Careers

About the Role

We’re hiring a Senior 2D Animator who can create fluid, expressive, and emotionally engaging animation for campaign content, storytelling assets, and character-led sequences. You’ll work across narrative scenes, typographic animations, explainer videos, branded content, and mixed-media campaigns.

This role requires both hands-on animation expertise and strong visual storytelling instincts. You will collaborate closely with creative leads, storyboard artists, designers, editors, and producers — especially on government and culturally focused content.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and animate original 2D assets (characters, typography, icons, transitions, etc.)
• Collaborate with creative and storyboard teams to bring scripts and narratives to life
• Create clean, layered, and organized project files ready for revision and rendering
• Animate both character-driven scenes and brand-led campaign pieces
• Deliver to multiple formats and specifications across social, digital, and event platforms
• Work with voiceover and audio design to sync movement and mood
• Manage timelines and deliverables across multiple projects
• Help review and mentor junior animators or freelancers as needed

Required Qualifications & Experience

• 5+ years of professional experience in 2D animation (agency or studio preferred)
• Expert-level proficiency in After Effects and Illustrator (Photoshop a plus)
• Strong understanding of timing, spacing, and narrative flow in animation
• Experience working with voiceover, lip-syncing, and culturally appropriate motion
• Comfortable creating animated content for bilingual (Arabic/English) projects
• Able to work independently and under pressure across multiple timelines
• Excellent communication, file organization, and revision handling

Bonus Skills (Nice to Have)

• Character rigging (Duik, RubberHose, or similar tools)
• Frame-by-frame or hybrid animation skills
• Knowledge of Arabic typography and cultural design styles
• Experience working on government, education, or social impact campaigns
• Familiarity with motion design trends across the GCC and global platforms
• Experience collaborating with editors, designers, and composers

Why Join ZIA

• Work on meaningful, high-impact national projects
• Competitive salary and performance-based growth opportunities
• Exposure to cross-collaborative work across disciplines, clients, and cultures
• A diverse, dynamic, multicultural team with a shared standard of excellence
• A creative culture that celebrates innovation, authenticity, bold thinking, cultural relevance, and results

about ZIA

ZIA Creative Network is a culturally rooted creative agency with offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Halifax. Headquartered in the UAE, we specialize in bold, human-centered campaigns for leading brands and government entities across the Emirates and wider GCC. Our work also extends internationally, with select projects reaching audiences in North America and beyond.

At ZIA, we combine deep regional insight with global creative standards to produce culturally meaningful, high-impact work across strategy, content, creative production, and digital platforms. We pride ourselves on delivering locally resonant, globally competitive ideas that drive real-world results.

Important Note: ZIA is a high-performance, high-stakes environment. If you thrive under pressure, enjoy the intensity of tight deadlines, and take pride in producing exceptional work that moves people and shapes culture — you’ll fit right in. We’re looking for team members who are ambitious, resilient, and excited to push creative and strategic boundaries every day.