(Associate) Creative Director (Design/Motion)

AKQA NL; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

AKQA NL in Amsterdam is seeking an Associate Creative Director (Design/Motion) to lead and inspire a multidisciplinary team across CGI, motion design, and interactive media. You will direct CGI artists, guide cross‑disciplinary teams, and push creative boundaries to deliver cinematic, technically precise work.

You’ll shape creative briefs with clients and strategists, collaborating with designers, UX, and development to ensure output meets strategic aims and elevates global brands.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading art/design hybrid teams.

Responsibilities

• Deliver and lead award‑winning work that meets client needs while influencing culture.
• Direct autonomous teams to bring cinematic vision and emotional storytelling into projects.
• Establish creative foundations in concepting art directions for production and motion graphics.

Skills

Art direction

Motion graphics

CGI production

Team leadership

Client relations

Pitching/communication

AI workflows

Tools

Adobe Premiere

After Effects

DaVinci Resolve

EXR/ACES color workflows

Job description

In our Amsterdam studio, you’ll inspire and lead a team to craft visually striking concepts and executions across CGI, motion design, and interactive media as an (Associate) Creative Director (Design/Motion). With a foundation in art direction and deep expertise in production, you will direct specialized CGI artists and guide cross‑disciplinary teams to create cinematic, technically precise, and emotionally resonant work. From large‑scale digital platforms and motion‑led brand systems to experimental storytelling powered by emerging tools, you’ll push the boundaries of what’s possible in digital creativity.

The Creative team at AKQA applies artistry and craftsmanship to strategic insight, bringing to life beautiful and technologically innovative ideas. From a variety of backgrounds and disciplines, our creatives are innately curious and strive to transform client challenges into groundbreaking, design‑led solutions.

You’re a visionary creative leader who thinks like a filmmaker, builds like a technician, and creates like a storyteller, bringing together craft, innovation, and strategy to shape work that influences culture and elevates global brands.

As part of the AKQA team in Amsterdam, you’ll work in an environment supported by a multidisciplinary approach and some of the brightest minds in their field. You will report to the Creative Director and collaborate closely with team leads across the studio to continually inspire, innovate, and deliver work of the highest standard.

Role Requirements

• Deliver and lead award‑winning work that meets client needs while influencing culture, blending art direction, design craft, and innovative use of technology.
• Direct and lead autonomous teams to bring cinematic vision, technical precision, and emotional storytelling into every project — thinking like a filmmaker, building like a technician, and creating like a storyteller.
• Establish and direct creative foundations in concepting art directions for production and motion graphics, ensuring ideas are strategically sound and visually compelling.
• Direct specialised CGI artists across animation, modelling, rigging, lighting, and compositing to maintain creative cohesion and quality.
• Apply craft knowledge across CGI workflows, including modelling, lighting, animatics, grading, and retouching.
• Provide hands‑on expertise in retouching, compositing, grading, and finalising large‑scale projects, guiding teams through complex production pipelines.
• Implement advanced workflows such as EXR and ACES to ensure colour accuracy, consistency, and creative control.
• Contribute to and lead the development of creative briefs, collaborating with clients and strategists to define opportunities and deliver visionary outcomes.
• Collaborate across disciplines — including design, UX, and development — to integrate creativity, craft, and strategy seamlessly into final outputs.
• Creatively lead new business pitches, presenting ideas and executions with confidence and clarity to global clients.
• Explore and implement AI‑assisted workflows, including ComfyUI with open‑source models, LoRa training, and Google partnerships, to push creative boundaries.
• Demonstrate proficiency in editing (Adobe Premiere, After Effects), motion retouching (DaVinci), and emerging AI generation tools.

Qualities and Characteristics

• Proven experience at Associate Creative Director level or in a comparable art/design hybrid leadership role, with a strong background in both concepting and execution.
• A demonstrated track record of leading award‑winning creative work across European and global markets, with the ability to deliver at scale and on an international stage.
• Experience with AI production using state‑of‑the‑art models, understanding the strengths and limitations of each, when to use them, and how to combine outputs through JSON‑based prompting.
• Strong foundation in art direction and motion graphics, coupled with advanced CGI production knowledge across the full pipeline, from modeling to post‑production.
• Hands‑on craft expertise in compositing, grading, retouching, and finishing, with the ability to dive into details and elevate the final quality of work.
• Sharp eye for art direction, visual storytelling, and design excellence, ensuring all work meets the highest aesthetic and conceptual standards.
• Experienced in building and maintaining client relationships, growing partnerships through trust, creativity, and consistent delivery of exceptional results.
• Exceptional communicator with the ability to craft and deliver compelling presentations, clearly articulating creative vision, rationale, and executional guidelines.
• Recognised for representing your agency publicly through talks, mentorship, or thought leadership, and inspiring both peers and the next generation of creatives.