Associate Marketing Designer (College Grad 2027)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Associate Marketing Designer (College Grad 2027)

Company: Solace

Location: Redwood City, California, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Marketing Operations / Creative Operations

Date Posted: August 06, 2026

Experience Level: 0-2 Years (Entry-Level)

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in-office)

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on translating complex healthcare concepts into high-performing, visually engaging marketing assets for paid channels, social media, websites, and email campaigns.

• It requires a strong command of design and motion graphics tools, with a particular emphasis on Figma, to deliver creative solutions with speed and precision.

• The Associate Marketing Designer will collaborate closely with performance, integrated, and lifecycle marketing teams to drive results through iterative design and data-informed creative testing.

• This is an opportunity for an ambitious and curious designer to contribute to a mission-driven Series C startup, aiming to redefine healthcare navigation.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Associate Marketing Designer," the description emphasizes "Marketing Operations / Creative Operations" due to the role's focus on performance-driven creative, iterative testing, and close collaboration with marketing teams to achieve measurable results. This is a critical distinction for operations-minded candidates.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and execute high-quality graphic and motion design assets for a variety of marketing channels, including social media, paid advertisements, landing pages, email campaigns, and print materials, ensuring visual appeal and brand consistency.

• Translate complex healthcare information and value propositions into clear, concise, and compelling visual narratives that resonate with target audiences and drive engagement and conversion.

• Develop and refine motion graphics and animated content for social media, paid advertising, and landing pages, leveraging tools such as After Effects, Lottie, or similar to enhance campaign dynamism.

• Take full ownership of design projects from concept to execution, demonstrating autonomy, responsibility for all details, and a proactive approach to problem-solving throughout the creative process.

• Partner effectively with performance marketing, integrated marketing, and lifecycle marketing teams to understand campaign objectives, identify design challenges, and develop elegant, data-informed creative solutions.

• Actively participate in A/B testing of creative assets, analyze performance data, and use learnings to inform subsequent design iterations and optimize campaign effectiveness.

• Become a guardian of the Solace brand, ensuring consistent application of the design framework, visual identity, and brand standards across all marketing touchpoints.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of creative execution and performance-driven optimization, aligning with a Marketing Operations focus. The emphasis on "high-performing," "data-informed," and "iterative design" points to a need for operational thinking in creative production.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Marketing, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 0-2 years of experience in graphic design, marketing design, or a related creative role, with a strong preference for candidates graduating in 2027. Internship or co-op experience in design or marketing is highly valued.

Required Skills:

• Exceptional proficiency in Figma for creating vector graphics, layouts, and interactive prototypes.

• Strong foundation in graphic design principles, including typography, color theory, composition, and layout.

• Demonstrated ability to create visually compelling and effective marketing creative for paid channels and social media.

• Comfort with ambiguity and a proactive approach to problem-solving in a fast-paced startup environment.

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills to effectively partner with cross-functional marketing teams and stakeholders.

• A strong bias for action and a proven ability to execute quickly and efficiently, moving from concept to finished product.

• Ability to absorb feedback constructively and iterate rapidly on design work. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with motion graphics tools such as Adobe After Effects, Lottie, or similar, for creating animated content.

• Intuition for consumer-facing paid marketing trends and an understanding of what drives performance.

• Experience in the healthcare industry or a strong interest in healthcare innovation.

• Familiarity with landing page design principles and conversion rate optimization (CRO) concepts.

• Basic understanding of performance marketing metrics and how design impacts campaign success.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Figma, performance-driven design, and iterative testing suggests that candidates with a strong understanding of marketing operations principles within a creative context will be highly competitive. The "college grad 2027" target implies a need for foundational skills and high potential for growth.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A well-curated online portfolio showcasing a range of design projects, with a clear emphasis on marketing creative and performance-driven assets.

• Specific examples demonstrating the ability to distill complex ideas into simple, effective visual communications for consumer-facing audiences.

• Case studies or project descriptions that highlight the iterative design process, including how feedback and performance data informed design decisions.

• Visuals of assets created for social media, paid ads, landing pages, and email campaigns, showcasing versatility across different formats and channels.

• If applicable, examples of motion graphics or animated content created for digital platforms. Process Documentation:

• While formal process documentation is not explicitly required for an Associate role, candidates should be prepared to articulate their design workflow, from brief interpretation to final asset delivery.

• Ability to describe how they manage multiple design projects simultaneously, prioritize tasks, and meet tight deadlines, demonstrating an understanding of project management within a creative operations context.

• Be ready to discuss how they incorporate feedback from marketing teams and leverage data to refine their creative output, showcasing an iterative process.

📝 Enhancement Note: For an Associate-level role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to demonstrate not just aesthetic skill but also an understanding of marketing objectives and the ability to adapt designs based on performance. The "process" aspect will be assessed through the candidate's ability to articulate their workflow and problem-solving approach during interviews.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For an Associate Marketing Designer role in Redwood City, California, with 0-2 years of experience and targeting recent graduates, a competitive salary range is estimated between $65,000 - $85,000 annually. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for entry-level design positions in the Bay Area, considering the cost of living and the specialized skills required.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Stock options or equity in a rapidly growing Series C startup.

• Generous paid time off (PTO) and company holidays.

• Opportunities for professional development, including workshops, conferences, and continued learning in design and marketing technologies.

• 401(k) retirement savings plan with potential company match.

• Commuter benefits or stipends for hybrid work.

• Employee assistance program (EAP) for mental health and well-being support.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours, typically 40 hours per week. The role is hybrid, requiring 3 days per week in the Redwood City office, with flexibility on remote work days. The fast-paced startup environment may require occasional flexibility to meet project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate for an entry-level position in a high-cost-of-living area like Redwood City. It's crucial for candidates to research current market rates for similar roles in the Bay Area. Benefits are typical for a well-funded startup and emphasize growth and well-being.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Healthcare Technology (HealthTech) / Patient Advocacy. Solace operates at the intersection of healthcare and technology, addressing critical issues of health literacy and navigation within the U.S. healthcare system. This context means design work will often involve simplifying complex medical and insurance information.

Company Size: Series C startup, indicating significant growth and funding, with a lean and mission-driven team. This size suggests a dynamic, agile environment where individual contributions have a high impact, but also demands speed and adaptability.

Founded: 2022, making it a relatively young company with a strong focus on innovation and disruption in the healthcare space.

Team Structure:

• The marketing design function likely sits within a broader marketing department, potentially reporting to a Marketing Director or Head of Marketing.

• Close collaboration is expected with performance marketing, integrated marketing, and lifecycle marketing specialists, requiring strong communication and cross-functional teamwork.

• As a startup, team members are expected to be self-starters and wear multiple hats, contributing to a culture of shared responsibility and rapid iteration. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on using performance data to inform creative decisions and drive iterative improvements in marketing assets.

• Agile Development: The startup environment implies a need for quick turnarounds, rapid prototyping, and continuous feedback loops.

• Mission-Oriented: A strong focus on the company's mission to improve healthcare navigation, which should be reflected in the tone and execution of marketing materials.

Company Website: https://www.solace.health/

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding Solace's mission and the challenging nature of the healthcare industry is crucial for this role. The "intense" and "hungry" culture implies a need for individuals who thrive in high-pressure, high-reward environments and are not afraid of feedback.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Entry-Level (Associate). This role is designed for recent graduates or individuals with minimal professional experience, providing a foundational stepping stone into marketing operations and creative roles within a fast-growing company.

Reporting Structure: Likely reports to a Marketing Manager, Creative Lead, or Director of Marketing. The specific structure will depend on the marketing team's organization.

Operations Impact: The Associate Marketing Designer will directly contribute to the effectiveness of marketing campaigns by creating assets that drive awareness, engagement, and conversion. Their work directly impacts lead generation, customer acquisition, and brand perception, making it a crucial component of the GTM strategy.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas of marketing design, such as motion graphics, paid social creative, or email design, and potentially grow into a specialist role.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain valuable experience working across different marketing functions (performance, brand, lifecycle), understanding their unique needs and how design supports their objectives.

• Brand Stewardship: Grow into a key contributor in shaping and maintaining the Solace brand identity across all marketing touchpoints.

• Leadership Potential: With demonstrated success and growth, there's potential to move into more senior design roles, team lead positions, or even explore adjacent areas within marketing operations or brand management.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path is clear for ambitious individuals who can demonstrate impact and a willingness to learn. The "college grad 2027" focus means the company is investing in developing talent from the ground up.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model, requiring 3 days per week in the Redwood City office. This setup blends the benefits of in-person collaboration and structure with the flexibility of remote work.

Office Location(s): Redwood City, California. This location is in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area, offering access to a vibrant tech and design ecosystem.

Workspace Context:

• The office environment is likely collaborative and fast-paced, typical of a growing startup. Expect to work in an open-plan or flexible workspace designed to foster teamwork.

• Access to modern design tools and technology, with a strong emphasis on Figma.

• Opportunities for spontaneous collaboration with marketing, product, and other cross-functional teams.

• The hybrid model allows for focused work at home and collaborative sessions in the office.

Work Schedule: Standard 40-hour work week. While the company emphasizes urgency and speed, the hybrid model offers some flexibility in managing personal time and work-life balance on remote days.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should be comfortable with a hybrid setup and understand that a startup environment often means a more dynamic and less structured workspace than larger, established corporations.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications and portfolios, assessing for basic qualifications and creative fit.

• Portfolio Review & Skill Assessment: A dedicated session to review your online portfolio in detail. Be prepared to walk through your projects, explain your design process, the rationale behind your creative choices, and how your work achieved specific marketing objectives.

• Skills-Based Interview: This may involve a practical design challenge or a discussion about your proficiency with specific tools (Figma, After Effects). You might be asked to critique existing designs or propose improvements.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration Interview: Meet with members of the performance, integrated, or lifecycle marketing teams to assess your ability to collaborate, understand marketing briefs, and incorporate feedback.

• Final Interview: Typically with a senior leader or hiring manager to discuss overall fit, career aspirations, and company culture.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best align with the job description, focusing on marketing creative, performance-driven design, and complex idea simplification.

• Showcase Process: For each project, clearly explain the brief, your role, your design process, key challenges, solutions, and measurable outcomes (if possible). Visuals of iterations and feedback incorporation are highly valuable.

• Highlight Performance Focus: Emphasize how your designs were intended to perform or did perform, even if you don't have hard data. Discuss your intuition for what works in paid media and social.

• Demonstrate Tool Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your workflow in Figma and any motion graphics tools, showcasing your technical skills.

• Brand Alignment: Ensure your portfolio presentation reflects a clean, professional aesthetic that aligns with Solace's brand values.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Challenge: If a design challenge is provided, focus on understanding the brief thoroughly. Prioritize clarity, visual hierarchy, and alignment with marketing objectives. Aim for a strong concept and execution within the given timeframe.

• Problem-Solving: Be prepared to discuss how you would approach designing for a specific marketing campaign, considering the target audience, platform, and business goals.

• Communication: Practice articulating your design decisions and rationale clearly and concisely, especially when discussing how your work impacts performance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process heavily emphasizes portfolio evaluation and the ability to articulate design strategy in the context of marketing performance. Candidates should prepare to "show, not just tell" their capabilities.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core design tool. Mastery is imperative for UI/UX design, prototyping, and collaborative workflows.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Proficiency in Photoshop and Illustrator for asset creation, manipulation, and graphic design.

• Motion Graphics Tools: Adobe After Effects is a strong plus. Experience with Lottie for web animations is also valuable.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Meta Ads Manager) to understand how design impacts campaign performance.

• Ability to interpret basic performance metrics (CTR, conversion rates) to inform design iterations. CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct requirement for this role, understanding how design assets are deployed through marketing automation platforms (e.g., HubSpot, Marketo) or CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) can be beneficial.

• Familiarity with email marketing platforms for designing email templates.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is non-negotiable. Experience with motion graphics tools will significantly differentiate candidates. An understanding of how design integrates with marketing analytics and deployment tools is a plus for showcasing operational awareness.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Speed & Execution: A strong bias for action and the ability to deliver high-quality work under tight timelines are paramount.

• Data-Driven Decisions: Valuing performance metrics and using data to inform creative choices and optimize campaigns.

• Collaboration: Working effectively with cross-functional teams, sharing insights, and incorporating feedback to achieve shared goals.

• Ownership & Autonomy: Taking full responsibility for one's work, from concept to completion, and demonstrating initiative.

• Continuous Improvement: A commitment to learning, iterating, and refining designs based on feedback and performance results.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership: Working closely with marketing teams as a strategic partner, not just an order-taker. Understanding their needs and contributing to campaign strategy through design.

• Feedback-Oriented: A culture where constructive feedback is welcomed and used for growth and improvement.

• Transparent Communication: Openly sharing progress, challenges, and learnings with team members and stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture emphasizes high performance, data-informed decision-making, and collaborative problem-solving. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate these qualities in their work and interactions.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Simplifying Complexity: The primary challenge is translating intricate healthcare information into accessible and engaging visual content for a broad audience.

• Balancing Creativity and Performance: Striking the right balance between aesthetic quality and the need for designs to perform effectively in paid channels requires constant iteration and learning.

• Startup Pace: Adapting to the rapid pace and evolving priorities typical of a Series C startup environment.

• Brand Consistency: Maintaining a cohesive brand identity across a wide range of marketing materials and campaigns.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Skills: Opportunities to hone skills in motion graphics, advanced Figma techniques, and potentially explore UI/UX principles.

• Marketing Analytics & Strategy: Deepen understanding of performance marketing, A/B testing methodologies, and how design contributes to broader marketing objectives.

• Industry Insights: Gain exposure to the healthcare industry's unique challenges and opportunities, and how marketing and design can address them.

• Career Progression: Potential to advance into senior design roles, lead design initiatives, or explore specialization within marketing operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant learning opportunities by tackling complex problem-solving in a dynamic environment. Candidates who embrace challenges and actively seek growth will find this role rewarding.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to simplify a complex idea visually. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on process, communication, and impact).

• "How do you approach designing for performance marketing campaigns? What metrics do you consider important for creative success?" (Highlight understanding of marketing objectives and data).

• "Imagine you're given a brief for a new ad campaign targeting individuals struggling with healthcare navigation. What are your initial thoughts on visual direction and key messaging?" (Assess creative thinking and problem-solving). Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in Solace and our mission to improve healthcare?" (Demonstrate research and genuine interest).

• "How do you handle constructive criticism or feedback on your designs?" (Showcase adaptability and growth mindset).

• "Describe your ideal work environment and how you collaborate with marketing teams." (Assess cultural fit and teamwork). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: For each project, craft a narrative that explains the problem, your solution, your process, and the results or intended impact.

• Data Integration: If you have performance data for any of your projects, present it clearly. If not, discuss how you would measure success and iterate.

• Tool Demonstration: Be ready to briefly discuss your workflow in Figma or other tools, highlighting efficiency and best practices.

• Conciseness: Respect the interviewer's time by being clear, direct, and focusing on the most impactful aspects of your work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating a blend of creative talent, operational awareness (understanding marketing goals and performance), and strong collaboration skills. The portfolio is the primary tool for showcasing these capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-aligned creative position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Curate your online portfolio: Select 3-5 strong marketing design projects that showcase your ability to create high-performing assets, simplify complex ideas, and demonstrate your workflow.

• Tailor your resume: Highlight relevant design skills, tool proficiency (especially Figma), any experience with performance marketing creative, and your ability to collaborate effectively. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare your portfolio presentation: Practice walking through your selected projects, explaining your process, rationale, and any measurable impact, focusing on how your design supports marketing objectives.

• Research Solace: Understand the company's mission, target audience, and the challenges in the healthcare industry. Be ready to articulate why you are a good fit for their culture and goals.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.