Associate Director, Studio

WHY DEPT®?

We are a Growth Invention company built to help the world’s most ambitious brands grow faster. Operating at the intersection of technology and marketing, we create what is next by pioneering ideas, acting fast, and moving further because standing still just is not in our DNA.

We are drawn to people who stay curious, move with intent, and never stop inventing. Our culture runs on three values: better together, relentlessly curious, and get sh*t done. It is how we work, how we grow, and how we make things that matter.

At DEPT®, you will find the freedom to explore, the space to collaborate, and the trust to make a real impact for our clients, for each other, and for the world we are helping to build.

THE ROLE:

We are looking for an Associate Director of Studio to help lead a modern studio team at the intersection of craft, production, design systems, motion, and technology enablement.

This role is ideal for someone who combines strong creative and production instincts with a passion for improving how work gets made. You bring a sharp eye for craft and consistency across motion, design, and digital assets, while helping teams evolve workflows through automation, AI-enabled tooling, and smarter studio systems.

You will help guide a hybrid studio team that may include Creative Technologists and multidisciplinary studio talent across motion, design, and design systems. You are equally comfortable leading reviews, mentoring team members, partnering cross-functionally, and jumping into the work directly when needed. You know how to raise the quality of creative output while also helping make delivery more scalable, efficient, and future-ready.

This is not a pure Technology AI role. It is a studio leadership role for someone who understands that modern craft excellence depends on strong workflows, thoughtful automation, and practical use of emerging technology.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

• Help lead a multidisciplinary studio team across motion, design, design systems, and creative technology
• Maintain a high bar for craft, consistency, and execution across motion, video, static, digital, and adaptive deliverables
• Partner cross-functionally with creative, production, project management, strategy, client, and technology teams from concept through delivery
• Act as a hands-on studio leader, reviewing work, solving production challenges, and contributing directly when needed
• Improve studio workflows through automation, AI-enabled tools, process design, and technical enablement
• Partner with studio and craft leads to scale best practices across production standards, design systems, QA, localization, versioning, and delivery
• Work with Creative Technologists and other specialists to test and implement tools that improve quality, speed, and scalability
• Support planning, mentoring, capability building, and innovation across the studio
• Stay current on emerging creative technologies, platform requirements, and digital best practices

WHAT YOU BRING:

• 7+ years of experience in studio, motion, design, production, creative technology, or related digital creative roles, ideally including 5+ years in an agency environment
• 2+ years of experience managing or mentoring team members. Experience managing Creative Technologists a plus.
• Strong background in motion design, digital design, production, or creative technology, with a portfolio that reflects high craft and executional range
• Experience leading or contributing to complex workflows across motion, static, video, adaptive, and platform-specific deliverables
• Strong understanding of high-volume creative production, including review, QA, delivery, localization, and versioning
• Clear point of view on how automation, AI, and emerging technology can improve workflows without compromising creative quality
• Experience collaborating across creative, production, project management, strategy, client, and technology teams
• Comfortable balancing leadership and execution, with the ability to think strategically and stay hands-on
• Strong communication, organization, attention to detail, and problem-solving skills
• Strong visual judgment across typography, layout, polish, and QA
• Curiosity, rigor, sound judgment, and a builder mindset
• Experience defining new studio capabilities, innovation workflows, or scalable production systems are a plus
• Client-facing experience, including presenting work, discussing workflows, or helping shape solutions with clients are a plus

TOOLS & TECHNICAL FLUENCY

You do not need to be an engineer, but you should be comfortable working across modern studio and creative technology environments.

Proficiency in the following programs/tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite, especially After Effects, Premiere, Photoshop, and Illustrator
• Figma
• 2D animation and video production workflows
• Frame.io
• Google Workspace and Microsoft Office
• Design systems and DAM workflows
• Project management and collaboration tools such as Asana, Dropbox, Google Drive, or similar

Helpful technical fluency includes:

• AI-enabled creative tools such as Weavy, Firefly, Runway, ComfyUI, Replicate, Gemini, or similar
• 3D animation or VFX workflows
• Creative automation, templating, or workflow automation tools
• Scripting or coding familiarity, especially JavaScript or Python
• API-connected creative workflows, prototyping, or tool customization

WHAT DO WE OFFER?

We are a collaborative, open-door, best-idea-wins environment that fosters personal and company growth and has fun doing it. Here is a snapshot of our benefits package:

• Healthcare, Dental, and Vision coverage
• 401k plan, plus matching
• PTO
• Paid Company Holidays
• Parental Leave