Role Description
Motion Designers at Narrative bring campaigns to life through animation and motion graphics that run in the real world: on television, streaming platforms, digital media, and social channels. Our campaigns shape public opinion on the issues that matter, and elevated design in motion is increasingly central to how that work lands with audiences. This mid-level role typically requires 3+ years of experience designing and animating for streaming video, digital, and paid social. Motion Designers at Narrative are responsible for translating scripts, storyboards, and static assets into polished animated content that serves the broader campaign strategy.
The ideal candidate has a strong design sensibility, excellent animation fundamentals, and deep proficiency in Adobe After Effects, Premiere, and related tools. They can execute independently, thrive under real deadlines, and collaborate comfortably with creative directors, producers, and account teams to deliver content that is on-message and on-time. Experience in political, public affairs, or advocacy communications is a plus. If you see emerging technology as a creative accelerator, you'll fit right in.
Typical Responsibilities
- Design and animate motion graphics for TV/CTV, digital, and paid social
- Adapt creative concepts across placements (CTV vs. Social vs. Vertical)
- Partner with Design, Strategy, and Account teams to shape how messaging lands through pacing, visual structure and typography.
- Manage project files, templates, and renders with consistency and organization across simultaneous campaigns.
- Continuously evaluate plugins, render workflows, AI-assisted tools, and asset organization to provide recommendations for our video tech stack that enhances speed while maintaining creative control and quality.
- Own motion “systems”, not just deliverables: Stay current on motion trends, tools, and techniques that help build reusable animation toolkits (type systems, transitions, lower-third packages, templates) that raise the creative floor across campaigns.
- Execute across rapid-turn review cycles, adapting animations to evolving scripts, feedback, and messaging priorities while maintaining creative ownership in review cycles.
Qualifications:
- 3+ years of professional experience in motion design, animation, or a related role.
- Expert proficiency in Adobe After Effects; strong working knowledge of Premiere Pro, Illustrator, and Photoshop.
- Experience designing for broadcast and digital formats, including 30-second and 15-second spots, long-form digital video, and social-native content
- Strong design fundamentals — typography, composition, color, and pacing
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
- A portfolio that demonstrates range, craft, and the ability to serve a message, not just a look
- Experience with Cinema 4D, DaVinci Resolve, other motion/compositing tools, and/or offline or online editing in Premiere Pro is a plus
- Hands-on curiosity with AI creative tools (generative video, AI compositing, prompt-to-motion workflows, etc.) and a drive to find smarter ways to work
- Political, public affairs, or advocacy campaign experience is a plus.
About Narrative:
Narrative is a strategic communications firm solving today’s most demanding reputational and public affairs challenges. We leverage best practices in business, politics, and journalism to manage multi-faceted communications campaigns. Narrative’s differentiating strength is its team and culture. Our bipartisan team of professionals operates in a highly collaborative environment where we support and value our clients and each other.
That commitment is reflected in Narrative, having been recognized four years in a row as one of PR Week’s Best Places to Work and as one of PRNews’Agency Elite Top 100. Narrative offers a competitive 401k matching program and work-from-home flexibility on Fridays and around major holidays.
Location
Washington, District of Columbia
Department
Creative Services
Employment Type
Full-Time
Minimum Experience
Mid-level
Compensation
$80,000-$95,000
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