Animation Project Manager Jobs in Buffalo, NY (NOW HIRING)

THE ROLE

Agency 15 is looking for a VFX Generalist to own video editing, 2D/3D animation, and motion graphics across a client roster that ranges from tight-turnaround commercials for home-services and manufacturing clients to large, multi-channel campaigns and interactive display work. This role blends traditional post-production craft — editing, compositing, lighting, and animation — with fluency in today’s AI video generation tools, using them to extend capability, speed up iteration, and round out what a small in-house team can produce.

You won’t need to run camera on set, but you do need a genuine, technical understanding of lighting, motion, and composition — the kind of eye that knows why a shot works, whether it was captured on set or generated. This is a hands-on production role inside a fast-moving agency, not a specialist silo; you’ll move between quick-turn service-company spots and more ambitious campaign and interactive work in the same week.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Edit and finish video content across a range of formats — broadcast/OTT commercials, social cutdowns, campaign films, and interactive display content.
• Produce 2D and 3D animation and motion graphics, from lower-thirds and title work to full animated sequences and product visualizations.
• Apply AI video generation and editing tools (Seedance 2.0, Google Veo, Gemini, and similar/emerging platforms) to accelerate production, generate b-roll and supplemental footage, and extend the visual range of smaller-budget projects.
• Light, render, and composite 3D work in Cinema 4D (or comparable), managing render farm workflows for efficient turnaround on demanding jobs.
• Execute end-to-end post-production in Adobe Creative Cloud — Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop, and Media Encoder — including color, sound sync, and delivery specs for broadcast, digital, and interactive/display formats.
• Collaborate with producers, creative directors, and account teams to translate creative briefs into finished assets on tight deadlines, flagging risk to timeline or quality early.
• Build and maintain efficient project pipelines and file/version management so work can move cleanly between team members and freelancers under deadline pressure.
• Support technology integration on interactive and display projects, working with developers and vendors as needed.

WHAT YOU BRING

• 3–6+ years in video editing, VFX, or motion design, ideally in an agency, studio, or in-house production environment handling multiple concurrent projects.
• Strong working knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud (Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop) and Cinema 4D or an equivalent 3D application.
• Real experience with AI video/image generation tools (Seedance 2.0, Veo, Gemini, Runway, Kling, Sora, or similar) and a point of view on when to use them versus traditional production.
• Deep practical understanding of lighting and composition principles — for 3D/CG work as well as evaluating and enhancing live-action footage — even without a camera-operation background.
• Comfort with render farm workflows and file/asset management on larger renders and campaigns.
• Process-minded: able to work efficiently under tight deadlines, manage multiple projects in flight, and communicate status clearly as part of a small, senior team.
• A reel demonstrating both animation/motion work and video editing — required to be considered.

NICE TO HAVE

• Experience with interactive or display technology integration (touchscreens, projection, real-time engines, or similar).
• Sound design or audio sweetening experience.
• Familiarity with brand and manufacturing-sector client work.

COMPENSATION

Base pay depends on experience level, scope (contract vs. full-time), and 3D/AI skill depth. As a market reference point, national compensation data for VFX Generalist roles centers in the low-to-mid $60,000s (25th–75th percentile roughly $52,000–$74,000/year), while Western New York-specific benchmarks for VFX/motion roles typically run somewhat lower given regional cost of living — generally $50,000–$65,000 base for generalist-level work.
Given the added AI-tool fluency this role requires, Agency 15 is targeting a Buffalo-adjusted range of approximately:

• Full-time: $65,000–$80,000/year base, commensurate with experience and 3D/AI depth.
• Contract: $35–$55/hour, depending on scope and project mix.

HOW TO APPLY

Submit a resume and a reel or portfolio link demonstrating both animation/motion work and video editing. Applications without a reel will not be considered.

ABOUT AGENCY 15

Agency 15 is a 25-person, full-service advertising and marketing agency based In Buffalo, NY. We think client business-objective-first: every creative and media decision starts with what a client actually needs to grow, then we bring brand, strategy, and production capability to bear against that goal.

We operate on EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System), which keeps our team aligned, accountable, and focused on a clear set of company-wide and departmental priorities. Our client base spans mid-market manufacturing, home services, higher education, and regional B2B and B2C brands, with work ranging from quick-turn local commercials to large, multi-channel campaigns.

We're a small, senior team by design, our leadership includes our COO, and Director of Accounts, Creative, Finance, and Technology. Which means people who join us take on real ownership fast, work directly with clients and leadership, and see their work in market quickly. We're actively building out AI-leveraged delivery as a core differentiator, and this role is part of that investment.