At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the production of Football Manager, ensuring high-quality game delivery.
- Company: Join Sports Interactive, the creators of the iconic Football Manager series.
- Benefits: Hybrid working model, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic studio environment with a focus on innovation and quality.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the gaming industry with a passionate team.
- Qualifications: Experience in game production and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 75600 - 92400 £ per year.
Studio Overview
We are Sports Interactive, the studio behind Football Manager. Founded in 1994, Sports Interactive became a wholly owned subsidiary of SEGA Europe in 2006. Based at the Here East technology hub in Stratford, East London, the SI team continues to expand as we bring our titles to an ever-growing audience across an increasing variety of platforms. To support our growth, we welcome the opportunity to connect with passionate people with the drive to match our ambitions and initiative to realise your individual potential.
Position Overview
We're hiring a Production Director to lead and evolve how we deliver Football Manager. This is a newly created leadership role with a clear mandate to improve quality, predictability and delivery across our annual, multi-SKU release model. Working closely with the Senior Leadership Team, the wider Studio and SEGA Development Services, you will bring clarity, accountability and consistency to how we plan and deliver our games.
You will be responsible for turning creative ambition into high-quality, annually delivered games across a complex, multi-year roadmap, providing clear direction on what is and is not achievable within an annual development cycle. Our release model brings real pace, complexity and pressure, set against a studio that balances significant legacy complexity with high future ambition. We need someone who understands the trade-offs this creates, sets a pace of urgency without chaos, remains calm under pressure, and is comfortable making difficult decisions early to protect quality and delivery outcomes.
Key Responsibilities
- Production Leadership
- Own and evolve the Studio's production strategy, delivery frameworks, production organisation and delivery output, ensuring delivery is on time and to a consistently high standard.
- Lead, develop and hands-on mentor a large, multi-layered production team creating clear accountability and high performance across the function.
- Establish and uphold high standards of planning, delivery, quality and execution across the Studio.
- Provide leadership and advice to senior stakeholders, ensuring difficult decisions are made early and delivery risks are surfaced proactively.
- Delivery & Execution
- Drive clarity, accountability and realism across planning and delivery within the context of an annual release cycle.
- Sustain a pace of urgency without chaos, keeping momentum high and delivery controlled across multiple moving parts.
- Champion quality, predictability and delivery excellence, balancing scope, quality and timelines to achieve successful outcomes.
- Manage multiple priorities, dependencies and delivery risks, ensuring issues are identified and addressed early.
- Bring clarity around what is and is not achievable, making informed trade-off decisions where required.
- Stakeholder & Studio Leadership
- Partner with creative, technical and commercial leaders to ensure plans are ambitious, achievable and aligned to the game vision, grounded in data and evidence rather than optimism.
- Build strong relationships with Heads of Department, the Senior Leadership Team and external partners to maintain alignment and resolve competing priorities.
- Communicate clearly and effectively at all levels of the organisation, influencing decisions and building confidence in delivery plans.
- Continuous Improvement
- Work closely with operational partners to evolve the Studio's approach to planning, forecasting and risk management.
- Drive improvements to production practices, operating rhythms and delivery methodologies.
- Champion the adoption of appropriate tools, reporting and ways of working to improve quality, predictability and team effectiveness.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
- Strong understanding of modern game development, production methodologies and delivery practices, ideally within annual release cycles, live service or other high-cadence environments.
- Knowledge of Agile and iterative development approaches, production tools and planning frameworks.
- Understanding of modern game development pipelines, technical dependencies and quality assurance practices.
- Commercial awareness and an understanding of how production decisions impact quality, player outcomes and business objectives.
Production Director employer: SEGA
Sega is an excellent employer, offering a vibrant work culture that fosters creativity and collaboration within the dynamic environment of their London studio. With a hybrid working model, employees enjoy the flexibility of remote work while still engaging in meaningful teamwork on the beloved Football Manager franchise. Opportunities for professional growth and mentorship are abundant, making it a rewarding place for passionate game designers to thrive.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Production Director
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at SEGA or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to SEGA.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like SEGA.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like SEGA that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Production Director
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at SEGA.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at SEGA and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at SEGA
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If SEGA uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
