Lead Animation Director — Shape Characters & Vision

Placements24; Durban; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and benefits

Relocation assistance may be available

Mentorship and professional growth

State-of-the-art studio environment

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Animation Director to guide the creative direction for our Durban studio. You will oversee the animation team, shaping the artistic vision and ensuring outstanding character performance across projects.

The role requires hands-on leadership, a strong portfolio, and deep understanding of animation principles and storytelling. You will mentor talent, set technical standards, and collaborate across departments in a fast-paced production environment.

Qualifications

• Significant animation experience with directorial or lead responsibilities.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating high-quality animation and vision.
• Deep understanding of animation principles, storytelling, and cinematography.
• Proficiency in Maya, Blender, or 3ds Max.

Responsibilities

• Direct and guide the animation team to deliver exceptional character performance.
• Establish and maintain the artistic vision and animation style for projects.
• Review sequences and provide constructive feedback for quality and consistency.
• Collaborate with directors and story artists to integrate animation into production.
• Develop animation pipelines and workflows.
• Mentor and inspire animators to grow artistically.
• Ensure animation meets technical and artistic requirements.
• Troubleshoot animation issues and propose creative solutions.
• Contribute to story development from an animation perspective.
• Present concepts and progress to stakeholders.

Skills

Directing leadership

Team leadership

Animation fundamentals

Cinematography

Storytelling

Mentoring

Creativity

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Animation or related field

Tools

Maya

Blender

3ds Max

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Animation Director to guide the creative direction for our Durban studio. You will oversee the animation team, shaping the artistic vision and ensuring outstanding character performance across projects.

The role requires hands-on leadership, a strong portfolio, and deep understanding of animation principles and storytelling. You will mentor talent, set technical standards, and collaborate across departments in a fast-paced production environment.