Design Director, Motion

twentysix; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 121,081 - 174,895; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work in London

Flexible hours

Wellbeing & learning resources

Collaborative culture

Job summary

R/GA EMEA is seeking a Design Director, Motion to lead motion across brand, product, experience and campaigns. You will define motion systems, translate them into machine-readable outputs, and elevate craft through AI, 3D thinking and rigorous production standards.

You will guide teams, present to clients, and mentor junior designers, driving systems thinking across diverse projects with a human-centric approach.

Qualifications

• 6–8+ years agency experience with motion as a core practice.
• Mastery of motion design fundamentals and turning systems into tokens or machine-readable formats.
• Fluency with AI and generative tools in the creative process, especially image and motion generation.

Responsibilities

• Lead motion across brand, product, experience and campaigns from identity systems to immersive work.
• Define motion systems and translate them into tokens and machine-readable outputs for the team.
• Ensure every frame is production-ready with a meticulous eye for detail.
• Integrate AI, generative tools and 3D thinking into workflows, expanding possibilities while maintaining human judgement.
• Spot opportunities and proactively bring ideas, not waiting for briefs.
• Collaborate with creative directors, strategists and technologists to turn big ideas into crafted, moving solutions.
• Mentor and coach junior and mid-level designers.
• Own client presentations, communicating motion rationale and the value of craft and systems thinking.

Skills

Motion design

Brand systems thinking

AI & generative tools

Ambiguity tolerance

Proactive mindset

Tools

Adobe After Effects

Figma

Cinema 4D

Job description

R/GA EMEA

DESIGN DIRECTOR, MOTION

About R/GA

We design intelligent brand systems that help businesses get ahead. R/GA is a creative innovation company for the intelligence age, working at the intersection of brand, product, experience and technology. Change is the job. We evolve as fast as the world does, and we help our clients do the same.

The role

Motion is how our brands come alive, and we need someone to lead it. Not a finishing touch, a discipline: world-building, systems, craft, all in one person.

We're looking for a Design Director, Motion who works across brand, product, experience and campaigns, and who's as comfortable defining a system as animating a frame. You'll set the principles, then turn them into machine-readable outputs that a team, or a model, can pick up and run with. AI and generative tools, especially for image and motion, sit at the centre of how you work. 3D knowledge is a big plus.

Nobody's handing you a brief and walking away. We want someone who spots what's next before we ask for it, who's energised by change rather than waiting for permission to make it. If that's you, read on.

Key responsibilities

• Lead motion across brand, product, experience and campaigns, from identity systems to immersive, world-building work.
• Define motion systems and translate them into tokens and machine-readable outputs the wider team can build on.
• Bring a meticulous eye to ensure every frame is considered and every output is production-ready.
• Integrate AI, generative tools and 3D thinking into everyday workflows, expanding what's possible and speeding up how we get there, without losing human judgement.
• Spot opportunities and bring ideas forward proactively, rather than waiting to be briefed.
• Collaborate with creative directors, strategists and technologists to turn big ideas into crafted, moving solutions.
• Mentor and coach junior and mid-level designers.
• Own client presentations, communicating motion rationale and the value of craft and systems thinking alike.

The ideal person has

• A portfolio showing craft and systems thinking together, not just showreel moments.
• Strong conceptual thinking, able to connect motion, brand and interaction into one coherent experience.
• Fluency with AI and generative tools as part of the creative process, particularly for image and motion generation.
• Comfort with ambiguity and change. You act on instinct and initiative, not instruction.
• A proactive, detail-driven mindset, with a relentless pursuit of craft.

You bring

• 6-8+ years agency experience, with motion as a core part of your practice.
• Mastery of motion design fundamentals, and experience turning systems into tokens or other machine-readable formats.
• Expertise in Adobe CS Suite (After Effects), Figma and familiarity with 3D software such as Cinema 4D, a strong plus.
• A reputation for technical precision in motion delivery.

Why you should work here

• Hybrid working with a minimum of two days a week in our London office.
• Flexible hours allowing you to design a workday that fits your lifestyle.
• Wellbeing and learning resources with budget to support your health and wellness.
• A Supportive culture that is collaborative, inclusive, and people-first.

Diversity

No-matter who you are, where you’re from, who you love, follow in faith, disability (or superpower) status, ethnicity or the gender you identify with (please do tell us your pronouns), you're welcome at R/GA. If you have any requests or requirements to support you throughout any interview process, please do let us know.