Associate Creative Director, Motion & Design

Highwire•San Francisco, CA

3d•$110,000 - $150,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Highwire’s creative team sits within the agency’s Innovation practice. We lead the creative strategy, design, and execution of powerful, valuable, and impactful ideas that drive business impact for our clients. We weave insights into ideas, make ideas real, and combine multidimensional creativity with strategic storytelling so our clients stand out from the competition. We believe the biggest ideas don’t have to be the most complex, and we champion the importance of matching high-caliber creative delivery with strategic motivation. As the Associate Creative Director, Motion & Design, you will be a driving creative force within the agency, working on Fortune 500 clients. You will bridge the gap between high-level conceptual thinking and flawless visual execution, specifically spearheading our motion graphics, video, and digital design output. In this role, you will lead the creative development of multi-channel campaigns, brand visual identities, and immersive digital experiences for a diverse roster of clients. You aren't just managing the work; you are setting the visual standard, leading pitches, and inspiring a talented team of designers and animators to push boundaries across social media, digital content, events, and interactive platforms. You'll work seamlessly with our Creative Directors, Digital Strategy Leads, Project Managers, and Account teams to transform complex tech and B2B narratives into awe-inspiring visual stories. This position will report to the VP, Creative Director. You’ll co-lead creative for large-scale account engagements with high visibility and stakes. You’ll join at the ground floor of our AI-integrated production workflows, working directly within a guardrail architecture team. You’ll step into high-growth engagements, building a record of expanding scope and responsibility.

Requirements

8+ years of professional design and motion experience, with at least 3+ years in a dedicated creative leadership or player-coach role (agency experience heavily preferred).
Demonstrated direct people management experience, including conducting formal performance evaluations, is required.
A portfolio demonstrating ownership of brand, motion, and video storytelling at a campaign or systems level, not just individual pieces, alongside strong typography, layout, and UI/UX fundamentals.
Expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (After Effects, Premiere, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and Figma.
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.
A thriving-under-pressure mentality with strong judgment for managing competing priorities across multiple concurrent projects.
Working knowledge of AI-integrated creative workflows, including comfort operating within human-in-the-loop guardrails for AI-supported concepting and production.

Nice To Haves

Experience with 3D software (Cinema 4D or Blender) is a massive plus.
Experience with Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve is helpful.

Responsibilities

Lead the conceptualization and execution of high-impact design and motion concepts for web, social campaigns, event experiences, brand video, and digital products.
Establish and optimize the agency's motion design standards and best practices, including building scalable motion asset systems (templates, modular components, reusable frameworks) that support high-volume output without sacrificing brand consistency or craft quality.
Own and continuously refine motion design workflows end to end (from storyboarding to final post-production), including capacity forecasting, escalation protocols, and bottleneck prediction across simultaneous high-volume workstreams.
Operate within AI-supported creative production workflows, partnering with technical and AI-focused team members under established human-in-the-loop guardrails to balance speed, scale, and creative quality.
Own creative presentations for major client accounts and high-stakes new business pitches. Effectively articulate the strategic "why" behind creative and motion-driven choices to non-creative stakeholders.
Manage friction points between creative timelines and account or client demands, protecting production quality and team capacity while maintaining a collaborative cross-functional relationship.
Directly manage a team of motion designers and brand designers, including formal performance reviews and development planning. Foster a culture of continuous learning, creative experimentation, and technical growth, while holding the team to clear delivery and craft standards.
Act as the primary guardian of Highwire’s own visual brand, while simultaneously ensuring clients' visual systems remain cohesive and forward-thinking across all mediums.
Partner with Digital Strategy and Copy leads to ensure copy and visuals work in perfect harmony to drive measurable business results.

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 our Empower Hours program
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