UI/UX Discipline Lead

Atomhawk is the games industry’s go-to creative and technical partner. An award-winning, global studio that provides multi-discipline, creative support across the full game development pipeline. For 15 years, we have been providing world-class creative services for clients such as Warner Bros, Sony, Microsoft, EA, The Pokémon Company and Blizzard. Our spectrum of projects covers a variety of genres, from Mortal Kombat to Age of Empires, comic book superheroes, nostalgic childhood favourites, and more. Our team’s expertise includes Characters and Environment Concept Art, Cinematics and Motion Graphics, Graphic Design and UI/UX, Technical Art and Engineering. Collaboration lies at the heart of everything we do as a studio – both internally and externally with our clients. Our philosophy is that every day is an opportunity to learn, grow, and improve, and we support our teams with different styles of working that help them achieve high-quality results on their projects.

Every Atomhawk applicant and employee is afforded space and freedom to be their true self, with no fear of prejudice or persecution. During the application process, you won’t be judged on your name, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, age, religion, or any other factor unrelated to your ability to do the job. Atomhawk is part of Sumo Digital Ltd, one of the UK’s leading videogame developers.

Day in the life of a UI/UX Discipline Lead:

• Responsible for leading teams to create and develop UI/UX and Graphic Design briefs according to project/client requirements.
• Involves creating UI/UX and Graphic Design work at all stages of the development cycle, including concept generation, wireframing, implementation, and optimisation.
• Provides team management and feedback.
• Oversees recruitment for the team based on company growth plans and project needs.
• Approximately 50% project work and 50% management.
• Leads discipline team to deliver work for various projects, across different technical levels, scopes, and time constraints.
• People leadership ability – confident in supporting team members, conducting regular 121s, and supporting Designers' development.
• Effectively briefs teams on new and existing work.
• Strong understanding of UI/UX/Graphic Design pipelines, processes & design fundamentals.
• Helps define design workflows.
• Involved in the recruiting and hiring process for the team.
• Sets schedules and breaks down workflows for new projects alongside Production.
• Gives regular feedback to teams and inspires those around them.
• Reviews documentation, briefs, visual targets & design methods specific to client needs for multiple projects.
• Speaks on behalf of the project to clients during onsite and offsite visits and weekly meetings.
• Represents the company and its values at external events.
• Actively proposes mitigation plans for identified risks and problems.
• Identifies areas requiring innovation and creates innovative solutions.
• Stays current with trends and brings innovation where possible.
• Helps define and communicate both technical and non-technical information to Design Team, Production, and Management.

What do you need to do this job:

• Experience leading multiskilled UI/UX and Graphic Design teams across a wide range of projects.
• Good applied knowledge of technical UI/UX and Graphic Design skills including in-engine work (Unreal Engine / UMG etc).
• Able to design & document the player experience, advocate for UX principles, create player journey maps, and facilitate the integration of said design standards and processes.
• Able to design and create UI from wireframe to prototype to concept to final with excellent use of typography, composition, colour theory, and motion graphics.
• Proficiency or ability to learn relevant software; FIGMA, XD, Axure, Perforce, Jira, Basecamp, and Confluence.
• Previous experience in a UX Design Leadership role, agency or studio with relevant game and/or product design experience.
• Understanding of game content pipelines is a must.

What’s in it for you?

• Flexible, personalised benefits package designed to meet your unique needs.
• Annual bonus, flexible benefits allowance, salary sacrifice pension, benefits hub, payroll giving, employee referral scheme (up to £1,000), financial/home buying consultations, workplace ISA, and other schemes for tech loans, car loans, and bicycles.
• Flexible working, 21 free choice days holiday (increasing to 25 with service), bank holidays, birthday day off, Christmas shutdown (Christmas Eve to New Year), and options to buy or sell up to a week of annual leave.
• Dental insurance, income protection, life assurance, BUPA private healthcare, leading EAP programs, critical illness cover, health cash plan, and funded flu vaccines/eye tests.
• Structured Personal Development tool, regular appraisals, annual salary reviews, access to Udemy learning platform, and 8 learning days per annum.
• A variety of in-studio perks, regular care packages, studio days out (family welcome), studio-led social activities, sabbaticals (at 10 years service), and annual gaming subscription.

Inclusion and Belonging at Sumo Digital:

We are dedicated to growing a sustainable business that provides security to our people while delivering a first-class experience to our partners and players. As a people business, the success of our people is the success of our company. We prioritise taking care of them with a focus on supporting them, nurturing their talent, and providing a healthy, friendly, enriching, creative, and safe environment in which to work. Sumo's employee diversity group, PRISM, exists to promote diversity, inclusion, equity, equality & wellbeing across the company and plays a key role in Sumo's ongoing goal of fostering environments where all employees feel safe, welcome & represented. Our charitable and community initiatives provide support for meaningful causes that matter to our employees, clients, and partners. We continue to work to improve diversity in our recruitment and promotion processes and actively encourage people from marginalised groups to consider a career in the games industry.