Animation Lead

We are looking for someone who can think beyond individual shots and take responsibility for the overall quality of a piece: ensuring that the story is clear, the storyboard and animatic communicate effectively, the layout has strong composition and timing, and the animation delivers appealing and engaging performances. You will directly supervise Storyboard Artists and Animators, providing creative direction, feedback and support throughout production. While this is primarily a leadership and project direction role, you may also contribute hands-on to Autodesk Maya layout or animation tasks when workload allows. Lead the animation and cinematic execution of trailers, cinematics, UA ads and marketing videos, from the initial brief through storyboard, layout and animation. Work closely with Creatives to ensure that the original idea, objectives, key messages and mandatory requirements defined in the brief are properly translated throughout production. Direct and review storyboards and animatics, ensuring narrative clarity, strong composition, staging, camera language, pacing, acting and timing. Supervise 3D layout and character animation, ensuring that camera work, performances, posing and movement are appealing, polished and appropriate for the tone and objective of each piece. Directly supervise Storyboard Artists and Animators, working closely with Producers to align on task allocation and priorities based on project needs, team capacity and individual strengths, while providing clear and actionable feedback and supporting the team’s artistic and professional development. Perform asset checks during pre-production, identifying the characters, props, environments, rigs and asset adaptations required for layout and animation. Use these asset checks to help structure pre-production and coordinate dependencies, priorities and handovers across the Animation, Assets and Lighting teams. Collaborate closely with the Asset Lead, who retains ownership of modeling and rigging, providing clear and detailed asset and rigging requests based on production needs. Coordinate with the Lighting Lead to ensure a smooth handover of approved cameras, animation and assets into lighting pipelined (UE5, C4D...), and collaborate when important VFX elements affect storytelling, staging or timing. Partner with the Motion Designer Lead on UA videos and projects with a significant motion design component, ensuring that 3D animation integrates effectively with motion graphics, transitions and editorial flow. Identify narrative, visual, technical and production risks early, proactively proposing practical solutions that protect quality, deadlines and the creative intention of the project. Collaborate with multidisciplinary internal teams and external vendors, maintaining consistent storytelling and animation quality across projects with different styles and tones. Contribute hands-on to Maya layout or 3D animation tasks when project priorities and workload allow. Research emerging AI tools and explore innovative workflows that can support storyboarding, previs, layout, animation and production planning. Help identify and implement practical AI-assisted workflows that improve creative iteration, production efficiency and communication between teams. What you will need Minimum 5 years of professional experience in 3D animation, cinematics, advertising, games, feature animation, VFX or a related entertainment field. Previous experience as a Lead Animator, Animation Director, Supervising Animator or in a comparable role involving project and team leadership. A strong portfolio or reel demonstrating high-quality 3D character animation, cinematic storytelling and animation direction. Advanced knowledge of Autodesk Maya and professional 3D animation workflows. Strong knowledge of 3D character animation, including body mechanics, posing, acting, facial performance, timing, spacing, weight and appeal. Strong 3D direction skills, with the ability to supervise storytelling, camera work, staging, composition, pacing, layout and character performance across an entire piece. Good understanding of modeling and rigging dependencies and the ability to anticipate the assets and rig functionality required for animation production. Experience reviewing rigs and identifying requirements related to character performance, props, interactions, facial animation and technical animation needs. Ability to manage multiple projects, priorities and stakeholders while maintaining a high standard of quality. Excellent communication and presentation skills in English. Organized and proactive mindset, with the ability to make decisions, solve problems and maintain a clear creative direction in a fast-paced production environment. Collaborative attitude and the ability to work effectively with multidisciplinary teams, discipline leads, stakeholders and external vendors. Comfortable working in a constructive cross-feedback environment and delivering high-quality work under tight deadlines. An open and proactive attitude towards AI, with a willingness to explore new tools, adapt workflows and apply them responsibly within creative production. Nice to have Storyboarding, drawing or visual development skills. Experience in 2D animation. Ability to create thumbnails, draw-overs, paint-overs or quick visual notes to communicate feedback and direction. Experience developing animatics or working directly with Storyboard Artists during pre-production. Experience directing or supervising external vendors. Experience producing game trailers, cinematics, UA ads or other short-form marketing content. Experience in mobile games, advertising or character-driven entertainment. Experience using AI-assisted tools or workflows in animation, storyboarding, previs or other areas of creative production. Experience in mobile games or entertainment is a strong plus. Please ensure that the résumé/CV and reel you attach are written in English. About Scopely Scopely is a leading