Motion Design Lead

Vox Media, LLC; New York (NY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Vox Media, LLC seeks a Motion Design Lead to concept, lead, and deliver story-driven motion design for New York Magazine and Vox branded content. This player/coach role partners with art and creative leadership, setting standards and guiding freelancers to maintain high quality across every deliverable.

You’ll collaborate with in-house teams to evolve a cohesive motion language, stay ahead of trends, and drive visual storytelling across multiple brands including The Cut and Vulture.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of motion design experience with leadership
• Ability to guide freelancers and internal teams
• Strong visual taste and brand sensibility
• Experience across story-driven branded content

Responsibilities

• Partner with Art and Creative Directors to evolve motion design vision
• Design and execute motion for advertising clients and internal projects
• Lead and direct freelancers and collaborators
• Establish and evolve motion design standards and workflows
• Develop motion and animation brand guidelines for consistent delivery
• Coordinate asset handoffs and feedback between teams
• Attend shoots and ensure VFX alignment as needed
• Produce end-to-end campaigns and manage timelines

Skills

8+ years motion design

Leadership

Hands-on + leadership

Creative collaboration

Graphic design background

Tools

Adobe After Effects

Photoshop

Illustrator

Figma

Job description

Vox Media, LLC is seeking a Motion Design Lead to help conceptualize and deliver story-driven motion design for New York Magazine and Vox branded content. This is a player/coach role that partners closely with art and creative leadership, sets and maintains motion design standards, and guides freelancers to keep quality high across every deliverable.

What you’ll do

• Partner with in-house Art and Creative directors to evolve Vox’s motion design vision for branded content across Vox’s Explainer Studio, New York Magazine, and brands including The Cut and Vulture
• Stay current on where motion design is heading, integrating emerging trends, tools, and techniques into day-to-day practice
• Raise the design bar by collaborating with Art Directors and Creative Directors to sharpen Vox Media’s visual voice and aesthetic
• Design and execute motion for advertising clients and internal projects, including custom long- and short-form video and social content, from concept through delivery
• Apply deep expertise in visual storytelling across motion graphics, VFX, and 3D
• Provide leadership and creative direction to freelance motion designers, building and growing Vox Media’s network of collaborators including designers, animators, and 3D artists
• Help craft and initiate new visual products by translating what’s next in motion into what’s next for Vox Media
• Own motion design and animation best practices by establishing and evolving standards, workflows, and techniques
• Develop and maintain motion and animation brand guidelines to ensure consistent, elevated delivery across projects
• Act as an advocate for motion designers, ensuring design has been vetted and considered well before delivery
• Contribute hands-on as needed, and route work to the right people based on freelancers’ individual expertise
• Collaborate with internal partners and external stakeholders including clients, vendors, and outside resources
• Serve as a key creative stakeholder in brainstorms, kick-offs, and status meetings
• Own motion timelines by setting internal milestones, tracking progress, and flagging risks early to help meet deadlines
• Produce end-to-end work for select campaigns while overseeing other projects and giving clear, timely, actionable feedback throughout reviews
• Review freelancer work and provide actionable notes to maintain creative integrity across development stages
• Partner with writers, producers, and video editors to keep story and visual direction aligned
• Attend video shoots when VFX are involved, when appropriate
• Coordinate asset handoffs, file sharing, and feedback between outside motion designers, video editors, creative directors, and art

Required experience

• 8+ years of relevant motion design experience, including leadership experience guiding teams or freelancers

Skills and tools

• Fluency in Adobe After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Figma
• A strong grasp of motion design culture, with informed opinions about where the industry is headed and how to apply it to branded content at Vox Media
• Ability to shift between hands-on execution and creative leadership
• Strong visual taste and a deeply developed aesthetic
• Collaborative leadership style that builds bridges across client services, art, production, and post teams
• Background in graphic design is a plus, including understanding of typography, composition, color, and visual hierarchy

Location and schedule

• New York, NY (hybrid)
• Based in Vox Media’s New York City office with a hybrid schedule: in-office most days, plus some flex days from home

Compensation and position type

• $110,000 - $125,000 USD per year
• Full-time, benefits-eligible position

Recruiting communication

• Vox Media’s recruiting team will contact you only from @voxmedia.com email addresses, never via text message