Game Design Manager, Maps - VALORANT

As a Game Design Manager you'll be front and center in defining the design of our game. You'll partner with leads from multiple disciplines to ensure that VALORANT’s tactical gameplay shines through. You'll be a champion for design excellence, and level up those around you. You’ll apply rigorous critical thinking and a strong dose of imagination to engineer the fun of thrilling in-game experiences. You'll work with every tool at hand and collaborate with multiple interdisciplinary teams to create player-focused designs that'll delight millions around the world.

VALORANT is Riot’s take on a character-based tactical shooter (for more info on VALORANT click here!)..  As a Game Design Manager working on Maps, you will help set a vision and guide designers on bringing new VALORANT maps to life.  You will be responsible for upholding design principles that define VALORANT maps and ensuring that we are evolving the game along with player expectations.  You will report to the Director, Game Design.

• Work with design leads to continue evolving the DNA of VALORANT maps
• Partner with design leads to craft a vision for the overall gameplay experience
• Ensure that the VALORANT level design team is a highly performing team
• Anticipate the needs of players on all relevant platforms and understand the nuanced differences between them
• Ensure execution in gameplay and delivery schedule for a range of projects in flight from early concept to final polish
• Manage and coach designers across the team
• Influence senior leadership frequently regarding product direction and strategy, both regarding projects and related work (e.g. events, etc...)
• Build positive relationships with the art team to blend gameplay clarity and art quality
• Builds strong relationships with leadership from a range of disciplines to multiply their quality and output

• 5+ years experience in a Level Design role; experience as a game design owner of multiple large projects in parallel with successful delivery
• 1+ years people management experience; experience with mentorship of other designers leading to a promotion or substantial positive improvements in their work
• Experience creating systemic change to a design team’s process or principles to improve output significantly across the team
• Experience leading cross-discipline teams to deliver on design goals
• Experience communicating and expressing complex and nuanced designs in simple ways
• Leadership experience resolving conflict, and when needed offering difficult feedback with respect

• Experience working as a developer on an FPS title
• Strong understanding of Tactical FPS principles and can apply them effectively
• Robust understanding of the FPS market and player motivations and behaviors
• Can quickly produce a wide breadth of mechanics solutions, and generate and identify an excellent solution
• Experience developing on multiple platforms

For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise and a collaborative spirit that prioritizes the delight of players. We will look at your past studies and experience, but for this role, we also look for dedicated people with a personal relationship with games. If you embody player empathy and care about players' experiences, this is the role for you!

Riot focuses on work/life balance, shown by our open paid time off policy and other perks such as flexible work schedules. We offer medical, dental, and life insurance, parental leave for you, your spouse/domestic partner, and children, and a 401k with company match. Check out our benefits pages for more information.

At Riot Games, we put players first. That mission drives every decision in our quest to create games and experiences that make it better to be a player. Whether you’re working directly on a new player-facing experience or you’re supporting the company as a whole, everyone at Riot is part of our mission. And just like in our games, we’re better when we work together. Our goal is to create collaborative teams where you are empowered to bring your unique perspective everyday. If that sounds like the kind of place you want to work, we’re looking forward to your application.

It’s our policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and members of Riot Games, Inc. Riot Games makes reasonable accommodations for handicapped and disabled Rioters and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, handicap, veteran status, marital status, criminal history, or any other category protected by applicable federal and state law. We consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state and local law, including the California Fair Chance Act, the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the Washington Fair Chance Act.

Per the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the following core duties may create a basis for disqualifying candidates with relevant criminal histories:

• Safeguarding confidential and sensitive Company data
• Communication with others, including Rioters and third parties such as vendors, and/or players, including minors
• Accessing Company assets, secure digital systems, and networks
• Ensuring a safe interactive environment for players and other Rioters

These duties are directly related to essential operations, safety, trust, and compliance obligations within our organization. Please note that job duties may evolve based on business needs and additional responsibilities may be assigned as necessary to maintain operational efficiency and security.