Lead Animation Director (3D Character Animation)

Placements24; Richards Bay; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote-first work environment

Competitive salary and benefits

Learning and development opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 is helping a globally recognized animation studio hire a Lead Animation Director (3D Character Animation) for a fully remote team. You will guide artistic and technical direction, inspire a team of animators, and ensure exceptional character performance and storytelling across multiple projects.

The role requires deep understanding of character acting, biomechanics, and advanced animation techniques, with strong leadership and communication in a remote setting.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience as Animation Director or Lead Animator in 3D projects.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating character animation and directing skills.
• Proficiency with industry-standard 3D software (Maya, Blender).
• Experience leading and mentoring animation teams.
• Excellent remote communication and collaboration abilities.

Responsibilities

• Provide artistic and technical leadership for all 3D character animation sequences.
• Supervise, mentor, and motivate the animation team to achieve high quality standards.
• Establish animation style guides and pipelines.
• Collaborate with directors and storyboard artists to define character performance.
• Review dailies and provide constructive feedback for consistency.
• Troubleshoot animation challenges and develop creative solutions.
• Ensure anatomically correct and emotionally believable character performance.
• Contribute to visual development and storytelling across projects.
• Stay current with latest animation software and industry trends.

Skills

3D character animation

Leadership

Character acting principles

Remote collaboration

Mentoring team

Narrative direction

Feedback delivery

Creativity

Education

Bachelor's degree in Animation or related

Tools

Maya

Blender

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a globally recognized animation studio, is looking for a highly skilled and visionary Lead Animation Director (3D Character Animation) to join their fully remote team. This is a critical role focused on guiding the artistic and technical direction of 3D character animation across multiple high-profile projects. You will be responsible for inspiring and managing a team of talented animators, ensuring the delivery of exceptional character performance, emotional depth, and visual storytelling. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of character acting, biomechanics, and advanced animation techniques, coupled with strong leadership and communication skills. This remote‑first position offers the unique opportunity to shape the animation quality of groundbreaking content from the comfort of your own workspace, collaborating with a world‑class team across different geographical locations. Your expertise will be key in bringing compelling characters to life with unparalleled artistry.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide artistic and technical leadership for all 3D character animation sequences.
• Supervise, mentor, and motivate the animation team to achieve the highest quality standards.
• Establish and maintain animation style guides and pipelines.
• Collaborate closely with directors, art directors, and storyboard artists to define character performance and story beats.
• Review animation dailies, providing constructive feedback to ensure consistency and excellence.
• Troubleshoot animation challenges and develop creative solutions.
• Ensure characters are animated with accurate anatomy, emotion, and believable performance.
• Contribute to the overall visual development and storytelling of the projects.
• Stay current with the latest animation software, techniques, and industry trends.

Requirements

• Extensive experience as an Animation Director or Lead Animator in 3D feature films, television series, or high‑end video games.
• A strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional character animation and directing skills.
• Proficiency in industry‑standard 3D animation software (e.g., Maya, Blender).
• Deep understanding of character performance, acting principles, and storytelling through animation.
• Proven experience leading and managing animation teams.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, especially in a remote setting.
• Ability to provide clear, actionable feedback to animators.
• Strong problem‑solving abilities and a keen eye for detail.
• A degree or equivalent experience in Animation, Fine Arts, or a related field is highly desirable.

Benefits

This is a fully remote position, offering flexibility and the ability to work from anywhere. Our client provides a highly competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package. You will have the opportunity to work on exciting, high‑profile projects with a talented and collaborative global team. Continuous professional development and learning opportunities are supported. Join a company that values creativity, innovation, and the well‑being of its remote employees, and help us push the boundaries of digital artistry.