Associate Director, Animation, Interactive & Environments

Critical Playground LLC; Madison, Northern (WI, KY); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

PBS Wisconsin seeks a creative Associate Director to lead a team across animation, interactive design, and environment design. You will guide day-to-day management and strategic direction within the Design & Digital unit, collaborating with adjacent teams to deliver cohesive work that supports PBS Wisconsin's mission.

The role requires strong leadership, budget oversight, and experience in public media contexts, with hybrid in-person expectations at UW–Madison campuses.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of experience leading creative teams or direct reports.
• Hands-on experience in animation, interactive media or game design, scenic or environmental design.
• Track record of leading innovative work and developing new workflows.

Responsibilities

• Research emerging creative technologies and media formats to advance PBS Wisconsin.
• Supervise and manage at least 2.0 FTE employees.
• Develop and maintain design standards, policies and procedures.
• Serve as SME liaison between external and internal stakeholders on creative strategies.
• Monitor workflows and progress to align with unit objectives.
• Maintain unit budget and financial records.
• Create, design and produce artwork per client specifications.

Skills

Leadership

Animation

Interactive design

Scenic/environment design

Communication & collaboration

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in animation or related field

Tools

Animation pipelines

Job description

PBS Wisconsin seeks a creative Associate Director to lead a team across animation, interactive design, and environment design. You will guide day-to-day management and strategic direction within the Design & Digital unit, collaborating with adjacent teams to deliver cohesive work that supports PBS Wisconsin's mission.

The role requires strong leadership, budget oversight, and experience in public media contexts, with hybrid in-person expectations at UW–Madison campuses.