Animation Manager

About the Company

We are an innovative organization focused on producing top-tier animation, digital content, and immersive storytelling experiences in the UAE and the region. Our strength lies in creativity, cutting-edge technology, effective production management, and collaboration across artistic and technical teams to deliver engaging content for entertainment, media, advertising, education, gaming, and digital platforms.

Job Overview

We are looking for a seasoned Animation Manager to lead our animation production efforts, managing creative teams, workflows, budgets, and quality across multiple projects. This role will oversee animators, artists, and external partners to ensure projects meet deadlines, budgets, and technical and creative standards. Ideal candidates will have expertise in 2D/3D animation, motion graphics, visual effects, character or game animation, and digital content production.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement animation production strategies that align with creative and business goals.
• Guide animation projects from initial concept through to final delivery.
• Lead diverse animation teams including animators, storyboard artists, riggers, modelers, lighting artists, compositors, and technical staff.
• Set production schedules, milestones, workflows, and resource allocation.
• Interpret creative briefs and storyboards into actionable animation plans.
• Review animation quality focusing on character movement, timing, composition, and storytelling.
• Ensure outputs meet brand, client, creative, and technical standards.
• Collaborate closely with directors, producers, writers, VFX, sound teams, and other creatives.
• Manage budgeting, staffing, resources, and relationships with freelance artists and external vendors.
• Identify and resolve production challenges and optimize resource use.
• Track project progress to ensure milestone adherence.
• Establish quality-control and review procedures for animation.
• Provide constructive feedback and creative guidance to teams.
• Recruit, mentor, and develop animation and production personnel.
• Coordinate asset creation, rigs, environments, animation libraries, and pipeline tools.
• Maintain and enhance animation style guides and technical standards.
• Evaluate new tools including AI-assisted workflows and rendering technology.
• Work with technology teams to improve animation pipelines and efficiency.
• Oversee proper file management, versioning, and production documentation.
• Prepare detailed production reports, budgets, schedules, and executive presentations.
• Manage client reviews, approvals, revisions, and feedback.
• Ensure compliance with intellectual property, licensing, confidentiality, and content standards.
• Drive continual improvements in animation quality, efficiency, team performance, and innovation.

Candidate Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Animation, Computer Graphics, Digital Media, Fine Arts, Visual Effects, Film Production, or related areas.
• 5 to 10+ years of professional experience in animation production, VFX, motion graphics, gaming, or media production.
• Demonstrated ability managing animation teams and complex creative projects.
• In-depth knowledge of animation principles, storytelling, character movement, visual composition, and production processes.
• Experience handling schedules, budgets, resources, and creative deliverables.
• Thorough understanding of 2D and/or 3D animation production pipelines.
• Effective collaboration with creative directors, producers, clients, artists, and technical professionals.
• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Exceptional creative insight and meticulous attention to detail.
• Capability to juggle multiple projects within fast-paced production environments.
• Familiarity with the UAE's creative, media, entertainment, and digital content landscape is highly advantageous.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Animation, Digital Media, Film, Visual Effects, Computer Graphics, or related disciplines.
• Advanced proficiency or management experience with software such as Maya, Blender, 3ds Max, Cinema 4D, Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, Toon Boom, Houdini, or equivalents.
• Experience with real-time engines like Unreal Engine, Unity; virtual production; or interactive media.
• Knowledge of motion capture, facial animation, character rigging, procedural and real-time animation technologies.
• Experience managing pipelines for film, TV, advertising, gaming, immersive experiences, theme parks, education, or branded content.
• Exposure to AI-assisted animation, generative workflows, procedural content, or automation tools.
• Strong portfolio showcasing high-quality animation projects and leadership.
• Experience working with international studios and multi-national teams.
• Work history within UAE and GCC creative sectors is beneficial.
• Engagement with major entertainment, cultural, tourism, or media projects in the UAE is a plus.
• Fluent English required; Arabic language skills are advantageous.

Compensation and Benefits

• Permanent full-time role based in the United Arab Emirates.
• Competitive remuneration and performance-related rewards.
• Opportunities to lead prominent animation and digital content projects.
• Participation in major UAE media, entertainment, cultural and gaming initiatives.
• Access to the latest animation technologies and creative software.
• Support for professional growth and leadership development.
• Innovative studio environment fostering collaboration.
• Chance to work alongside international creative and production experts.
• Comprehensive benefits package.