Associate Motion Director

1000heads; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Generous time off package

401k with employer match

Gym stipends

Monthly activities

Commute benefits

Job summary

A leading creative agency in Los Angeles seeks an Associate Motion Director to shape the creative direction of motion projects. The ideal candidate will possess strong motion design skills and the ability to mentor junior talent. Responsibilities include setting standards for motion design and collaborating on social-first campaigns. This hybrid role requires expertise in Adobe Creative Suite and a strong portfolio. The position offers a salary between $120,000 and $160,000 annually, along with competitive benefits.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in motion design or animation, especially in social-first and branded content.
• Strong portfolio showcasing motion design and visual storytelling.
• Experience mentoring and providing feedback to other designers.

Responsibilities

• Set vision and standards for motion design.
• Apply animation principles to social-first campaigns.
• Mentor junior designers and maintain design language.

Skills

Motion design expertise

Animation understanding

Visual storytelling

Collaboration

AI tools knowledge

Tools

Adobe After Effects

Adobe Creative Suite

Premiere

Cinema 4D

Blender

Job description

Summary

Associate Motion Director with a strong foundation in motion design and a keen eye for crafting clean, branded content across digital and social platforms. Shape the creative direction of motion projects, balancing hands-on design skills with the ability to guide and mentor motion design talent. While animation expertise is a big plus, a deep understanding of animation principles and how to apply them in fast-moving, social-first contexts is essential. The role blends hands-on design with creative leadership to produce culturally relevant, visually exceptional work.

Responsibilities

• Set the vision and standards for motion design at 1000Heads
• Apply motion and animation principles to social-first campaigns, short-form video, and branded content
• Partner with creative and design leads to bring ideas to life through storyboarding, motion tests, and final execution
• Mentor and nurture junior and mid-level motion designers, helping them grow in craft and confidence
• Maintain a consistent design language across motion assets, keeping content polished, professional, and aligned with brand standards
• Stay plugged into social and digital culture—adapting styles and techniques that resonate with audiences in real time
• Occasionally contribute hands-on design and animation to set the creative bar and push the work forward
• Build a network of motion freelancers and partners to ensure delivery during peaks

Requirements

• Hybrid role, with 2 days per week in office required. You must reside in one of our US office locations: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, or Miami
• 6+ years of professional experience in motion design or animation, ideally with a focus on social-first and branded content
• Strong portfolio showcasing motion design, animation understanding, typography, and visual storytelling
• Experience leveraging AI tools in the motion design practice
• Proficiency in Adobe After Effects and Adobe Creative Suite; experience with Premiere and 3D tools (Cinema 4D, Blender) a plus
• Demonstrated ability to create clean, branded visuals that adapt to multiple digital platforms
• Experience mentoring and providing constructive feedback to design talent
• Strong collaboration and communication skills; comfortable working in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments
• Passion for creativity, culture, and using motion design to elevate brand storytelling

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and more
• Generous time off package, including the last week of the year
• 401k & Roth retirement investment options with employer match after one year
• Gym and professional development stipends
• Culture Club with monthly activities like sports, games and happy hours
• DEI Council and Employee Resource Groups
• Commute and parking benefits
• Wellness program focusing on mental, physical and financial employee wellness
• And much more

Salary

$120,000 - $160,000 per year

About 1000heads

1000heads combines expertise in data & analytics, strategy, technology and creativity to help the world’s best businesses build Social Age brands. 1000heads provides a fully integrated, end-to-end Social Transformation proposition to blue-chip clients encompassing data & analytics, strategy and implementation. 1000heads has a global footprint, employing over 200 people across 12 offices. 1000heads’ clients include Alphabet, Nature Made, The North Face, San Pellegrino, Amazon, Cisco, and Diageo.

1000heads is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We are committed to an inclusive environment which celebrates and promotes diversity. We welcome applicants irrespective of age, sex, race, ethnicity, disability and other factors that have no bearing on an individual’s ability to perform their job.

For more information on 1000heads, visit 1000heads.com.