Creative Director

LAI Games is an arcade experience company that connects people with games. Our vision is to reinvent the arcade industry by creating an arcade experience ecosystem that consists of physical arcade games, consumer and location-based VR games and experiences, and other exciting arcade-based titles. Our team members have the opportunity to contribute across a broad range of unique and innovative projects that connect, engage and delight players across physical and virtual worlds.

Our Art Lead is the motivational foundation of the Art team and helps define the visual design and direction of our games. They oversee the quality and content of our art and design production and ensure all visual elements are credible and in line with each game’s vision. They also act as both a manager and a mentor, fostering a team culture of collaboration, inclusivity, and empowerment, and strive to develop processes and solutions that are conducive and help support a sustainable work life for their team.

As Creative Director at LAI Games, you help realize our arcade experience ecosystem by leading our game design, art direction, and industrial design with close collaboration with product management and engineering teams to develop and ship innovative out-of-home entertainment games that delight players and venue operators alike.

Key Responsibilities:

- This is a creative leadership role covering both game design (arcade games) and art (game software + cabinet design).
- Set the vision of the game and define the concept of the game in collaboration with creative, product management and engineering teams.
- Lead day-to-day operations of the game design, industrial design, & art teams, including setting priorities, assigning resources, and ensuring project goals are achieved.
- Oversee and provide daily management of the creative output of your team, including guiding design direction, interactions, quality control and methodology.
- Create mocked up and prototypes with team members to validate earlier design concept
- Foster a creative culture empowering and mentoring future creative leaders
- Provide actionable, high-level creative input into OEM games manufacturer.
- Maintain current and working knowledge on industry & market trends
- Partner with product managers in planning, managing and execution of creative assets by the creative team is meeting project timeline.
- Partner with engineering teams to align industrial design can meet manufacturability guidelines and cost goals.

Required Skills and Experience:

- Steeped in video game culture, and ideally also arcade gaming culture.
- 12+ years of relevant experience with at least 5+ years experience as a Creative Director or key creative decision-maker to deliver multiple full cycles products from concept to launch.
- Extensive supervisory experience to lead, convince and inspire team members and to help develop the skills in junior and intermediate designers.
- Solid understanding of design process and project management.
- Excellent interpersonal skills to communicate the creative vision, concepts, ideas, and solutions clearly and effectively to stakeholders, internal teams, and clients.
- Deep understanding of game design & art direction, ideally also exposure to hardware.
- Strong proficiency in digital art and design skills such as familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite of tools, 3D Studio Max, Maya, Figma, Unity and other related design tools.

What do we offer:

- Performance bonus scheme
- Annual personal technology fund of $1,000 to buy games, toys, and tech
- Annual Timezone Powercard so you can enjoy all the latest arcade games
- Training and education programs
- Private medical, dental, and life insurance coverage
- Flexible working hours
- Monthly self-directed personal development days
- Finish work early every Friday afternoon for social drinks and games
- Work in a dynamic, creative arcade/workspace
- Team events - being a part of the out-of-home entertainment industry, we like to have frequent team events and enjoy what the industry has to offer

LAI Games is a global company committed to growing our employees along with the business. We’ve worked hard to foster an intensely collaborative and creative environment, a diverse and inclusive employee culture, and training and opportunities for professional growth.