Associate Creative Director, Motion & Design

Highwire is seeking an Associate Creative Director, Motion & Design to lead motion graphics, video, and digital design within complex tech and B2B narratives. Based in Chicago with remote options, this role shapes multi-channel campaigns, defines visual standards, and mentors a design team while collaborating with Creative Directors, Digital Strategy Leads, Project Managers, and Account teams to turn intricate concepts into visually compelling stories.

Responsibilities

• Lead the ideation and execution of high-impact design and motion concepts for web, social campaigns, event experiences, brand video, and digital products.
• Own motion design standards and scalable asset systems, building templates, modular components, and reusable frameworks to support high-volume output while preserving brand craft and consistency; manage end-to-end workflows from storyboarding to post-production, including capacity forecasting, escalation protocols, and bottleneck prediction across simultaneous projects.
• Operate within AI-supported production workflows, collaborating with technical and AI-focused teammates under human-in-the-loop guardrails to balance speed, scale, and creative quality.
• Lead creative presentations for major client accounts and high-stakes pitches, clearly communicating the strategic rationale behind creative and motion-driven choices to non-creative stakeholders.
• Manage friction points between creative timelines and client demands, safeguarding production quality and team capacity while maintaining cross-functional collaboration.
• Directly manage a team of motion designers and brand designers, including formal performance reviews and development planning; cultivate a culture of continuous learning, experimentation, and technical growth while upholding delivery and craft standards.
• Guard Highwire's own visual brand while ensuring clients' visual systems remain cohesive and forward-thinking across mediums.
• Partner with Digital Strategy and Copy leads to ensure copy and visuals work in harmony to drive measurable business results.

Requirements

• 8+ years of professional design and motion experience, with at least 3+ years in a dedicated leadership or player-coach role (agency experience strongly preferred); proven people-management experience including formal performance evaluations is required.
• A portfolio demonstrating ownership of brand, motion, and video storytelling at campaign or systems level, plus solid typography, layout, and UI/UX fundamentals.
• Expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (After Effects, Premiere, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and Figma; experience with 3D software (Cinema 4D or Blender) is a major plus; familiarity with Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve is helpful.
• Deep experience creating, scaling, and maintaining comprehensive digital and motion design systems.
• Strong understanding of UX/UI principles, digital accessibility standards, and multi-platform social media optimization.
• Thrives under pressure with good judgment for managing competing priorities across multiple concurrent projects; working knowledge of AI-integrated workflows and comfort operating within human-in-the-loop guardrails.

Technologies

• Adobe Creative Suite (After Effects, Premiere, Photoshop, Illustrator, 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

About Highwire

• Team Empowerment
• Growth Mindset
• Inclusion Always
• Fierce Distinction

Location & Work Environment

Hybrid: Candidates located within commuting distance of our New York, NY or San Francisco, CA offices follow a hybrid schedule with three in-office days per week.

Remote: We hire for fully remote roles in the following states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Washington, D.C.

Please note: We are only able to consider candidates who reside in one of the locations listed above at the time of hire.