Motion Design Lead

About the job

Make an undeniable impact with Apparent

We’re an independent agency of 200+ thinkers, creators, and solution-makers. We exist for one reason: to give our clients a competitive edge. It’s why we’re trusted by global giants like Google and Volkswagen, alongside iconic local brands and startups.

That edge comes from the standard we set for ourselves – the craft in every detail and the thought we put into every room we enter. We don’t settle for “good enough” because we care enough to make it great. If you’re looking for a place where your craft is respected, and the ego is left at the door, you’ve found it.

It’s an exciting time to join us at our brand-new, dog-friendly HQ in Eveleigh. We believe in high standards, but never at the expense of your life outside the office. It’s a culture our team actually advocates for; 99% of our people recommend Apparent as a great place to work.

What you can look forward to:

• Extra leave: Enjoy paid Summer Days for you and Reproductive Health Leave.
• Sustainable culture: A genuine focus on work-life balance and preventing burnout.
• Growth and mentorship: Access to training, development, coaching, and industry events.
• Progressive support: Gender-neutral paid parental leave and a commitment to genuine pay equity.
• Community impact: Opportunities to get involved in pro-bono programs and volunteer work.
• Wellbeing programs: Physical and mental health initiatives, including an EAP and RUOK? Day activities.

We’re also leaning into what’s next by actively embracing AI across our roles, using it to enhance our expertise and keep both our agency and our clients at the forefront of the industry.

We have an entrepreneurial spirit and we know the best work doesn’t always fit into neat, tidy boxes. Neither should you. If you’re a pro at your craft (or looking for a mentor who is) and a genuine collaborator ready to deliver something undeniable, let’s talk.

 The role

We are seeking a Motion Design Lead to step in, lead, grow and inspire a talented team of animators–pushing how we approach storytelling in video, motion and animation-led projects. You’ll be part of a broader multi-disciplinary creative team of designers, writers, illustrators, UXIers, writers and art directors, being the champion of all things moving.

We believe motion not only makes our work come alive, it also moves people on an emotional level. We are looking for someone to champion the art of storytelling, knowing what goes into a captivating story and how we can practically pull it all off (within budgets, timeframes and brand guidelines).

Working closely with Art Directors, Designers and Illustrators, you’ll be a key part of a team creating animations for use in social and digital content.

• Directly managing a tight-knit team of talented Animators and Designers.
• A natural storyteller who can take a simple idea and flesh it out into a captivating piece of video.
• Coordinating, directing, and collaborating with illustrators, writers, producers, VO artists, sound designers, video directors, musicians, and art directors to ensure every ingredient in a video fits seamlessly.
• Leading cross-team projects, educating and facilitating discussions on how we approach motion design and video edits.
• Diving into projects, with your hands on the tools. Whether you’re storyboarding, script writing, animating, or playing with a new experimental tool. We’re after a motion lead who still loves being hands-on, making magic happen. You’re consistently setting a high standard for our other animators to follow, while also maintaining a beginner’s mindset.
• Building out, finessing, and standardising our approach and process for motion design and video production as an agency.
• A production mindset on how we can deliver the highest quality of work, within budgets and timelines that range from tiny to huge.

Desired Skills and Experience

• 7+ years of design experience as a motion designer.
• Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of Motion Designers, fostering a collaborative and psychologically safe environment.
• Absolute command of the 12 Principles of Animation (squash & stretch, timing, anticipation, staging, follow-through, arcs, secondary action, etc.) applied seamlessly to design and motion typography.
• An eye for design, strong creative, problem-solving and organisational skills, and ambition to create groundbreaking work.
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced creative environment.
• Exceptional communication skills for rationales, project feedback, team reviews and client comms.
• A curiosity with an eagerness to learn, collaborate, share ideas, push boundaries and keep your finger on the pulse.
• Ability to build strong relationships with clients.
• Great presentation and persuasive skills. An ability to upsell and push our clients towards that one adventurous idea.
• Expert knowledge of Figma, Adobe Creative Suite – After Effects, Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Cinema 4D.
• We all like to dabble a bit and pick up new tools, so extra software skills (or a desire to learn them on the fly) include Lottie, Cavalry, Rive, Houdini and Blender.
• Fundamental knowledge of sound design

Ready to apply?

Please hit Apply Now or email your resume and cover letter to careers@apparent.com.au.