Senior Art Director

Job Description

From Nintendo, to Clash of Clans, to Brawl Starts and more, Waste Creative works with the leading video games companies in helping them build their brands.

We're fourteen years young, and joined the Keywords Studios family in 2022 and recently joined forces with Wizcorp Japan, another Keywords Studio family member.

'The Waste Way'

There’s only ever been one way we do things at Waste and that’s ‘the more you give, the more you get back’. These four pillars form the cultural backbone of Waste, and 14 years on have never steered us wrong.

• Be brave
• Make it better
• Be accountable
• Be Kind

Responsibilities

As Art Director, you are a visual storyteller that uses design to bring ideas to life.

You will direct and supervise all art disciplines across the projects and manage our pool of illustrators and freelance artists.

Be accountable for defining and maintaining a coherent art vision that supports both product and creative direction.

As a Senior, you’ll also help guide, develop and mentor the team, providing continuous feedback and constructive critiques of their work.

You will report directly to the Design Director.

This role requires the highest level of:

 Conceptual thinking / Passion / Motivation / Talent / Communication / Collaboration 
/ Self-awareness / Mentorship

Team

• Lead multiple projects and work streams co-currently from concept to delivery.
• Manage the day-to-day activities of the Illustration Team.
• Regularly update senior management on the status and progress of milestone deliverables. 
• Review, direct and provide positive constructive feedback for appropriate art disciplines.
• Actively participate in multi-discipline stakeholder meetings and champion the art requirements/needs.
• Be a stakeholder/owner in one or more areas, with feedback and sign off responsibilities.
• Conduct 1 to 1's with direct reports.
• Mentorship.

Studio

• Support producers to scope and define the project approach, deliverables, timelines and team requirements and resolve resource and delivery issues.
• Work closely with multiple departments ensuring quality and best practices.

Qualifications

Knowledge and Skills

• 8+ years of experience in graphic design, preferably in the digital and gaming sectors.
• The flexibility to work in multiple artistic styles.
• Can lead multiple projects and delegate work effectively
• Excellent composition, lighting and colour theory skills and appreciation.
• Experienced with end-to-end motion delivery, concepting, storyboarding and ability to styleframe.
• A passion for all aspects of design including conceptual thinking, typography, motion and imagery.
• Ability to work well autonomously and within a team in a fast-paced and deadline-oriented environment.
• Self-motivated with critical attention to detail and deadlines.
• Positive and committed with a 'can-do' attitude and a flexible approach to complex problems.

About the Company

Established in 1998 and floated on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM in 2013, Keywords(KWS) is the world’s leading provider of technical and creative services to the global video games market. Our 12,000 employees in 70+ Studios in 26 countries provide graphic art asset production, game development, audio, testing, localization and customer support services to most of the leading video game developers and publishers. We have a proven track record of organic and acquisition-led growth and have successfully acquired and integrated 50+ acquisitions since 2014.

Why Work At Keyword Studios?

People who work at Keywords are passionate, talented, committed and resourceful. As a business we thrive on diversity, celebrate uniqueness and work as teams whether we are physically together in one of our 70 global studios or working together virtually.

We empower people to perform to the best of their ability with our “can do” attitude. We appreciate and embrace flexibility. We learn at every opportunity to grow ourselves through experience, training and tackling new challenges.

This is what makes us Keywordians.

Salary

• 5+ years experience: ¥800,000 PER MONTH

Benefits

⏲ Flexibility in time

Permanent

🈷️ Additional benefits 🈷️

• Monthly allowance for home office equipment and supplies (15,000 JPY/month)
• Private language tutoring (Japanese and/or English)
• Commute fees (however, train passes are not reimbursed)

♨️ Holidays and vacations ♨️

• Weekends and national holidays
• Summer/winter vacation: 5 days per year (paid, applicable after the probation period)
• Annual Paid Leave: 10 days per year (first year, following the probation period)
• Bereavement/funeral leave
• Sick leave: 5 days per year (paid, applicable after the probation period)

Role Information: EN

Studio: Waste Creative

Location: Asia Pacific, Japan, Tokyo

Area of Work: Art Services

Service: Create

Employment Type: Full Time, Permanent

Working Pattern: In-Office