Creative Director

PLAY, GROW and WIN

To be a part of Virtuos means to be a creator.

At Virtuos, we harness the latest technologies to make games better and more immersive than ever before. That is why we pride ourselves in constantly pushing the boundaries of possibility since our founding in 2004.

Virtuosi is a team of experts - people who have come together to share their mutual passion for making and playing games. People with the same enthusiasm for exploring new ideas and the constant drive to excel in their field. People who believe in earning success through dedication.

At Virtuos, we are at the forefront of gaming, creating exciting new experiences daily. Join us to Play, Grow and Win - together.

ABOUT THE POSITION

We're looking for a Creative Director to lead a full-development project built on an established IP, from the pitch through to final release. You'll hold the creative vision for the game, act as the main creative link with the partners and IP holder and lead the design team. You'll work with the project's directors and leads to turn that vision into a high-quality game.

This is a full-development role with real creative ownership. The IP already exists, but the game is ours to shape. You'll help win the project, set its creative direction, and drive it through to release.

Pitching and Opportunity Development

• Work with studio leadership and the core team to identify opportunities that suit the studio's strengths and market context.

• Lead pitches for new projects, including pitches built on existing IPs, shaping materials that communicate the product proposition, target audience, distinctive experience, and creative vision.

• Turn a partner brief into a creative proposal that shows how the team will honour the IP and what it will add.

• Present and champion the vision to partners and IP holders, building confidence in the project while using their feedback to strengthen the proposal without losing its core promise.

Partners and IP Partnership

• Act as the main creative point of contact for the partner and IP holder, from the pitch through to release.

• Build a deep understanding of the IP, including its world, characters, tone, visual identity, and audience.

• Own the creative direction of the game, making bold choices that stay true to the spirit of the IP.

• Lead creative reviews with the partners and IP holder, present work clearly, and turn their feedback into clear direction for the team.

• Find fresh ideas that work for both existing fans of the IP and new players.

• Build a relationship of trust, so that the partners and IP holder see the team as a creative partner.

Product and Creative Vision

• Shape and champion the product vision with studio and project leadership and the partners, defining the intended audience, player promise, product proposition, and points of difference.

• Translate that product vision into a clear creative direction and design principles that guide gameplay, narrative, world, art direction, and the overall player experience.

• Keep product and creative decisions aligned throughout full development, balancing ambition with player needs, project scope, schedule, budget, and technical realities.

Full-development leadership

• Lead the creative direction from pre-production through development and final release.

• Partner with production to establish goals and milestones, manage creative priorities, and keep work aligned with agreed scope, schedule, and budget.

• Work with the project's directors and leads in art, narrative, animation, audio, engineering, and production, setting the creative direction they deliver in their own fields.

• Give direction and feedback that respects each lead's expertise and leave specialist decisions to them.

• Bring disciplines together around shared goals, encourage early collaboration, and help teams resolve trade-offs, with the player experience as the deciding factor.

• Collaborate with Virtuossister studios and partners, providing direction and feedback across the wider project team.

Design team leadership

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing design team.

• Coach and mentor designers, supporting their growth and setting clear development goals.

• Contribute to design-team hiring plans with studio management and Recruitment, aligned with project needs.

• Foster a collaborative, inclusive environment where teams can do their best creative work.

• At least 13 years of experience in game design, including a minimum of 5 years in a leadership role.

• Experience in a senior creative or design leadership role on at least 2 shipped AAA titles.

• A track record of leading AAA work through full development, with substantial responsibility for creative direction from concept through release.

• A track record of leading or contributing to successful pitches, including presenting directly to partners, publishers, or IP holders.

• Experience developing games on licensed or established IP, including working within an IP holder's guidelines and review process.

• Strong knowledge of game design principles, mechanics, storytelling, and player experience.

• A broad working knowledge of art, narrative, animation, audio, and technology: enough to give useful direction and understand trade-offs, while relying on each director or lead for the detail.

• The ability to communicate a clear creative vision and guide teams toward it across a complex development cycle.

• Strong leadership and mentoring skills, with a collaborative, low-ego style: you direct through clarity and influence, listen to the team, and explain the reasons behind your decisions.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to work effectively with multidisciplinary teams, partners, IP holders, and distributed studio partners.

• Fluency in written and spoken English, and confidence presenting and collaborating in video meetings.

Also valued

• A degree in Game Design, Interactive Media, or a related field; relevant experience is equally welcome.

• Established relationships in the games industry that can support collaboration and pitching.

What success looks like

• The studio wins the project, and the shipped game delivers what the pitch promised.

• The partners and IP holder trust the creative direction, and reviews move forward without major surprises.

• The project has a clear creative vision that teams can understand and apply throughout development.

• Design decisions support a cohesive player experience and remain aligned with project goals.

• The design team is well led, supported, and equipped to meet project needs.

• Creative work progresses against agreed milestones, scope, schedule, and budget through to release.

• The studio is better positioned to develop and pitch ambitious full-development projects.