Managing Design Lead

Are you an experienced leader in game development with a strong background in design? Do you thrive at the intersection of vision and execution, guiding both a team and a creative direction toward the same goal? Are you passionate about Paradox's games and eager to help shape the future of Stellaris? Then you may be the one we're looking for.

Welcome to the galaxy.

As Managing Design Lead on the Stellaris team at Paradox Development Studio in Stockholm, you will be the creative and operational core of the Design team. Working in close partnership with the Game Director, you will ensure the Director's vision is understood, championed, and faithfully realized through your team's work.

This is a dual role that demands both design ownership and people leadership. You will set the design framework, make day-to-day creative decisions, assess features in progress, and guide your team through the full arc of production, while also owning their professional development, wellbeing, and performance.

Responsibilities

• Translate the Game Director's creative vision into concrete design strategies, decisions, and actionable goals for the team
• Provide qualitative assessment and hands-on creative guidance on designs and features throughout production
• Organize and drive feature production: prioritize work, coordinate across disciplines, and support the team in delivering on schedule
• Act as the primary point of contact for signed external partner studios
• Assume personnel responsibility for the Designers on the team: hiring, staffing, performance evaluations, and structured career development
• Coach team members in their professional growth and hold them accountable to cultural and performance expectations
• Foster an open, trusting, and high-functioning team environment

Required Qualifications

• Proven design experience, with the depth of craft to lead a team of designers and make clear, well-reasoned creative decisions
• Experience in a leadership or management role within a game development team or department
• Strong organizational skills with experience managing feature production and team priorities
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills: comfortable operating across disciplines, with external partners, and at the leadership level
• Fluent in English, both written and spoken

Desirable Qualifications

• Experience coordinating with external or partner studios
• Previous experience in a Project Management or Producer role
• Familiarity with Paradox Grand Strategy games, and with Stellaris in particular

As a person, we think you lead with both confidence and humility. You know when to make a call and when to listen. You have enough design experience to earn your team's trust and enough perspective to serve the vision of a director. You find genuine satisfaction in helping the people around you grow, and you bring the same care to the craft of the game itself. You are comfortable navigating ambiguity, managing conflict constructively, and working across a large, complex organization.

Don't be discouraged if you don't meet every requirement. We encourage you to apply if you feel this role is right for you. Please tell us why your experience and skills would work for this position and why you want to be part of Paradox. We will be interviewing candidates on a rolling basis.

We strive for a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage everyone — irrespective of ethnicity, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, nationality, disability, or age- to apply.

Scope: Full-time and permanent, with a 6-month probation period

Reports to: Studio Manager, Stellaris

Location: Onsite, Stockholm, Sweden