Lead Game Designer

Who we are

At Fortis Games we aspire to make great games that bring people together while redefining how game companies work. We believe in building a sense of belonging through our games, their communities, and how we operate and treat each other. Through our game communities, we will create powerful connections and lasting memories. We will foster a culture of diversity, equity and belonging where together our diverse skills, experiences and backgrounds impact the games we make.

We are an early but mighty organization with a leadership team of game industry veterans. There are many opportunities for you to have a big impact on the products we'll be making as well as the overall direction of the company. If you're passionate about tackling difficult problems with direct and thoughtful communication and team first mentality, we may be the right place for you.

About the Role:

As a pivotal leader within our design team, you will be instrumental in shaping major systems and features for new game concepts. In this role, you will direct and mentor a team of senior designers, with skip-level management responsibilities for additional mid to junior designers. Your leadership will extend beyond mere oversight; you'll be a driving force in their professional development through feedback, coaching, and promoting a culture of continuous improvement. Your contributions will not only influence your direct reports but also enrich our broader product strategy and portfolio of games as you share insights and learnings across the organization

What you'll Achieve:

• You will lead the design of core systems in our new games that are vital to their success by:
• Leveling up the design team through clear direction, consistent feedback, and engaged coaching.
• Crafting proposals that articulate how these features and systems align with the game’s design pillars and encourage the desired player behaviors.
• Delivering clear, concise, and thorough specifications to cross-functional teams responsible for implementing these systems.
• Providing team members with direction on how content should be created, tuned, and live operated within these systems.
• You will become an expert in the genre, target audience, and the game’s mechanics and systems, and share your learnings with the broader product organization to advance our collective knowledge.

What you'll need to be successful:

• A comprehensive view of game systems and the implications of design decisions across both the product and player lifecycle.
• A firm understanding of fundamental design principles, metagame systems, game economies, and player psychology that enables you to design from first principles.
• Ability to articulate the nuances of abstract concepts and how they apply to complex, interrelated systems.
• Ability to synthesize feedback from team members, user play tests, and other validation efforts into actionable product insights and rapidly iterate on designs.
• Proven experience in games as a service and live operations – demonstrating a clear vision of excellence and the ability to establish effective design processes, workflows, and tooling.
• Strong leadership and management skills, adept at developing design teams through mentorship and remote management.
• Demonstrated commitment to team and organizational aspects of design leadership, dedicating 50% of time to these responsibilities.
• Natural curiosity and eagerness to learn are valued traits. Leaders are expected to stay abreast of industry trends and apply insights to current and future projects

Why join us

There are many reasons to join us, but here are a few:

• We strongly believe we are changing how games studios operate and at the core of what we do is making great games that create a connected community
• We're not just about making Games Where You Belong. We're also about building communities where our people belong. That's why Fortis is a thriving environment that celebrates diversity, embraces inclusivity, and fosters growth.
• Build and grow with a seasoned team of accomplished talent who have left an impactful mark in their disciplines, both in and out of gaming

Fortis is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.