Lead UI Artist

Company Description

Ubisoft Saguenay is a multidisciplinary team that has been shaping the video game industry since 2018. At the studio, you will discover an innovative, dynamic, and creatively rich world. A unique environment that offers constant career advancement, a welcoming learning environment, competitive compensation packages, and most importantly, equal opportunity. Joining Ubisoft Saguenay means playing a key role in the development of world-class games in collaboration with other Ubisoft studios. We are looking for passionate creators who want to create exceptional games and provide memorable experiences for our players.

**Job Description**:
As a **Lead UI Artist **at** **Ubi Saguenay, you’ll guide the user-centered design process of an online game. You’ll oversee a team of UI artists and UX designers in developing visual experiences across game and gameplay menus (HUD), while promoting usability and user experience.

You coordinate your artists throughout production, managing their workload, scheduling tasks, and setting realistic deadlines. An empathetic mentor, you channel the talents of each of your team members, motivating them to reach their full potential and inspiring them to do their best work.

As a lead and UX ambassador, you communicate information that allows your entire team to be effective while communicating with other trades along the way. You guide and respect graphic guidelines to create the best visual experience for all features created collectively. You encourage cross-functional collaboration and establish a user-centric culture, season after season.

**What you’ll do**:

- Work closely with other UI and UX team members to develop strategic plans and define design priorities;
- Partner with your UI/UX team to evaluate the project scope plan (timelines, risks, etc.);
- Collaborate with the user research and community development teams to get a clear picture of player behaviours, goals, motivations, values, needs, etc.;
- Meet with game designers and art directors to define visual guidelines, discuss progress, brainstorm ideas, reinforce the artistic and UX vision, overcome constraints, provide feedback and coaching, etc.;
- Oversee your team develop their UX deliverables (journey maps, high-fidelity prototypes, etc.);
- Find balanced solutions to player, business, and technical challenges in partnership with game designers;
- Collaborate with interdependent teams (audio, art, animation, narration, monetization, etc.) to ensure communication and consistency across the board;
- Carry out the annual evaluations of your team members;
- Stay up to date on interaction design best practices and promote them across your team and the studio;
- Participate in recruitment to build your team and foster their growth.

**Qualifications**:
**What you bring to the team**
- A college degree in Digital Arts or equivalent (undergraduate degree, an asset);
- At least 5 years of experience as a UI artist or graphic designer or other relevant experience (a background as a senior designer, analyst, or ergonomist would be a plus) + 2 years of leadership experience in a cross-functional environment;
- In-depth knowledge of user-centered principles and techniques;
- Experience with the Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, AfterEffect) and prototyping tools (e.g. Axure RP);
- A creative, collaborative, empathetic, and innovative spirit;
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, organizational, time management, and mentoring capabilities;
- Effective presentation skills (you’re able to efficiently present and explain design strategies and choices to a variety of audiences, including senior management);
- Curiosity, open-mindedness, and flexibility;
- A passion for solving complex problems with design solutions;
- _Knowledge of project management software (e.g. Jira), agile and lean methodologies + an understanding of game design principles._

Additional Information
**What to send our way**
- Your CV (highlighting your education, experience and skills), your portfolio and a covering letter.

**Working at Ubisoft means**
- A hybrid and flexible work mode, 6 weeks of vacation in your first year, an enriched parental leave, a Ubi gym directly in our offices, a complete group insurance program, access to complete Dialogue telemedicine services, an RRSP with a contribution from Ubisoft, an advantageous bonus program, concrete measures to ensure the right to disconnect, the option of working part-time and much more. Click here for all the details.
- Joining a team of 21,000 Ubisoft employees working across more than 40 locations around the world, are boundby a common mission to enrich players’ lives with original and memorable gaming experiences. Their dedication and talent have brought to life many acclaimed franchises such as Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, Watch Dogs, Just Dance, Rainbow Six, and many more to come;
- Working for an equal opportunity employer, where diversity is a priority