Associate Creative Director, Motion & Design

Highwire is seeking an Associate Creative Director, Motion & Design to steer the evolution of motion graphics, video, and digital design across multi-channel campaigns for top-tier clients. This leadership role sits at the intersection of concept and craft, guiding a design team to deliver bold ideas that move audiences while safeguarding brand integrity.

Responsibilities

• Creative Assessment & Execution: Lead the ideation and realization of high-impact design and motion concepts for web, social campaigns, event experiences, brand video, and digital products.
• Motion Pipeline Ownership: Establish and refine motion design standards, building scalable asset systems (templates, modular components, reusable frameworks) to sustain high-volume output without compromising craft or brand consistency. Own end-to-end workflows from storyboarding to post-production, including capacity forecasting and bottleneck prediction across concurrent projects.
• AI-Integrated Production: Operate within AI-supported production workflows, partnering with technical and AI-focused teammates under human-in-the-loop guardrails to balance speed, scale, and creative quality.
• Client & Pitch Leadership: Lead creative presentations for major accounts and new business pitches, clearly articulating the strategic rationale behind creative and motion choices to non-creative stakeholders.
• Account-Creative Alignment: Manage tensions between creative timelines and client demands, protecting production quality and team capacity while maintaining cross-functional collaboration.
• Team Management & Mentorship: Direct a team of motion designers and brand designers, conduct formal performance evaluations, and development planning. Foster continuous learning, experimentation, and technical growth while upholding delivery and craft standards.
• Brand Guardianship: Serve as the primary steward of Highwire's visual brand while ensuring clients' visual systems remain cohesive and forward-thinking across mediums.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Digital Strategy and Copy leads to align copy and visuals for measurable business results.

Requirements

• Experience: 8+ years in professional design and motion, with at least 3+ years in a dedicated leadership or player-coach role (agency experience strongly preferred). Direct people management experience, including formal performance evaluations, is required.
• Portfolio: Demonstrated ownership of brand, motion, and video storytelling at campaign or systems level, with strong typography, layout, and UI/UX fundamentals.
• Technical Mastery: Expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (After Effects, Premiere, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and Figma. 3D software experience (Cinema 4D or Blender) is a major plus. Familiarity with Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve is helpful.
• Design Systems: Deep experience creating, scaling, and maintaining comprehensive digital and motion design systems.
• Strategic Intuition: Strong understanding of UX/UI principles, digital accessibility standards, and multi-platform social media optimization.
• Culture Fit: Thrives under pressure with sound judgment for managing competing priorities across multiple concurrent projects. Working knowledge of AI-integrated workflows and comfort operating within human-in-the-loop guardrails for AI-assisted concepting and production.

Technologies

• Adobe After Effects
• Adobe Premiere
• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe InDesign
• Figma
• Cinema 4D
• Blender
• Final Cut Pro
• DaVinci Resolve

Benefits

• Competitive salary with merit-based opportunities for growth
• Flexible hybrid work model tailored to your schedule and lifestyle
• Generous vacation policy, including extended summer and winter breaks
• Early log-off on Fridays through Empower Hours
• 401(k) plan with employer matching
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus FSA options
• Paid parental leave benefits
• Commuter benefits
• Annual Growth Mindset stipend for books, events, or learning experiences
• Monthly technology reimbursement
• Wellness benefit program for mental and physical health
• 501c3 donation matching program
• Mentorship and ongoing professional development opportunities
• Monthly recognition and team celebrations
• Employee referral and new business referral bonuses
• Quarterly Highwire events and team gatherings
• Dog-friendly office environment
• A supportive, inclusive, and collaborative workplace where you can grow and do your best work

LOCATION & WORK ENVIRONMENT

This role is based onsite in Los Angeles, CA. Highwire supports remote and hybrid work arrangements depending on role and location. The company maintains hybrid options near certain offices with in-person requirements and also offers fully remote opportunities in a defined set of states; eligibility and specifics are determined at hire.

ABOUT HIGHWIRE

Highwire is a strategic marketing communications agency operating at the intersection of innovation and industry. We partner with ambitious brands to navigate complexity, lead markets, and grow with purpose, delivering bold ideas and measurable impact across B2B technology, healthcare, cybersecurity, energy, and professional services. Our culture centers on inclusion and belonging, ensuring everyone can thrive. Core values include Team Empowerment, Growth Mindset, Inclusion Always, and Fierce Distinction. We support every team member with opportunities for growth, comprehensive benefits, and a people-first approach to work.