UI UX Design Lead

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UI/UX Design Lead

Company: Games Factory Talents

Location: Remote (Europe)

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Design Leadership / Game Development Operations

Date Posted: 2026-09-16

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (3+ years)

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and shape the UI/UX design vision for engaging mobile games, driving the end-to-end design process.

• Manage and mentor a dedicated internal UI/UX design team, fostering a collaborative and high-performance environment.

• Collaborate intrinsically with product managers, engineers, and game designers to translate innovative concepts into polished, production-ready game assets.

• Implement and refine efficient design processes to enhance cross-functional collaboration and project execution.

• Ensure meticulous attention to detail and maintain high quality standards across multiple concurrent design projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is "UI/UX Design Lead," in the context of a game development company, this often involves significant operational oversight of the design process, team management, and workflow optimization. The "Operations" aspect here pertains to the efficient functioning of the design department and its integration with other GTM and product development functions.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & Mentorship: Guide, mentor, and inspire the internal UI/UX design team, fostering professional growth and ensuring high-quality output.

• End-to-End Design Ownership: Oversee the complete UI/UX design lifecycle for mobile games, from initial concept and wireframing through to high-fidelity mockups and final asset delivery.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work synergistically with Product Management, Engineering, and Game Design teams to ensure seamless integration of UI/UX elements with game mechanics and objectives.

• Process Development & Optimization: Design, implement, and iterate on efficient design workflows and communication protocols to streamline collaboration between design, product, and development.

• Quality Assurance & Consistency: Maintain a keen eye for detail, ensuring visual and interactive consistency across all game interfaces and assets, adhering to established design standards and brand guidelines.

• Project Management: Effectively manage multiple design projects simultaneously, prioritizing tasks, and ensuring timely delivery of high-quality assets within project timelines.

• Concept to Production: Translate high-level game concepts and product requirements into intuitive and visually appealing user interfaces and experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities listed are expanded to highlight the operational aspects of leading a design team, such as process development, cross-functional integration, and project management, which are critical for a "Lead" role in a GTM or product-focused organization.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Interaction Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is preferred. Equivalent practical experience in UI/UX design leadership within the game industry will also be strongly considered. Experience:

• Minimum of 3 years of progressive experience in a UI/UX Design Lead or Senior UI/UX Designer role specifically within the mobile game development sector.

• Proven track record of successfully leading design initiatives from concept to launch for mobile games.

• Experience in managing and mentoring design teams is essential. Required Skills:

• UI/UX Design Fundamentals: Deep understanding of visual design, interaction design, information architecture, and user-centered design principles applied to mobile interfaces.

• Design Software Proficiency: Expert-level proficiency in Figma and Adobe Photoshop is mandatory for wireframing, prototyping, and asset creation.

• 2D Art & Illustration: Strong skills in 2D art, illustration, and icon design, essential for creating compelling game assets.

• Animation & Effects: Ability to conceptualize and integrate animation and visual effects within interfaces to enhance user experience and engagement.

• Game Design Acumen: Understanding of game mechanics, player psychology, and how UI/UX contributes to overall game performance and player retention.

• Communication & Collaboration: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with fluency in both English and Russian, to facilitate effective collaboration with diverse teams.

• Project Management Skills: Ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Skills:

• Unity Engine: Familiarity or hands-on experience with the Unity engine for integrating UI assets and understanding development constraints.

• Prototyping Tools: Experience with advanced prototyping tools beyond Figma.

• User Research: Basic understanding of user research methodologies and how to incorporate findings into design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Required Skills" section has been expanded to include game-specific design knowledge and language proficiency, which are critical for this role. The preferred skills highlight areas that would further enhance a candidate's suitability and operational efficiency in a game dev environment.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Mobile Game Focus: A curated portfolio showcasing a strong track record of UI/UX design for successful mobile games. Emphasis should be placed on visual appeal, intuitive navigation, and engaging player experiences.

• End-to-End Process: Demonstrate your involvement in the entire design lifecycle, from initial concept sketches and wireframes to high-fidelity mockups, interactive prototypes, and final production assets.

• System Integration: Showcase examples of how you've integrated UI/UX designs with game engines (e.g., Unity) and worked with engineering teams to ensure seamless implementation.

• Collaboration & Leadership: Include case studies or project examples that highlight your leadership in guiding design teams, managing projects, and collaborating effectively with cross-functional stakeholders.

• Problem-Solving: Present clear examples of complex UI/UX challenges you've encountered and how you’ve applied design thinking and operational efficiency to solve them.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design: Provide examples of documented design workflows you have created or optimized, illustrating stages from ideation to asset handoff.

• Asset Management: Showcase experience in organizing and managing design assets for efficient use by development teams.

• Collaboration Protocols: Demonstrate familiarity with establishing clear communication channels and feedback loops for design reviews and cross-team alignment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are tailored to emphasize the operational aspects of design leadership in game development, focusing on process, collaboration, and tangible outputs relevant to the industry.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on industry benchmarks for a UI/UX Design Lead with 3+ years of experience in mobile game development within Europe, a competitive salary range is estimated to be between €55,000 - €80,000 annually. This range can vary based on specific experience, portfolio strength, and negotiation. Benefits:

• Competitive Salary: A salary package commensurate with experience and industry standards.

• Flexible Working Hours: Adaptable work schedules to promote work-life balance and accommodate individual productivity peaks.

• Remote Work Options: The flexibility to work from anywhere within Europe, offering significant autonomy and reduced commuting stress.

• Career Growth Opportunities: Clear pathways for professional development, skill enhancement, and advancement within the design leadership structure.

• Collaborative Team Environment: Access to a creative and supportive team culture that values innovation, teamwork, and open communication.

• Team Building & Events: Opportunities for virtual or in-person team gatherings and events to foster camaraderie.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week), with flexibility in scheduling to accommodate different time zones and personal needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: A salary range has been estimated based on the role, experience level, and the specified remote work location within Europe. This is a standard practice for roles where salary is not explicitly stated, providing a helpful benchmark for candidates. The benefits are detailed to reflect typical offerings for remote, tech-focused roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Mobile Gaming (Casual Niche)

Company Size: The company has 10+ million users, indicating a significant operational scale. The team is distributed across Europe, suggesting a mid-to-large size company with a focus on remote collaboration.

Founded: Over 8 years ago, indicating a mature company with established processes and market presence.

Team Structure:

• Design Leadership: This role sits at the forefront of the design department, leading an internal UI/UX team.

• Cross-Functional Integration: The team operates within a matrix structure, requiring close collaboration with Product Management, Game Design, and Engineering departments.

• Remote-First Mindset: The company has a distributed team across Europe, emphasizing remote work as a primary mode of operation, which shapes communication and collaboration strategies.

Methodology:

• Agile Development: Likely follows agile methodologies for iterative game development, requiring flexible and responsive design processes.

• User-Centric Design: Focuses on user engagement and retention, implying a data-driven approach to design decisions, informed by user feedback and analytics.

• Creative Innovation: The casual mobile games niche encourages a culture of creativity and experimentation in UI/UX to capture and retain player attention.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Information about the company's size, founding, and industry is synthesized to provide context for the operational environment of the design team. The emphasis on remote work and cross-functional collaboration is key to understanding the team dynamics.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a significant leadership position within the design function. As a UI/UX Design Lead, you are expected to not only execute design but also to strategize, mentor, and optimize the design process and team performance. It represents a move into management and strategic design oversight.

Reporting Structure: The role likely reports to a Head of Product, Director of Design, or a similar senior leadership position. You will directly manage the internal UI/UX designers.

Operations Impact: Your role is critical in shaping the player experience, which directly impacts user acquisition, retention, and monetization – key operational metrics for a mobile games company. Effective UI/UX design is a direct driver of revenue and user satisfaction.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership Expansion: Potential to grow into a Head of Design or a broader Creative Director role, overseeing multiple design disciplines.

• Strategic Product Input: Influence product strategy and roadmap based on design insights and user behavior analysis.

• Process Improvement Leadership: Lead initiatives to further optimize design operations, tooling, and team efficiency across the organization.

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas of game UI/UX, such as monetization interfaces, live-ops events, or player onboarding.

📝 Enhancement Note: This analysis focuses on the career trajectory and operational impact of a design lead within a gaming context, highlighting how design leadership contributes to broader business and operational success.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. The company HQ is in Cyprus, but the team is distributed across Europe, indicating a remote-first operational model.

Office Location(s): While the HQ is in Cyprus, the role is remote, with the expectation that team members are located within Europe for potential team meetups or collaborative sessions.

Workspace Context:

• Autonomous Environment: You will have the autonomy to set up your ideal remote workspace, focusing on productivity and comfort.

• Digital Collaboration Tools: Expect to heavily utilize digital collaboration platforms (e.g., Slack, Zoom, Miro, Figma) for communication, design reviews, and team synchronization.

• Cross-Functional Interaction: Frequent interaction with product managers, engineers, and game designers, often conducted asynchronously or via scheduled video calls.

Work Schedule: Flexible working hours are offered, allowing you to structure your workday to best suit your productivity and personal commitments, while still ensuring availability for essential team meetings and collaborations across European time zones.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment description emphasizes the operational realities of a fully remote team in the gaming industry, focusing on the tools and communication styles necessary for effective collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, experience alignment, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Presentation & Technical Interview: A more in-depth session where you will present your portfolio, discussing your design process, leadership approach, and solutions to specific UI/UX challenges in mobile gaming. Expect to be asked about your experience with Figma, Photoshop, and potentially Unity.

• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders, including product managers, engineering leads, and potentially other design team members, to assess collaboration skills and strategic thinking.

• Design Challenge (Potentially): You may be given a small design exercise or asked to critique an existing game interface to demonstrate your analytical and design skills.

• Final Interview: A discussion with senior leadership to finalize hiring decisions.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Impact: Select projects that best demonstrate your leadership, problem-solving skills, and impact on game success (e.g., improved retention, engagement, monetization).

• Showcase Process: Clearly articulate your design process for each project, from understanding requirements to final asset delivery. Highlight how you managed challenges and collaborated with teams.

• Highlight Leadership: Use examples that show how you guided junior designers, influenced design decisions, and improved team workflows.

• Quantify Results: Whenever possible, include metrics or outcomes that demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., A/B test results, user feedback, engagement lift).

• Prepare for Questions: Be ready to discuss your rationale behind design choices, your approach to team management, and how you handle creative disagreements or technical constraints.

Challenge Preparation:

• Analyze Mobile Game UI: Familiarize yourself with current trends in casual mobile game UI/UX. Think about common pain points and areas for improvement.

• Process Optimization Thinking: Consider how you would streamline design workflows, improve cross-team communication, and onboard new designers efficiently.

• Leadership Scenarios: Prepare to discuss how you would handle common team management situations, such as performance issues, conflict resolution, or motivating a remote team.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides actionable advice for preparing a portfolio and navigating the interview process, with a strong emphasis on demonstrating operational efficiency and leadership within a design context.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UI/UX Design: Figma (mandatory), Adobe Photoshop (mandatory).

• Prototyping: Figma's prototyping features, potentially InVision or similar tools.

• 2D Art & Illustration: Adobe Illustrator, Affinity Designer (complementary to Photoshop).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Game Analytics Platforms: Familiarity with platforms like GameAnalytics, Firebase Analytics, or Unity Analytics is beneficial for understanding player behavior and informing design decisions.

• Data Visualization: Tools like Tableau or Power BI may be used by other departments; understanding how to interpret data from these is helpful.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly used for design, understanding how CRM data or marketing automation impacts player acquisition and retention can inform UI/UX strategy. Familiarity with project management tools like Jira or Asana for workflow tracking is expected. Development Integration:

• Unity Engine: Experience or familiarity with Unity is highly advantageous for understanding asset implementation and working closely with engineers.

• Version Control: Basic understanding of version control systems (e.g., Git) as used by development teams can aid collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section details the specific software and technology stack relevant to a UI/UX Design Lead in the gaming industry, emphasizing design tools and their integration with development processes.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Player-Centricity: A deep commitment to creating engaging and enjoyable experiences for players, understanding their motivations and behaviors.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering an open environment where ideas are shared freely, feedback is constructive, and cross-functional teams work cohesively.

• Innovation & Creativity: Encouraging experimentation and the exploration of new design approaches to stand out in the competitive mobile gaming market.

• Efficiency & Quality: Striving for both high-quality design output and efficient, streamlined design processes that support rapid development cycles.

• Continuous Improvement: A mindset of always looking for ways to enhance designs, processes, and team performance.

Collaboration Style:

• Remote-First Communication: Emphasis on clear, concise, and asynchronous communication, supplemented by scheduled video calls for critical discussions and brainstorming.

• Design Critiques: Regular, constructive critique sessions to ensure design quality and alignment with project goals.

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Working as an integrated part of the product development team, contributing design insights throughout the entire lifecycle.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices, tools, and techniques within the design team and across departments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture and values are framed around the operational needs of a remote, creative, and fast-paced game development environment, highlighting how these values translate into daily work and team interactions.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Creativity with Constraints: Effectively translating innovative design ideas into feasible solutions within the technical and time constraints of mobile game development.

• Managing Remote Teams: Fostering team cohesion, motivation, and productivity within a distributed, remote work environment.

• Maintaining Design Consistency: Ensuring a cohesive and high-quality user experience across various game features and updates, especially in a fast-paced development cycle.

• Adapting to Market Trends: Staying ahead of evolving UI/UX trends in the mobile gaming industry and incorporating them effectively into designs.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Industry Conferences & Webinars: Access to events focused on game design, UI/UX, and leadership.

• Skill Development: Opportunities to attend workshops or online courses to deepen expertise in specific design tools, animation, or game design principles.

• Mentorship: Guidance from senior leadership within Games Factory Talents on design strategy and team management.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Opportunities to learn from product managers, engineers, and data analysts about their domains, broadening your understanding of the game development pipeline.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section addresses potential challenges specific to a remote design lead role in gaming and outlines structured opportunities for professional growth and skill development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach leading a remote UI/UX team to ensure high-quality output and strong collaboration?" (Focus on communication strategies, performance management, and fostering team spirit.)

• "Describe your process for turning a game concept into a fully realized UI/UX design. What are the key checkpoints and deliverables?" (Highlight your end-to-end design methodology, including user research, wireframing, prototyping, and asset handoff.)

• "How do you balance creative innovation with the technical and time constraints of mobile game development?" (Emphasize your problem-solving skills, ability to compromise, and understanding of development realities.)

• "Walk us through a challenging UI/UX project you led. What was the challenge, how did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Prepare a compelling case study from your portfolio that showcases leadership and impact.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Games Factory Talents and our position in the casual mobile games market?" (Research the company's games and market strategy.)

• "How do you envision contributing to our company culture as a remote team member and leader?" (Discuss your approach to remote collaboration, transparency, and fostering a positive team environment.)

• "How do you ensure your design decisions align with business objectives like player retention and monetization?" (Demonstrate an understanding of the business impact of design.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Structure: For each project, tell a story: the problem, your role and approach, the solution, and the results.

• Highlight Leadership: Explicitly point out where you led the team, made strategic decisions, or mentored others.

• Showcase Process: Use visuals (wireframes, prototypes, user flows) to illustrate your design process, not just final assets.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific design choices, tools used, and how you handled feedback or challenges.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, present data or metrics that demonstrate the success of your design work.

📝 Enhancement Note: These interview questions and preparation tips are tailored to assess both the candidate's design leadership capabilities and their operational understanding of working within a remote, game development environment.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UI/UX Design Lead position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Games Factory Talents careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight your most relevant mobile game UI/UX design experience, with a specific emphasis on leadership and process optimization. Showcase end-to-end project examples.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your experience in UI/UX design leadership, mobile game development, and proficiency with Figma and Photoshop. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on clear communication of your design process, leadership approach, and the impact of your work. Be ready to discuss challenges and solutions.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Games Factory Talents' current game portfolio and their position in the casual mobile games market to tailor your application and interview responses.

⚠️ 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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