Dentsu America

Motion Designer

Dentsu America$71K — $100K *
Media
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 3-5 years of motion design experience in an agency, studio, or in-house team
  • Strong portfolio showing social, campaign, and brand work with design thinking
  • Expert-level skills in After Effects and its plugin ecosystem
  • Proficient in Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro
  • Strong graphic design and typography skills
  • Basic knowledge of audio editing for synchronizing sound with motion
  • Understanding of social media platforms and content performance metrics

Responsibilities

  • Own motion projects from concept to delivery
  • Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure timely and on-brand output
  • Build and maintain reusable templates and motion systems to enhance efficiency
  • Design for various social platforms, optimizing content for each
  • Manage multiple projects under shifting deadlines while maintaining quality
  • Source and integrate music and sound into motion projects
  • Maintain brand consistency according to client guidelines

Benefits

  • Medical, vision, and dental insurance
  • Life insurance
  • Short-term and long-term disability insurance
  • 401k plan
  • Flexible paid time off
  • At least 15 paid holidays per year
  • Paid sick and safe leave
  • Paid parental leave
Full Job Description

Job Description:

Dentsu Creative's Motion Team is looking for a mid-level Motion Designer. You'll work in a highly creative environment, across campaign, brand, and social content — concepting and delivering motion design for some of the biggest brands in the world. Your primary focus will be one of the most recognized names on the planet — a marquee client we can only reveal once you're in the room. Working closely with other creative thinkers, you'll put animation principles and visual storytelling into practice to bring ideas and concepts to life through motion. You'll own your projects, build systems that help the team move faster, and be comfortable leading your own work in a fast-paced agency environment.

What You'll Do
  • Own motion projects end-to-end — from concept and pitch through design, animation, and final delivery

  • Collaborate with Creative Directors, Art Directors, Producers, and Project Managers to deliver on-brand, on-time work

  • Build and maintain reusable templates, motion systems, and toolkits that improve team speed and consistency

  • Design for platform — Be versed in best-practices to deliver content designed and optimized for TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, paid social, and other channels

  • Manage multiple projects with shifting deadlines without sacrificing quality

  • Source and mix music and sound for motion deliverables

  • Maintain brand consistency across all work in line with client guidelines

  • Contribute to the team's creative culture — share ideas, give feedback, help improve how we work

Requirements
  • 3–5 years of professional experience as a motion designer, ideally in an agency, studio, or in-house creative team

  • Strong portfolio/reel showing range across social, campaign, and brand work — we want to see design thinking, not just keyframes

  • Expert-level After Effects — including expressions, shape layer animation, and familiarity with the plugin ecosystem

  • Proficiency in Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro

  • Strong graphic design and typography skills — you should be able to design a beautiful frame before you animate it

  • Combining live-action footage and motion design should be second nature

  • Working knowledge of Cinema 4D or Blender — enough to bring 3D elements into motion work (not a VFX role, but 3D literacy is expected in 2026)

  • Understanding of social platforms, trends, specs, and what makes content perform

  • Basic audio editing — syncing sound to motion, mixing, selecting music

  • Disciplined file organization — clean project files, consistent naming conventions, and handoff-ready file management

  • Clear communicator — can present work, take feedback constructively, and articulate design decisions to clients and teams

AI in Your Workflow

AI is being integrated into our workflows. We expect you to be actively using it, not just aware of it.

  • Use AI tools to speed up your process — generating references, iterating on concepts, exploring layouts, streamlining repetitive tasks. Tools like Google VEO, Nano Banana, Adobe Firefly, Claude, Copilot and others. are evolving fast. Stay curious and share what works.

  • Your design eye, animation instincts, and storytelling are what matter most. AI helps you move faster — it doesn't replace taste and craft.

Nice to Have
  • Experience with Figma, Rive, or Lottie for web/interactive motion

  • After Effects scripting (ExtendScript, JSX)

  • Experience building motion systems or templates at scale

What This Role Isn't
  • This is not a VFX-heavy role — if your reel is mostly compositing, particles, and simulation, this probably isn't the right fit

  • This is not a junior role — we need someone who can own projects independently from day one

  • This is a role for a designer-animator hybrid who loves moving between campaign and social work, collaborates well, and wants to help build something great

#LI-Hybrid #LI-MS5

Additional Information

At dentsu, we believe great work happens when we’re connected. Our way of working combines flexibility with in-person collaboration to spark ideas and strengthen our teams. Employees who live within a commutable distance of one of our hub offices, currently located in Chicago, metro Detroit, Los Angeles, and New York City, are required and expected to work from the office three days per week (two days per week for employees based in Los Angeles). Dentsu may designate other Hub offices at any time. Those who live outside a commutable range may be designated as remote, depending on the role and business needs. Regardless of your work location, we expect our employees to be flexible to meet the needs of our Company and clients, which may include attendance in an office.

Theannualsalary range for this position is $71,875 - $100,000. Placement within the salary rangeis based on a variety of factors,including relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and other factorspermittedby law.

Benefits available with this position include:

 Medical, vision, and dental insurance,

 Life insurance,

 Short-term and long-term disability insurance,

401k,

Flexiblepaidtimeoff,

At least 15paid holidays per year,

 Paid sickand safeleave, and

Paid parentalleave.

Dentsu alsocomplieswithapplicable state and local lawsregardingemployee leave benefits, including, but not limited to providing time offpursuant tothe Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act,in accordance withits plans and policies.Forfurther detailsregardingDentsu benefits, please visit www.dentsubenefitsplus.com.

To begin the application process, please click on the Apply button at the top of this job posting. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, and qualified candidates will be contacted fornextsteps

Location:

New York - 150 E 42nd

Brand:

Dentsu Creative

Time Type:

Full time

Contract Type:

Permanent

About Dentsu America

Dentsu is a Japanese public relations and advertising firm that offers communication-related solutions and services such as management and business consulting.

Dentsu Careers

There has never been a more opportune time to join the dynamic team at Dentsu—the forefront leader in digital marketing and advertising services.

Opportunities Await

Dentsu offers a plethora of job opportunities designed to foster professional growth and innovation. Join a team that is committed to transforming the landscape of digital media and communications.

Transform Your Career

Dentsu’s market-leading position enables its team to help some of the most well-known companies navigate the complexities of digital marketing with cutting-edge solutions. At the intersection of technology, industry expertise, and digital innovation, Dentsu stands as a beacon of leadership and professional development.

Engage in Meaningful Work

Collaborate with over 60,000 professionals globally, who are dedicated to pioneering change and driving diversity in the digital space. Dentsu provides a platform for its team to influence major brands and industries profoundly.

Innovative Employment and Internship Opportunities

Whether looking for a full-time position or an internship, Dentsu offers roles that challenge the norms and encourage out-of-the-box thinking. Employment at Dentsu means contributing to projects that harness innovation and creativity.

Cultivate Essential Skills

Dentsu is a place where skills are honed and excellence is nurtured. The company offers extensive training programs, including leadership development and diversity training, ensuring that every team member can achieve their career aspirations.

Experience the Dentsu Culture

Dentsu is celebrated for its inclusive culture and commitment to employee benefits and well-being. The company fosters an environment where all team members can thrive both professionally and personally.

Networking and Professional Growth

The growth of Dentsu’s team members is propelled by unparalleled opportunities for networking and career advancement. The company’s global presence offers unique opportunities for cross-cultural collaborations and insights.

Join Dentsu’s Team

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Learn more about Dentsu America
Size
64,832 employees
Industry
Founded
1901
NASDAQ

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