Design Manager
Gardens
full-time
Posted on:
Location Type: Remote
Location: Remote • 🇺🇸 United States
Visit company websiteSalary
💰 $170,000 - $205,000 per year
Job Level
Mid-LevelSenior
About the role
- Support and guide designers through regular one-on-ones, design reviews, and feedback sessions.
- Collaborate daily with creative leadership, production, art, and engineering to ensure designers are on track with MS goals and roadmap next steps.
- Help define priorities, balance team workloads, and maintain sustainable production practices.
- Review and provide feedback on gameplay features, ensuring they deliver intuitive, rewarding, and emotionally resonant player experiences.
- Represent the design team in cross-disciplinary discussions, helping to communicate intent and advocate for player-centered solutions.
- Lead and manage a multidisciplinary team of designers across systems, level, and UI/UX design.
- Partner with the CCO and creative leads to uphold the game’s overall vision, tone, and player experience.
- Establish clear design goals, processes, and best practices for the design department.
- Provide mentorship, performance feedback, and career development opportunities to support each team member’s growth.
- Help oversee the design pipeline and ensure timely delivery of key design objectives.
- Collaborate with production to maintain balanced scope and sustainable schedules.
- Contribute to studio-wide initiatives, hiring efforts, and cross-disciplinary reviews.
- Advocate for a healthy, inclusive, and collaborative team culture that reflects Gardens’ values.
- Guide the team through ambiguity and ensure progress on high-value, complex initiatives.
- Regularly evaluate team health and take action with empathy and authenticity to improve engagement and effectiveness.
Requirements
- Proven experience managing and mentoring a team of game designers.
- Deep understanding of game design principles, pipelines, and development processes.
- Expertise in at least one design discipline (systems, level, combat, etc)
- Shipped games successfully (ideally on PC or console)
- Strong communication, facilitation, and leadership skills.
Benefits
- Competitive Salaries and Pay Transparency
- Stock Options
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage (100% for Individuals and 90% for Dependents)
- Life Insurance, Short Term & Long Term Disability, and numerous other benefits
- 401k contributions (USA) / RRSP plan + DPSP contributions (Canada)
- Paid Parental Leave
- Biannual Company Retreats
- Continued Education Allowance
- A fully-distributed studio across North American Timezones (US & Canada)
Applicant Tracking System Keywords
Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.
Hard skills
game design principlesgame design pipelinesgame development processessystems designlevel designcombat designshipped gamesPC gamesconsole games
Soft skills
communication skillsfacilitation skillsleadership skillsmentoringteam managementempathyauthenticitycollaborationfeedback