Development Director

Job Description

Development Director I (Star Wars FPS)

Founded in 2010 by the original creators of the Call of Duty Franchise, Respawn was created with the philosophy that when talented people have creative freedom, they'll make extraordinary games that achieve the unexpected. Our shipped titles include critically acclaimed multi-platform games Apex Legends, Titanfall, Titanfall 2, Star Wars™ Jedi: Fallen Order and Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond. You can learn more about our studio and values at respawn.com/studio.

In collaboration with Lucasfilm, the Star Wars FPS Team is developing a new AAA FPS in the Star Wars galaxy. Inspired by classic titles like Dark Forces and Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2, our story-driven single player game is being developed from the ground up leveraging the power of Unreal Engine 5. We're combining this inspiration and technology with Respawn's pedigree for making best-in-class shooters to deliver a brand new experience our players will love.

We are looking for an experienced Development Director to manage our Gameflow feature pod. You will help create a cohesive set of systems where game mechanics feel connected with the world and the narrative. You will manage features, resource planning, balance scope against capacity, track progress, implement and improve processes, mentor people, and manage risks and mitigation. You know how to build healthy, high functioning teams. You are someone who understands the challenges of making complex projects with multi-disciplined, distributed teams and the inherent elements of uncertainty and risk that accompany this. You are a force multiplier for the team.

What you'll do...
• Perform as the development director for the team's efforts in the creation of systems and game mechanics.
• Work with the Game Director and Department Leads to ensure that work is completed on time and within budget.
• Act as a conduit of communication, supporting collaboration across our various disciplines and pods.
• Foster our development culture onstage and off which provides continuous feedback, support, and empowerment.
• Manage scheduling needs, productivity towards milestones, and overall production efforts.
• Work closely with the Production team and Department Leads, keeping them informed of progress and latest developments. Raise awareness of issues, and help remove roadblocks.
• Identify and help alleviate any discrepancies across development efforts. Keep track of dependencies and address red flags as needed.
• Identify and help unblock team issues.
• Constantly evaluate and iterate to improve production and development processes.
• Partner effectively with other team members to support overall efforts of the department, and help define and encourage production best practices.

Ideally you will have...
• Experience as a Development Director or Producer seeing a AAA game(s) through the full development cycle, from concept to ship. 5+ years' experience as an embedded member of a studio development team is strongly preferred.
• Understanding of how in-game mechanics and systems affect game design and the player experience. Experience working with in-game economies and workflows is ideal.
• Deep and demonstrable knowledge of game development operations, and experience in implementing and managing project management principles and practices.
• Proactive tendencies and an endless motor. Sense of urgency and a desire to get things done.
• Strong intuition. A knack for predicting/catching issues before they come up.
• Outstanding risk management abilities. Stays ahead of any potential problems and proposes sound solutions.
• Detail oriented but also focused on the big picture.
• Deeply organized and can prioritize effectively. Ability to juggle many tasks at once.
• Solid analytical and problem-solving skills. Able to work on complex problems where analysis of situations requires an in-depth evaluation of various factors.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, and strong emotional intelligence skills.
• Ability to build strong partnerships at every level. The kind of person that people want to work for and work with.
• Empathy for fixing the problems of others, respect for others' time. Ability to self-motivate and help motivate others. Strong people skills.
• Mastery of relevant scheduling and project tracking software (Google Suite, Confluence, JIRA).
• Passionate about Star Wars and FPS games.

If this opportunity sounds like a great fit for you, please submit your resume and portfolio and we will get back to you once we have reviewed.

In addition to opportunities for creative impact and professional growth which come with being a member of our team, working at Respawn has many other perks and benefits! Learn more at respawn.com/perks.

US COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The base salary ranges listed below are for the defined geographic market pay zones in these states. If you reside outside of these locations, a recruiter will advise on the base salary range and benefits for your specific location.

EA has listed the base salary ranges it in good faith expects to pay applicants for this role in the locations listed, as of the time of this posting. Salary offered will be determined based on numerous relevant business and candidate factors including, for example, education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, and business or organizational needs.

BASE SALARY RANGES
• California (depending on location e.g. Los Angeles vs. Sacramento):
• $125,050 - $191,050
• New York (depending on location e.g. Manhattan vs. Buffalo):
• $113,900 - $191,050
• New Jersey (depending on location e.g. Jersey City vs. Trenton):
• $113,900 - $191,050
• Colorado (depending on location e.g. Denver vs. Colorado Springs):
• $113,900 - $154,950
• Washington (depending on location e.g. Seattle vs. Spokane):
• $113,900 - $179,300

Base salary is just one part of the overall compensation at EA. We also offer a package of benefits including paid time off (3 weeks per year to start), 80 hours per year of sick time, 16 paid company holidays per year, 10 weeks paid time off to bond with baby (following 1 year of service), medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and 401(k) to regular full-time employees. Certain roles may also be eligible for bonus and equity.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-gwzybk-18-118-2-15-42 in your application.