Development Director

Job Description

Development Director (Apex Legends)

Respawn Entertainment is a AAA video game development studio that aspires to create new hit games that leave a lasting impact for gamers worldwide. Our work includes the critically acclaimed multi-platform games Apex Legends and Titanfall franchise.

We developed the Star Wars™ action-adventure game Jedi: Fallen Order, virtual reality game Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond and are continuing development for our live free-to-play game, Apex Legends.

A Development Director (DD) at Respawn Vancouver ensures the delivery of a game feature on time and within budget. The DD oversees the feature schedule and manages the team to bring to a high standard.

You will report to a Project DD and as a people manager, you will help shape people's careers and mentor the team in growing and reaching their full potential.

You will become part of a multi-discipline team of developers, leaders, and other subject matter experts on a mission to define new player experiences.

You will be a part of Respawn's approach for ensuring its games meet the highest possible software quality standards in a fun environment.

Responsibilities:
• Manage a feature team which generally consists of a mix of Software Engineers, Animators, Artists, and Designers to lock down requirements and specifications.
• Anticipate bottlenecks, provide management escalation, project prioritization, make trade-offs, and guide initial partner deployments.
• Identify task-related processes to improve efficiency
• Focus on immediate team needs and issues, and then suggest solutions related to execution goals.
• Ensure each projects setup meets the specifications with Studio.
• Provide regular status reporting and capacity plan updates.
• Track and implement project improvement plans to promote team efficiency.
• Determine engagement practices: Ensure all workflow is clearly defined, processes are documented, and staff trained in expectations on the workflow.
• Mentor individual contributors within project team.
• Conduct regular one-on-ones.
• Dotted-line manage and support project managers from development teams
• Monitor workload and recognize extra effort.
• Assist the Project DD with departmental planning (i.e. resource, initiative, program increment, release planning).
• Devise and assist in implementing process improvements across groups and advocate for the team.

Qualifications:

A Respawn Vancouver Development Director will have at a minimum: 5 years of experience in a software development environment, 3 years Project Management or Project Lead experience, and 2 or more years of leadership experience
• Bachelor's degree or 4+ years of education in any number of related fields including Computer Science, Game Development, Business
• Excellent knowledge of production life cycle, processes and projects planning.
• Experience in a Scrum / Agile software development environment.
• Perforce and Visio experience
• Experience working on Live Services development
• Experience working on console development
• Experience working with broad teams.
• Mediation and conflict resolution skills
• Provide regular status reporting and capacity plan updates.
• Track and implement project improvement plans to promote team efficiency.
• Determine engagement practices: Ensure all workflow is clearly defined, processes are documented, and staff trained in expectations on the workflow.
• Mentor individual contributors within project team.
• Ensure all have professional development plans. Conduct regular one-on-ones.
• Dotted-line manage and support project managers from development teams
• Monitor workload and recognize extra effort.
• Assist the Project DD with departmental planning (i.e. resource, initiative, program increment, release planning).
• Devise and assist in implementing process improvements across groups and advocate for the team.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-rj6032-3-15-221-136-42 in your application.