Mobile Game Art Lead

Summary

Join YallaPlay, a rapidly growing mobile gaming studio, as their Art Lead. In this management role, you will blend creativity with team leadership and art direction, reporting to the Producer/Production Lead. You will be responsible for defining the visual direction of games, leading a cross-functional art team, and ensuring high-quality visual execution. The position requires 10+ years of experience in game art production, including at least 2 years in a leadership role, a strong portfolio showcasing mobile game art, and proficiency in 2D and/or 3D game art creation. This role can be remote or based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. YallaPlay offers a collaborative culture, creative freedom, and various benefits.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in game art production with at least 2 years in a leadership or lead artist role
• Strong portfolio showcasing mobile game art—preferably from the casual, card, or top-table game genres
• Proficiency in 2D and/or 3D game art creation with the ability to contribute directly as needed
• Excellent artistic skills with a strong sense of color theory, lighting, composition, and visual storytelling
• Solid understanding of asset pipelines, optimization, and Unity integration
• Strong ability to manage time, prioritize work, and lead artists toward high-output, efficient delivery
• Hands-on experience with tools such as Photoshop, Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, Spine, and Unity
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and team leadership skills
• Passion for mobile gaming and a player-first design mindset
• Fluent in English; ability to work with multicultural teams across different time zones

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the visual direction for new and existing mobile game titles
• Work closely with the Product Lead and design team to translate game vision and goals into compelling visual assets
• Lead, mentor, and inspire a cross-functional art team, including 2D artists, UI/UX designers, animators, and 3D artists
• Provide hands-on contribution when needed such as creating assets, polishing visuals, and ensuring visual consistency
• Supervise both in-house and outsourced art production, ensuring high-quality delivery on time and within scope
• Own the evolution of visual styles for game assets, UI elements, environments, and characters
• Conduct regular art reviews and provide clear, actionable feedback to team members
• Collaborate with developers and technical artists to ensure seamless integration of art into the game
• Drive asset optimization and performance best practices for mobile platforms
• Maintain art documentation, style guides, and workflows to ensure scalable and consistent production processes

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience creating or overseeing UI/UX art and layouts for mobile games (preferred)
• Experience in art direction for real-time multiplayer or card-based games
• UI/UX experience, particularly for mobile games, to help elevate interface quality and player interaction
• Familiarity with motion graphics and video production software (e.g., After Effects, Premiere)

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Remote-first and flexible schedule- Digital nomad friendly
• Generous paid time off
• Paid birthdays off
• UAE visa sponsorship (if applicable)
• Growth opportunities and access to learning resources