Onward Search is looking for a Lead Motion Designer with a passion for sports to join our A-list client in Atlanta! This is an onsite, direct hire opportunity. PLEASE NOTE: While this role sits onsite in Atlanta, candidates from outside of that market who meet the qualifications and are willing to relocate to Atlanta are encouraged to apply; relocation assistance is available. Remote candidates will NOT be considered. Position Summary: Most importantly, you are a trailblazer and creative collaborator in the motion design world. And sports are your jam. Act as a trusted contributor to our Sports partners throughout the entire project lifecycle - from ideation and production, through final delivery. Create motion design and animation for promos, packaging, and other on-air/digital assets. Take an active role in interpreting the creative brief and independently concept, design, and execute a variety of looks across multiple brands, as well as work off creative briefs and/or style frames provided by client partners. Collaborate with a team of video editors, producers and other designers in a fast-paced, deadline-driven production environment. Demonstrate risk-taking and innovation by always looking for creative opportunities down the path less (or never) traveled. Actively participate in brainstorm sessions and support creative teams as needed. Expert-level skills in After Effects are required as are strong capabilities across the entire Adobe Creative Suite. Experience with Nuke, Cinema 4D, Resolve, Premiere, and other design, editing, and compositing tools is a plus. A fresh eye and prior experience elevating good design to great design are keys to success in this role, as are a passion and knowledge of various sports leagues including players, teams, and gameplay. You MUST be passionate about sports and working within the sports broadcast industry. Prior experience creating assets and packages for major sports leagues and high-profile sporting events is STRONGLY preferred and multiple relevant samples should be available for review in the submitted portfolio. Minimum Qualifications: A passion for all things sports. Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Motion Design, Video Production, or a similar field preferred. 10+ years of professional experience as a Video Editor, preferably as an independent freelancer or in a broadcast, advertising agency environment. Prior experience designing assets and packages for sports such as the NFL, PGA, NCAA, or MLB, including high profile projects and events like The Masters, the Final Four, March Madness, the World Series, or the Super Bowl with a specific focus on promo pieces, teases, and sizzles. Advanced Adobe Creative Suite skills, specifically expert-level skills in Adobe After Effects. Cinema4D, Resolve, Nuke, Premiere, and similar video editing, compositing, and design packages are a huge plus. Highly developed interpersonal skills and time management skills. Knowledge of social media platforms such as Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. A HIGHLY conceptual thinker who isn’t afraid to bring new ideas to the table and evangelize for their implementation. Must be able to create a variety of highly diverse, standalone packages for any given project. Exceptional command of motion, composition, color theory, and design thinking. Highly developed motion and graphic design skills including logo, typography, and graphic communication. The ability to develop and articulate a design concept and demonstrate creative thinking with a clear design process. An understanding of motion vocabulary and motion design from concept development to storyboarding and have a foundational knowledge of motion techniques, animation, and filmmaking. Knowledge of cameras and cinematography and an ability to work with getting different file formats received and/or delivered back to edit. An innate creative leadership approach delivering high-quality results even when the stakes are high. Expert multi-tasking skills and an ability to shift between concurrent assignments, prioritize effectively and adapt quickly to changing priorities, assignments, and roles under pressure. Outstanding verbal and written communication skills as well as a high degree of comfort driving relationships with internal clients and business partners. Ability to thrive in a highly collaborative, fast-paced, deadline-driven production environment and work independently across multiple concurrent projects. An easy-going personality with a positive attitude, a high degree of self-motivation, and an eagerness to roll up your sleeves when demand is high. A diverse, dynamic, high-energy reel is REQUIRED and should be submitted at the time of application. The inclusion of multiple executed high-end sports promos and trailers is STRONGLY preferred. Additional high-value samples are promos, sizzles, and similar short-form content for big entertainment brands, either scripted or unscripted. Hours are typically 10 am-6 pm, but you will frequently work outside of those hours. Work/life balance is incredibly important to the team and a great deal of schedule flexibility is offered. Does this sound like you? Apply today!
