Remote Game Design Manager (Contract)

Description

To foster development of our massively-multiplayer online titles, Sierra Online Seattle has a great 3-4 month opportunity for a Remote Game Design Manager to advance communication and design coordination and collaboration between our Seattle studio and our sister studio in Shanghai, China. We are currently working on a cutting edge Casual MMO based on an original IP.
The ideal candidate will have shipped multiple games in a development role, with design or development experience on an MMORPG or competitive online multiplayer games. All applicants must have a experience with project management or production, as well as mathematical, engineering, or economics background and work experience in a software development environment. Fluency and literacy in Mandarin Chinese is a must.

You will be based in the Sierra Online studio in Issaquah, Washington, minutes from Seattle, working closely with our team based in Pudong, Shanghai. Sierra Online Seattle has a highly collaborative, low ego culture headed by game industry veterans.

Responsibilities
• Work with leads and directors to establish cross-studio communications and design processes, including technical design, documentation, and production-related procedures.
• Facilitate training and knowledge transfer for designers between studios
• Provide design leadership and guidance for design personnel working remotely.
• Champion the game design vision clearly and concisely between Seattle and Shanghai teams
• Work closely with designers at both studios to assist in creating design task lists for development and production.
• Ensure that all work meets quality benchmarks.
Represent Shanghai studio design at daily scrums and inform leads and team members when schedules are at risk.
• Review source control submissions and work with Quality Assurance and Design to ensure that development requirements are met.
• Take part in internal and cross-studio design review processes; work closely with designers at in Shanghai to improve quality and production processes.
• Work with designers, engineers, art, producers, quality assurance, and management in both locations to meet feature and performance goals and foster strong communication.
• Respond constructively and promptly to information requests, feedback, analysis, and critiques of game systems or content coming from the team.