Keywords Studios is a global provider of creative and technical services to the video games industry, with over 13,000 professionals across 70+ studios in 25+ countries. We support clients across the entire game lifecycle through four core Service Lines:

• Create — Game development, art production, and audio

• Globalize — Localization, localization QA, functional testing

• Engage — Marketing, LiveOps, community, and player support

• Media & Entertainment

We're constantly working with some of the worlds largest Publishers and most popular AAA games. Here in Australia we have studios located in Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne and employ about two hundred of Australia's leading game professionals. Our studio brands operating under the Keywords Studios group are Wicked Workshop (Vic) and Tantalus Media (Vic, SA, Qld). 

This position can be based in either Adelaide, Brisbane, or Melbourne. 

The Senior Art Director reports to the Regional Director of Art. 

Leadership & Team Management

• Managing dedicated art teams across geographies or studios, emphasizing overall quality, productivity, and continuous team development.

• Lead and mentor a diverse team of artists and designers, fostering their professional growth and artistic development.

• Conduct regular performance evaluations, providing constructive feedback and facilitating skill-building opportunities.

• Identify skill gaps within the team and implement training programs to enhance capabilities and artistic techniques.

• Engages in comprehensive artistic mentorship, leading and managing dedicated art teams across various domains or studios, contributing to the overall artistic direction.

Artistic Vision & Creative Direction 

• Establish and communicate a clear artistic vision, inspiring the team to achieve creative excellence.

• Develop, maintain, and update comprehensive style guides that reflect the artistic vision and gameplay requirements.

• Ensure consistency in visual elements across all game titles, adapting guidelines as needed to fit specific project needs.

• Focuses on guiding art teams across multiple studios to achieve broader project goals and maintain high-quality standards.

Project Planning & Production Oversight

• Play a key role in project planning and execution at a higher level, potentially handling multiple projects simultaneously, with a focus on achieving timelines, quality benchmarks, and budgetary allocations.

• Coordinate and oversee the production pipeline, ensuring timely delivery of assets while maintaining high quality.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate best practices and innovative art solutions across projects.

Project Planning & Production Oversight

• Engages in interactions at a higher level, handling crucial project kick-offs, communications, and escalations, with a focus on meeting and exceeding client expectations.

• Engage with clients and stakeholders to understand their vision and requirements, translating them into actionable artistic directives.

• Present art concepts and designs to clients, incorporating their feedback to enhance the project outcome.

• Manage relationships with external development partners and outsourced teams, ensuring alignment with the studio’s artistic vision and quality standards.

• A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Fine Arts, Digital Art, Game Design, or a related field is preferred.

• Minimum of <> + years in the gaming industry, with at least 5<> years in an art leadership role such as Art Director or Associate Art Director, preferably within AAA game development.

• Strong understanding of industry-standard game engines (Unreal, Unity) and creative software (Maya, Photoshop, Substance Suite) will be highly regarded.

• Demonstrated ability to define and maintain a cohesive artistic vision across entire projects. A portfolio showcasing strong creative direction, visual storytelling, and an understanding of design principles.

• Proven ability to lead, mentor, and inspire a diverse team of artists. Excellent decision-making and problem-solving skills, with a focus on driving creative excellence and innovation.

• Experience managing complex art production pipelines, including budgeting, scheduling, and resource allocation. Ability to balance creative ambitions with technical and production constraints.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work closely with cross-functional teams including game design, engineering, and production to achieve project goals.

• Expertise in working with clients, producers, and stakeholders to ensure that artistic goals align with project objectives, and that expectations are clearly communicated and met.

• Ability to stay ahead of industry trends, emerging technologies, and new tools. Flexibility in adjusting to changing project needs and priorities.

If you'd like to know more about Keywords Studios we recommend visiting our corporate site HERE

Our recruitment process typically consists of an initial review of your application and if suitable followed with a Teams or Phone interview. For those selected to progress further it may include an online assessment, and two interviews which can be conducted onsite or remote. 

All applications will be responded to within five to ten business days where possible. For those who make it to interview stage, feedback will also be provided.

AI is not used in the actual screening of your application. 

Should you wish to discuss Keywords Studios and our opportunities prior to making an application please feel free to call our Head of Talent Acquisition, Stan Rolfe on +61 416 048 976. Leave a message and he'll return your call as soon as possible. Please note Stan is based in Perth, Western Australia. 

Role Information: EN

Studio: Keywords Studios

Location: Asia Pacific, Australia

Area of Work: Art Services

Service: Create

Employment Type: Full Time, Permanent

Working Pattern: Hybrid

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