As a Riot Art Outsource Manager, you will help connect product teams to the right external partners while improving art outsource infrastructure and practices. You will build meaningful and trusting external relationships through clear two-way communication and planning. Your approach will ensure sustainable production without compromising quality. A perfect blend between a veteran production artist and logistics expert, you will strive to make the outsourcing experience truly world-class and engaging for all parties involved.

As a Senior Art Outsourcing Manager for VALORANT, you will harness your art background to provide feedback and direction to vendors in order to assure art assets meet VALORANT quality and style benchmarks.  You will build meaningful and trusting external relationships through clear two-way communication and planning. Your approach will ensure sustainable production without compromising quality.  A perfect blend between a veteran production artist and logistics expert, you will strive to make the outsourcing experience truly world-class and engaging for all parties involved. You will play a key part in managing the work and relationship with multiple art vendors. You will use both your extraordinary interpersonal and relationship skills to cultivate positive working relationships with our vendors. 

Responsibilities:

Vendor Relationship and Artistic Feedback - We have multiple domestic and international vendors. We want to foster positive relationships between Riot and the external teams we work with. You'll communicate Riot's vision and feedback to those vendors and serve as the voice for those teams. 

• Workflow - You will establish and maintain workflows with external partners to support the scaling of content production; ensuring clear communication, efficient asset turnaround and timely feedback. 
• Art Support - You will leverage your art expertise to guide external partners through demonstration, documentation and feedback, artistically interpreting artifacts to ensure alignment with Valorant’s creative vision and quality standards.  
• Partner Development - You will meet regularly with external partners to set clear expectations, providing support that drives ongoing vendor growth; articulating not just the “what” but also the “why”.  
• Asset Management - Ensure art assets are clean, organized and defined correctly for easy access, properly integrated into the game or saved in their appropriate format and location. 
• Problem Solving - You will remove roadblocks, keep track of recurring issues and develop systemic solutions. 
• Internal pipelines - Learn the different internal team quality bars, processes and adapt outsourcing best practices for smooth integration. 

Required Qualifications:

• 6+ years of professional experience creating stylized 2D artwork for video games.
• 6+ years of professional experience handling several art vendors concurrently, or professional experience working with multiple internal and external partners.
• Portfolio demonstrating high quality 2D weapon concepts (guns & knives)
• Professional experience creating, giving feedback on, and integrating art in a production environment.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to navigate conversations with internal teams including production, artists and stakeholders.  
• Professional experience working on asset management and maintaining asset pipelines.
• Proficiency in Photoshop.  

Desired Qualifications:

• Proficiency with Maya, Blender, Substance Painter and Unreal Engine.
• Experience shipping a AAA title as a concept artist, specializing in weapon design.
• Experience working in one or more related disciplines - 3D modeling and texturing, animation, technical art, visual effects.

For this role, you'll find success through craft expertise, a collaborative spirit, and decision-making that prioritizes the delight of players. We will be looking at your past studies, experience, and your personal relationship with games. If you embody player empathy and care about players' experiences, this could be your role!

Our Perks:

Riot focuses on work/life balance, shown by our open paid time off policy and other perks such as flexible work schedules. We offer medical, dental, and life insurance, parental leave for you, your spouse/domestic partner, and children, and a 401k with company match. Check out our benefits pages for more information.

At Riot Games, we put players first. That mission drives every decision in our quest to create games and experiences that make it better to be a player. Whether you’re working directly on a new player-facing experience or you’re supporting the company as a whole, everyone at Riot is part of our mission. And just like in our games, we’re better when we work together. Our goal is to create collaborative teams where you are empowered to bring your unique perspective everyday. If that sounds like the kind of place you want to work, we’re looking forward to your application.

It’s our policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and members of Riot Games, Inc. Riot Games makes reasonable accommodations for handicapped and disabled Rioters and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, handicap, veteran status, marital status, criminal history, or any other category protected by applicable federal and state law. We consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state and local law, including the California Fair Chance Act, the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the Washington Fair Chance Act.

Per the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, the following core duties may create a basis for disqualifying candidates with relevant criminal histories:

• Safeguarding confidential and sensitive Company data
• Communication with others, including Rioters and third parties such as vendors, and/or players, including minors
• Accessing Company assets, secure digital systems, and networks
• Ensuring a safe interactive environment for players and other Rioters

These duties are directly related to essential operations, safety, trust, and compliance obligations within our organization. Please note that job duties may evolve based on business needs and additional responsibilities may be assigned as necessary to maintain operational efficiency and security.