Technical Director (Subway Surfers)

SYBO is growing. We’re releasing new games, building on the massive success of Subway Surfers as the most downloaded game of all time (4 billion downloads and counting!) and continuing to excite and surprise the most important people in the world: Our players!

We are looking for a Technical Director to lead our engineering team on Subway Surfers. You will be entrusted with the pivotal responsibility of overseeing the engineering pods from a people, technology and process perspective. This role is not just about coding or direct technical execution, it is about embodying the leadership to inspire and guide a team of talented individuals and help them grow. The Technical Director is like a conductor in an orchestra, bringing a unified vision to the team's and helping them push boundaries of what is possible in mobile gaming.

The ideal candidate possesses a blend of technical acumen and people management skills, with a keen ability to navigate and orchestrate the intricacies of game development processes. You will join the Games leadership team and have an opportunity to influence the most downloaded game in the world. In addition you will be a part of the Technical Leadership community at SYBO and contribute towards SYBO’s technical strategy.

Responsibilities:

Team leadership and development - lead and mentor the engineering team, fostering a culture of innovation and technical excellence. Provide career development opportunities through training, hands-on learning and feedback.

Assess and develop team capabilities, identifying growth opportunities and addressing skill gaps.

Strategic planning - collaborate with the game leadership team to define the technical vision and translate business goals into technical strategies. Ensure the strategy is broken down into technical roadmaps and prioritized together with product features.
Technical oversight - oversee the game architecture, engineering processes and the technical health of the game. Ensure best practices are maintained and continuously improved. Evaluate and implement new systems as needed to support evolving game development needs. Stay informed of the latest trends and advancements in mobile gaming technology and methodologies. Align on overall architecture with technical leadership and Chief Architect.
Cross-functional collaboration - work closely with other teams such as Art, Design Product management, Quality Assurance and Production as well as act as a technical liaison between the game development team and central technology together with the tech pod. Engage with and contribute to the Engineering community at SYBO.
Communication - clear communication of technical capabilities and project statuses to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Produce clear documentation and reports that contribute to the transparency of engineering processes and technical decisions.

Your Start at SYBO:

In your first month, you’ll spend most of your time getting to know your engineering team, the game, and familiarizing yourself with our technology stack. You’ll be getting to know your team's rituals, tasks and culture to fully understand the team and build relationships. You’ll get to know the vision for the game and the roadmap ahead, as well as building relations with key stakeholders in the Subway Surfers team.
Within three months, you will be up to speed with the roadmap, workflows and dynamics within your team, and will start identifying areas of improvement. By this point you’ll be closely mentoring your team, and building an overview of competencies, skills, needs, career goals and growth opportunities. This is also a time to focus on building strong relationships with key stakeholders outside Subway Surfers.
By your first twelve months, you’ll successfully lead the development and launch of key features and improvements. You’ll significantly contribute to the game’s performance, health and technical strategy and roadmaps. Your leadership will contribute to a strong autonomous engineering team capable of tackling complex challenges. You are strategizing future technical directions and contributing actively to the vision, ensuring the game’s continued success.

Requirements:

Extensive experience in a technical leadership role within the gaming industry.
Proven leadership skills and ability to mentor and develop technical talent, fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
Excellent communication skills, capable of effectively articulating technical vision and strategy to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Strong foundation in software engineering principles, architecture design and scalability considerations
Ability to set and drive a technical vision and direction for projects, making data informed decisions and driving towards alignment
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Product-savviness - the ability to understand, discuss and interact with all disciplines on your games team without being an expert

Bonus points

Casual games experience
Previous experience scaling engineering teams
Advertising technology knowledge

About SYBO

We're SYBO, the mobile games studio behind the legendary Subway Surfers, with over 4 billion downloads worldwide! Join our team in the heart of Copenhagen, where creativity flourishes in our new, state-of-the-art studio.

If you join us, you'll have the opportunity to dive into exciting and creative projects alongside a diverse group of like-minded colleagues from over 40 countries across the globe.

We truly believe you perform your best, when you have the equipment you need - and our IT team is always on hand to ensure you have access to the latest tools and gear, enabling you to be at your best - even remotely with a home-office budget!

We also pride ourselves in taking care of your well-being, offering a delicious lunch buffet, a variety of healthy snacks, and regular social events to keep the energy flowing.

Not in Copenhagen? Not a problem! We have in-house relocation specialists who will help you relocate, and feel right at home in Copenhagen and at SYBO!

SYBO is committed to providing equal opportunities to all applicants, regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.