Production Director

Studio Overview

We are Sports Interactive

The studio behind: Football Manager.

Founded in 1994, Sports Interactive became a wholly owned subsidiary of SEGA Europe in 2006. Based at the Here East technology hub in Stratford, East London, the SI team continues to expand as we bring our titles to an ever-growing audience across an increasing variety of platforms.

To support our growth, we welcome the opportunity to connect with passionate people with the drive to match our ambitions and initiative to realise your individual potential.

Job Title: Production Director

Team: Production

Reporting into: Development Director

Working Model: Hybrid 2-3 days

Location: Here East, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London, E15 2GW

Position Overview

We’re hiring a Production Director to lead and evolve how we deliver Football Manager.

This is a newly created leadership role with a clear mandate to improve quality, predictability and delivery across our annual, multi-SKU release model. Working closely with the Senior Leadership Team, the wider Studio and SEGA Development Services, you will bring clarity, accountability and consistency to how we plan and deliver our games.

You will be responsible for turning creative ambition into high-quality, annually delivered games across a complex, multi-year roadmap, providing clear direction on what is and is not achievable within an annual development cycle.

Our release model brings real pace, complexity and pressure, set against a studio that balances significant legacy complexity with high future ambition. We need someone who understands the trade-offs this creates, sets a pace of urgency without chaos, remains calm under pressure, and is comfortable making difficult decisions early to protect quality and delivery outcomes.

Reporting to the Development Director, you will lead a large, multi-layered production organisation with responsibility for delivery standards, operating rhythm and execution across the Studio. Working closely with leaders across Technology, Design, Art & Animation, you will ensure ambition, quality and delivery remain in balance.

You will be supported by the Senior Operational Readiness Manager, who will partner with you to strengthen planning, forecasting, risk management and operational readiness across the Studio.

Key Responsibilities

Production Leadership

• Own and evolve the Studio's production strategy, delivery frameworks, production organisation and delivery output, ensuring delivery is on time and to a consistently high standard.
• Lead, develop and hands-on mentor a large, multi-layered production team creating clear accountability and high performance across the function.
• Establish and uphold high standards of planning, delivery, quality and execution across the Studio.
• Provide leadership and advice to senior stakeholders, ensuring difficult decisions are made early and delivery risks are surfaced proactively.

Delivery & Execution

• Drive clarity, accountability and realism across planning and delivery within the context of an annual release cycle.

Sustain a pace of urgency without chaos, keeping momentum high and delivery controlled across multiple moving parts.

• Champion quality, predictability and delivery excellence, balancing scope, quality and timelines to achieve successful outcomes.
• Manage multiple priorities, dependencies and delivery risks, ensuring issues are identified and addressed early.
• Bring clarity around what is and is not achievable, making informed trade-off decisions where required.

Stakeholder & Studio Leadership

• Partner with creative, technical and commercial leaders to ensure plans are ambitious, achievable and aligned to the game vision, grounded in data and evidence rather than optimism
• Build strong relationships with Heads of Department, the Senior Leadership Team and external partners to maintain alignment and resolve competing priorities.
• Communicate clearly and effectively at all levels of the organisation, influencing decisions and building confidence in delivery plans.

Continuous Improvement

• Work closely with operational partners to evolve the Studio’s approach to planning, forecasting and risk management.
• Drive improvements to production practices, operating rhythms and delivery methodologies.
• Champion the adoption of appropriate tools, reporting and ways of working to improve quality, predictability and team effectiveness.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Knowledge

• Strong understanding of modern game development, production methodologies and delivery practices, ideally within annual release cycles, live service or other high-cadence environments.
• Knowledge of Agile and iterative development approaches, production tools and planning frameworks.
• Understanding of modern game development pipelines, technical dependencies and quality assurance practices.
• Commercial awareness and an understanding of how production decisions impact quality, player outcomes and business objectives.

Skills

• Credible and influential leadership style, with the gravitas to set standards, challenge constructively and drive accountability.
• Excellent organisational, planning and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and competing demands.
• Strong communication, stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to work effectively with senior leaders and Heads of Department.
• Confident decision-maker, comfortable leading through ambiguity, change and delivery pressure.
• Ability to balance creative ambition, technical complexity, quality expectations and delivery commitments.

Experience

• Proven experience as a Production Director, Executive Producer or equivalent senior production leadership role within game development.
• Demonstrable experience delivering games within annual release cycles, live service or other high-cadence development environments.
• Experience leading large production teams and developing leaders within multi-disciplinary organisations.
• Experience improving production practices, delivery performance and team effectiveness within complex development environments.
• Experience working with modern development environments and tools, including Unity, would be desirable.

Benefits of Working at Sports Interactive:

• Private Healthcare and Dental Plans.

• A range of Gym Membership options through our Benefits partners.

• Travel Insurance for yourself and your family.

• Subsidised mental health, therapy, and coaching sessions are available.

• Access to our on-site physical and massage therapist services.

• Free access to games released under the SEGA Europe umbrella.

• Contributory Pension Scheme (up to 7% of annual salary).

• Regular events in collaboration with our partnered football clubs.

• Free onsite evening bar in our London HQ.

• A well-stocked breakfast bar with cereals, fruits, teas, and coffees.

• Multiple clubs and societies to join e.g., book club and art workshops.

• Your club’s shirt personalised upon passing probation.

• Trophies & gift cards for length of service milestones.

• Cupcakes delivered on your birthday.

What is it like to work here?

We approach everything with passion, whether that is making our mark on the football industries or doing our bit for the world around us. We want to share that outlook with everyone who shows up to work here each day.

For us, talent wins games, but teamwork wins titles. All our roles require a level of Studio attendance to help us collaborate effectively and stay connected as a team. Collaboration is the key to constantly topping our best. Everyone's contribution counts, no matter which part of the business you are in. We encourage and support our people in driving your own growth and realising your full potential. But, more than anything else, we are a team. A team with a down-to-earth dynamic, that has a lot of fun doing what we do.

And whether that’s technical tweaks or fine-tuning our creative process, everything is geared at producing the best game possible for our players. To do that, we need to be tenacious and ambitious and not be afraid of switching things up. It is these principles that have enabled us to produce a game that has defined year after year, and that will continue to push us for many more to come.

We’re also a London Living Wage employer and boast one of the lowest staff turnover rates in the industry.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from any relevant candidate irrespective of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion, or belief.

SI is proudly a Disability Confident Committed employer, and we are dedicated to ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible. Our studio has disabled access and facilities but please ensure you advise us if you require any other reasonable adjustments to be made to support you during the recruitment process.

Our Values:

• Keep collaborating: Teamwork wins titles - Here, ideas belong to everyone, whatever department you’re part of. Collaboration lets us score more as a team than we could individually.

• Be flexible: We think fast and adapt faster. The football and entertainment worlds never stand still, so we keep progressing and switching things up to stay ahead.

• Stay Tenacious: We don’t overlook the details. Everything we do is about producing the best game possible, in other words, never settle.

• Show Ambition: Let your drive lead the way - Your individual outlook can give everyone the edge. Make the studio’s purpose personal and let your drive lead the way.

• Bring the Passion: Have fun doing your thing - Don’t be fooled, what we do is not a game. Making our players’ passion come to life is our passion.

• Consider the Bigger Picture: Keep things in perspective - We want our impact to be a positive one. From built-in work/life balance to initiatives covering the most important topics of today, we have what matters in focus.