Creative Director, Motion Design

Overview
MAI Creative Studio defines how Microsoft AI products feel, move, and communicate across surfaces. As Copilot converges work and life experiences, motion carries identity, clarity, and emotion through the product.
This is a foundational role. You'll establish motion as a system-level language across MAI: a coherent set of primitives that governs how AI behaves, responds, and expresses itself. The scope runs from system transitions and interaction feedback through agent behavior and narrative storytelling.
The work sits at the intersection of product, design, and brand. You'll translate emerging AI capabilities into experiences that feel understandable, expressive, and distinctly ours.
Responsibilities
Define motion as a system
Develop and evolve MAI's motion design language: principles, patterns, core behaviors
Define reusable motion primitives that scale across Copilot product surfaces and marketing contexts
Establish a cohesive motion system across interaction, identity, and storytelling
Drive product and brand cohesion through motion
Lead motion direction across product experiences, brand expression, and cultural storytelling
Translate product capabilities into expressive, emotionally resonant interactions
Reinforce tone of voice, narrative arc, and overall experience coherence
Lead high-craft execution
Direct creation of high-fidelity motion across UI systems, agent behavior, and narrative content
Set the bar for craft across internal teams and external partners (agencies, specialists)
Oversee motion system development, prototypes, and reference implementations
Lead motion partnerships across Microsoft
Establish and steward relationships with motion and design teams across MSFT (Fluent, Windows, Office, Edge, and beyond)
Align motion language and craft standards where MAI work touches the broader Microsoft surface
Represent MAI's expressive language in cross-org design forums and reviews
Identify opportunities for shared systems, joint craft initiatives, and reciprocal influence
Build and scale the motion discipline
Lead and develop a small senior team
Mentor motion designers, creative technologists, and collaborators
Define workflows, critique standards, and best practices for motion at scale
Determine when to leverage internal teams vs specialist contractors (3D, animation systems)
Operate as a cross-functional creative leader
Partner with product design, engineering, brand, and production to embed motion into shipped experiences
Act as connective tissue between product and marketing execution
Shape upstream decisions about how experiences should feel
Qualifications
Required
Master's Degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Human Computer Interaction, User Experience, Interaction Design, or related field AND 7+ years experience working in product or service designOR Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Human Computer Interaction, User Experience, Interaction Design, or related field AND 9+ years experience working in product or service design
OR equivalent experience (e.g., demonstrated experience working in product or service design or using design thinking to solve problems).
5+ years people management experience.
Preferred
Experience with AI-driven or agent-based experiences
8-12+ years in motion design, animation, or creative direction
Proven experience building motion systems at scale
A portfolio spanning product motion, identity systems, and storytelling
Strong creative point of view; comfort defining direction in ambiguous spaces
Experience working across product and marketing
Background in character, behavior, or expressive system design
Familiarity with real-time motion frameworks (Lottie, Rive, game engines)
Comfort working at both system strategy and execution detail
Product Design M6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $165,600 - $296,400 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $220,800 - $331,200 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.