rapid prototyping and user flow mapping (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision).

• Design & Art Software: Proficiency with tools such as Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator) for asset creation and conceptualization.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Platforms: Experience with tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, Tableau, Looker, or custom-built analytics dashboards for tracking player behavior, game performance, and A/B test results.

• Business Intelligence Tools: Familiarity with BI platforms for generating reports and visualizing key performance indicators (KPIs).

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM role, understanding how player data is managed and utilized for personalized experiences or targeted communications is valuable. Familiarity with marketing automation concepts can be a plus.

• Project Management Software: Tools like Jira, Asana, Trello, or Monday.com for managing design tasks, workflows, and team collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Design Director role requires a strong understanding of the tools that enable data-driven design and efficient team collaboration. While they may not be hands-on with every tool, they must understand their application and how to leverage them for strategic advantage.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Player-First: A core value at Scopely is inspiring play and focusing on creating engaging experiences for millions of players worldwide. This translates to prioritizing player satisfaction, community building, and delivering high-quality, fun games.

• Innovation & Creativity: The company fosters an environment that encourages pushing boundaries, experimenting with new ideas, and developing innovative gameplay mechanics and features.

• Data-Driven Decisions: Scopely relies heavily on data and analytics to inform strategy, optimize games, and understand player behavior, promoting a culture of informed decision-making.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Success is achieved through collaboration across multidisciplinary teams, emphasizing shared goals and mutual support.

• Ownership & Accountability: Employees are encouraged to take ownership of their work, drive initiatives, and be accountable for results.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The design team works closely with product managers, engineers, artists, and data analysts, requiring a collaborative and communicative approach.

• Feedback Culture: An environment that encourages constructive feedback, open dialogue, and iterative improvement of designs and processes.

• Shared Vision: Emphasis on aligning diverse perspectives towards a common goal – creating successful and beloved games.

📝 Enhancement Note: Scopely's stated values focus on player engagement, innovation, and data-informed strategies. The Design Director will be expected to embody and promote these values within their team and in their interactions across the organization.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Market Competition: The free-to-play mobile gaming market, especially social casino, is highly saturated and competitive. Standing out requires continuous innovation and exceptional player experience.

• Balancing Creativity with Business Goals: Effectively merging artistic vision and player engagement with monetization strategies and business objectives can be a complex balancing act.

• Leading a Hybrid Team: Managing and motivating a design team across hybrid work arrangements requires strong communication, trust-building, and adaptable leadership strategies.

• Evolving Player Expectations: Keeping pace with rapidly changing player preferences, technological advancements, and emerging trends in mobile gaming demands constant learning and adaptation.

• Maintaining Production Values: Consistently delivering high production values comparable to land-based casinos while operating within the constraints of mobile development and F2P models.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Industry Conferences & Events: Opportunities to attend major gaming industry events (e.g., GDC, Casual Connect) to stay abreast of trends and network.

• Advanced Analytics & Design Training: Access to specialized training in player psychology, monetization design, advanced analytics, and emerging game design methodologies.

• Leadership Development Programs: Scopely likely offers internal programs or opportunities for leadership coaching and skill enhancement for its senior staff.

• Cross-Studio Exposure: Potential to gain insights or contribute to design challenges in other game studios within Scopely's portfolio.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents significant challenges but also offers substantial opportunities for professional growth by tackling complex problems in a dynamic industry and contributing to the success of a leading gaming company.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your approach to developing a game design strategy for a new social casino title, considering market trends, player behavior, and business objectives." (Preparation: Outline a structured approach, emphasizing research, target audience definition, core loop design, monetization integration, and KPI alignment.)

• "How would you foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within a game design team, particularly in a hybrid work environment?" (Preparation: Discuss methods for encouraging idea generation, constructive feedback, experimentation, and knowledge sharing, while addressing hybrid challenges.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Scopely and the GSN Casino team specifically? How do you see your design philosophy aligning with Scopely's values?" (Preparation: Research Scopely's mission, values, and recent game successes. Connect your experience to their player-centric and data-driven approach.)

• "How do you approach collaboration with product management, engineering, and analytics teams to ensure successful game development?" (Preparation: Emphasize your ability to communicate effectively, understand different perspectives, and work towards shared goals.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your presentation logically, perhaps by project type or by demonstrating key skills (e.g., Strategy, Leadership, Data Application).

• Storytelling: For each case study, tell a compelling story: the challenge, your approach, your role, the solution, and the results.

• Visuals: Use high-quality visuals (screenshots, mockups, flowcharts) to illustrate your points, but don't let them overshadow your narrative.

• Data Integration: Clearly present the data and metrics that supported your decisions and demonstrated the impact of your work.

• Q&A Readiness: Anticipate questions about your design choices, team management, and strategic thinking. Be prepared to elaborate on any aspect of your portfolio.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic leadership, a data-informed approach, and a deep understanding of the social casino market. Your portfolio is your primary tool to showcase this, so practice presenting it effectively.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Design Director position:

• Submit your application through the Scopely careers portal via the provided Greenhouse link.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to highlight your most impactful work in casual and social casino game design, emphasizing strategic leadership, team mentorship, and data-driven optimization. Prepare 2-3 detailed case studies that showcase your thought process and measurable results.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to prominently feature your 10+ years of experience, leadership roles, social casino expertise, and achievements in driving player engagement and revenue. Use keywords from the job description naturally.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design strategy, leadership philosophy, and how you leverage data for decision-making. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions and be ready to present your portfolio compellingly.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Scopely's current game portfolio (especially GSN Casino), company values, and recent news. Understand their market position and identify how your skills and vision can contribute to their ongoing success.

⚠️ 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.