Brand designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Brand Designer

Company: Paraglide

Location: London, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Brand & Marketing Design Operations

Date Posted: 2026-08-24T19:15:14

Experience Level: 2-5 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Shape the visual storytelling and brand identity for a fast-growing AI startup specializing in back-office finance automation.

• Lead the design of engaging digital assets, including landing pages, web experiences, and marketing collateral, ensuring a cohesive and impactful brand presence.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with leadership, marketing, and product teams to translate complex ideas into compelling visual narratives.

• Evolve and maintain the brand's visual language, encompassing typography, layout, imagery, and motion graphics, while building a scalable design system.

• Leverage AI tools to accelerate design processes and enhance creative output, demonstrating proficiency in modern design workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within a high-growth AI startup, indicating a dynamic environment where the Brand Designer will have significant influence and ownership over the brand's visual direction. The emphasis on AI tools suggests a need for adaptability and a forward-thinking approach to design execution. The "Reports to Founding Designer" detail implies a close working relationship with senior design leadership.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and iterate on landing pages, campaign sites, and web experiences that capture audience attention and drive engagement.

• Evolve the core visual language of the brand, including typography, layout, imagery, color palettes, and motion graphics.

• Partner with the Founding Designer to integrate brand elements seamlessly into the product interface, not just external-facing materials.

• Collaborate with the CEO and marketing team to ensure the brand's story is effectively communicated across all touchpoints at the right moments.

• Develop and maintain a consistent yet flexible visual system that supports scalability and allows for creative exploration.

• Uphold a high standard of design craft and execution, particularly under tight deadlines and in a fast-paced startup environment.

• Define and elevate the visual standards for the marketing website, aiming for "world-class" quality.

• Create engaging video and motion content for platforms like LinkedIn, product demonstrations, and event recaps.

• Design a wide range of promotional materials, including flyers, event booths, banners, one-pagers, social media graphics, and advertisements.

• Develop impactful sales decks and Keynote templates that enhance the company's presentation capabilities.

• Utilize AI-powered design tools to increase efficiency and explore innovative design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a broad scope, requiring the designer to be a generalist with strong conceptual abilities and execution skills across various mediums. The emphasis on "shipping ideas without losing the idea" and "turning ambiguity into your own brief" points to a need for strong project ownership and problem-solving skills in an often undefined startup landscape.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong educational foundation or equivalent demonstrable experience in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, or a related creative field is expected. Emphasis is placed on practical application and portfolio strength over formal qualifications.

Experience: 2-5 years of professional experience in brand design, marketing design, or web design, with a proven track record of shipping creative projects. Experience within a startup environment or agency setting is highly valued.

Required Skills:

• A compelling portfolio showcasing shipped websites with strong visual craft and strategic brand thinking.

• Demonstrated experience in brand identity development, marketing collateral design, and web design (primary focus, not solely product/UI).

• Exceptional eye for typography, layout, color theory, and motion graphics, with a clear understanding of brand consistency.

• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with engineers and cross-functional teams to bring design concepts to production.

• Hands-on experience shipping designs to production, including utilizing AI-assisted design tools.

• Proficiency in industry-standard design software, including Figma and Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign). Preferred Skills:

• A well-articulated point of view on current and future trends in web design.

• Experience with video editing and motion graphics software such as After Effects, Premiere Pro, Midjourney, or Runway.

• Familiarity with web design and prototyping tools like Framer or Webflow.

• Experience contributing to or managing a shared design system that spans across product and brand touchpoints.

• Strong illustration skills that can be applied to brand assets.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize practical output and adaptability, particularly the "AI-native graduate designer" versus "senior designer" openness. This suggests the company values demonstrable skill and speed over a specific number of years of experience, provided the portfolio is strong and relevant.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated collection of shipped websites that clearly demonstrate strong visual craft, strategic brand thinking, and successful execution.

• Examples of brand identity work, including logo development, style guides, and comprehensive brand system application.

• Marketing collateral designs such as brochures, flyers, social media campaigns, and event materials, showcasing versatility.

• Web experience designs, including landing pages and campaign microsites, with a focus on user engagement and conversion.

• Evidence of how design decisions align with business objectives and marketing strategies. Process Documentation:

• Case studies detailing the design process from brief to final output, highlighting problem-solving approaches and strategic thinking.

• Examples of how the designer has evolved or maintained a visual language and design system.

• Demonstrations of collaborative processes with engineers or other stakeholders to ensure successful project implementation.

• Documentation of how AI tools were integrated into the workflow to enhance efficiency or creative outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is critical for this role, serving as the primary evidence of a candidate's capabilities. The emphasis is on "shipped" work, indicating a preference for designers who can see projects through to completion in a real-world context, not just conceptual work.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Brand Designer with 2-5 years of experience in London, the estimated salary range is £45,000 - £65,000 per annum. This range accounts for the competitive nature of the London job market, the specific skills required, and the early-stage, high-growth nature of the AI startup.

Benefits:

• A front-row seat at a fast-growing, VC-backed AI company, offering exposure to high-level strategy and rapid scaling.

• Real ownership from day one; you will be the primary creative force, not just an executor of tasks.

• Your work will be visible across all company touchpoints: website, events, social media, and sales materials.

• Office located at Adam Street, central London, providing a prime and accessible work location.

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience and demonstrated impact.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are 40 hours per week, typical for a full-time role in the UK. Flexibility is implied given the startup environment and hybrid work model, but core hours will likely be expected for team collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on average salaries for Brand Designers in London with 2-5 years of experience, considering current market rates for tech startups. Benefits focus on the unique opportunities offered by an early-stage, well-funded company.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and FinTech (Finance Technology), specifically focusing on AI agents for back-office finance automation. Paraglide aims to streamline email management and payment processes for finance teams.

Company Size: Small to Medium-sized (likely <50 employees, given it's a fast-growing startup). This implies a lean structure, high impact potential for individuals, and a close-knit team.

Founded: The founding date is not specified, but its description as a "fast-growing AI startup, backed by the investors behind Claude, LinkedIn, and Pinterest" suggests it is a relatively new venture with significant early-stage investment.

Team Structure:

• The Brand Designer will report directly to the Founding Designer, indicating a strong design leadership presence.

• Close collaboration is expected with the CEO/Founder, marketing team, and product development team.

• The team operates in a fast-paced, asynchronous environment, valuing clear communication and independent work. Methodology:

• Emphasis on rapid iteration and turning ambiguity into actionable design briefs.

• Data-driven decision-making is implied through the focus on measurable outcomes like "getting paid faster."

• Leveraging AI tools is a core part of the operational methodology to enhance speed and efficiency.

• A strong emphasis on craft and quality, even under deadline pressure.

Company Website: paraglide.ai

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is described as fast-paced and asynchronous, typical of early-stage tech startups. The emphasis on AI integration suggests a culture that embraces innovation and efficiency. The "real ownership from day one" suggests an environment that empowers employees.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-level Brand Designer (2-5 years of experience). It offers the opportunity to be a foundational member of the creative team, shaping the brand's visual identity from an early stage. The potential for growth lies in becoming a senior or lead designer as the company scales.

Reporting Structure: The Brand Designer reports directly to the Founding Designer. This provides a clear mentorship and guidance path, allowing for skill development under experienced leadership. Collaboration extends to the CEO and marketing, offering exposure to strategic decision-making.

Operations Impact: The Brand Designer's work will directly influence customer perception, brand recognition, marketing effectiveness, and sales enablement. By creating compelling visuals for marketing sites, sales decks, and product interfaces, they will play a crucial role in driving customer acquisition and retention, directly impacting the company's revenue growth trajectory.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas like motion graphics, web animation, or brand system development as the company grows.

• Leadership: Potential to grow into a Senior Brand Designer or Art Director role, managing junior designers and overseeing larger creative initiatives.

• Skill Development: Exposure to AI tools and cutting-edge design technologies, fostering continuous learning and adaptation.

• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to contribute significantly to brand strategy and marketing initiatives, moving beyond execution to strategic input.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers significant growth potential due to the company's early stage and ambitious goals. The ability to shape the brand from its formative stages provides a unique opportunity for a designer looking to make a substantial impact and grow with the company.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is hybrid, requiring at least 3 days per week in the company's central London office. This suggests a collaborative workspace designed to foster team interaction and innovation.

Office Location(s): Adam Street, London, WC2N 6AA, United Kingdom. This location is central and likely well-connected by public transport (near Embankment station).

Workspace Context:

• The office environment is expected to be dynamic and collaborative, typical of a fast-paced startup.

• Access to modern design tools and technology is implied, including Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud, and potentially AI design tools.

• Opportunities for direct interaction with founders, marketing, and product teams will be frequent, facilitating strong cross-functional relationships.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is 40 hours per week. The hybrid model allows for some flexibility, with a minimum of 3 days in the office. This structure balances in-person collaboration with the autonomy valued in asynchronous environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role, with a requirement for specific days in the office, is designed to balance focused individual work with essential team collaboration and creative brainstorming sessions.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess basic qualifications and design aesthetic.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A more in-depth session where the candidate presents their portfolio, discusses their process, and answers questions about their experience and approach to brand design. This is where they will articulate their "why" behind design decisions.

• Skills Assessment/Challenge: Potentially a small design challenge or a deep dive into a specific project from their portfolio, focusing on problem-solving and execution. This might involve demonstrating proficiency in Figma or Adobe Creative Cloud, or outlining how they'd approach a specific brand task.

• Team/Founder Interviews: Meetings with the Founding Designer, CEO, and potentially other team members to assess cultural fit, communication skills, and strategic thinking.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant projects that showcase brand thinking, web design, and marketing collateral. Prioritize "shipped" work.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your process, the design solutions, and the impact/results. Use visuals effectively.

• Highlight Brand Thinking: Emphasize how your designs align with brand strategy, target audience, and business goals. Showcase evolution of visual language.

• Demonstrate Craft: Pay meticulous attention to typography, layout, color, and motion. Ensure high-quality execution and polish.

• Showcase AI Integration: If applicable, detail how you used AI tools to enhance your process or outcome.

• Be Prepared for Specifics: Expect questions about your tool proficiency (Figma, Adobe CC), your approach to collaboration with engineers, and your understanding of brand systems.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If a challenge is given, ensure you fully grasp the brief, the target audience, and the business objectives.

• Focus on Process: Even if time is limited, outline your thought process, key decisions, and rationale. It's not just about the final output.

• Leverage Tools: Be comfortable using Figma or Adobe CC to present your ideas clearly and efficiently.

• Communicate: If working on a timed challenge, communicate any roadblocks or assumptions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily rely on the portfolio, so candidates should prepare to articulate their design process, strategic rationale, and the impact of their work. The emphasis on "shipping" and "AI-assisted" work means candidates should be ready to discuss practical execution and modern workflows.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI/UX design, prototyping, and collaborative design workflows. Expect to demonstrate advanced proficiency.

• Adobe Creative Cloud: Includes Photoshop (image editing, manipulation), Illustrator (vector graphics, logos), and InDesign (print collateral, layout). Mastery is expected.

Analytics & Reporting: While not a primary design tool, understanding how design impacts metrics is key. Familiarity with web analytics (e.g., Google Analytics) to understand user behavior on landing pages and websites is beneficial.

CRM & Automation: Not directly used by the designer, but understanding how marketing materials feed into CRM and automation platforms (e.g., for lead generation) is valuable context.

Emerging/Preferred Tools:

• AI Design Tools: Midjourney, Runway, or similar for image generation and AI-assisted creative tasks.

• Prototyping/Web Tools: Framer or Webflow for more advanced web prototyping and potentially direct implementation.

• Motion Graphics/Video: After Effects, Premiere Pro for creating video and animation content.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma and Adobe Creative Cloud is non-negotiable. Experience with AI design tools and motion graphics software is a significant plus, reflecting the company's forward-thinking approach and the role's responsibilities.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & Speed: Embracing new technologies (like AI) and working efficiently to deliver results quickly.

• Craftsmanship & Quality: Maintaining a high bar for design excellence across all outputs, even under pressure.

• Ownership & Autonomy: Taking initiative, turning ambiguity into action, and owning projects from concept to completion.

• Collaboration & Communication: Working effectively with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, asynchronous environment.

• Problem-Solving: Utilizing design skills to solve real business problems for finance teams and the company.

Collaboration Style:

• Async-First: Communication is likely to be primarily through tools like Slack, email, or project management software, with clear documentation and context provided.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers are expected to work closely with founders, marketing, and product teams, acting as a strategic partner rather than just an executor.

• Feedback-Driven: A culture that values constructive feedback to iterate and improve designs, with an openness to diverse perspectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture emphasizes a blend of individual drive and collaborative effectiveness, crucial for a startup environment. The "asynchronous" nature implies a need for self-starters who can manage their time and communicate proactively.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Rapid Growth Environment: Adapting to evolving brand needs and priorities as the company scales quickly.

• Balancing Speed and Quality: Delivering high-quality creative work rapidly in a startup setting.

• Defining a New Brand: Establishing and evolving the visual identity for a relatively new AI company.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring design vision aligns with technical capabilities and business objectives across different departments.

• AI Integration: Effectively leveraging AI tools to enhance, not replace, creative judgment and strategic thinking.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Strategic Brand Building: Gaining experience in shaping a brand identity from its early stages within a high-growth tech company.

• AI Design Exploration: Opportunity to become proficient in cutting-edge AI design tools and workflows.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Deep understanding of marketing, product development, and sales strategies through close collaboration.

• Mentorship: Learning directly from the Founding Designer and other experienced leaders within the company.

• Portfolio Expansion: Building a diverse portfolio with impactful work across web, marketing, motion, and potentially product integration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenges and growth opportunities stem from the startup environment itself: the need for agility, the chance to build something significant, and the continuous learning curve associated with rapid growth and emerging technologies.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach evolving the visual language of Paraglide, considering our AI focus and finance audience?" (Focus on strategic thinking, audience understanding, and brand evolution).

• "Describe a time you had to turn ambiguity into a clear design brief. What was your process?" (Assess problem-solving, initiative, and ability to work independently).

• "How would you ensure brand consistency across our website, marketing materials, and product interface?" (Evaluate understanding of brand systems and cross-functional application).

• "Walk us through your process for designing a landing page that aims to drive sign-ups for a new AI product." (Demonstrate user-centric design, conversion optimization, and tactical execution). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Paraglide and our mission in AI for finance?" (Assesses genuine interest and alignment with the company's goals).

• "How do you approach collaboration in an asynchronous, fast-paced environment?" (Tests communication and teamwork skills in a startup context).

• "How do you define 'world-class' design for a tech startup, and how would you measure its impact?" (Probes strategic thinking and understanding of ROI). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Begin with an overview of your career and design philosophy. Then, dive into 2-3 key projects. For each project, clearly outline the objective, your role, the problem, your approach/process, key design decisions, challenges faced, and the outcome/impact.

• Visuals: Use high-quality mockups and clear visuals. Show the evolution of ideas if possible. For web projects, consider showing the live site or interactive prototypes.

• Narrative: Tell a compelling story about each project. Explain the "why" behind your design choices, connecting them to business goals or user needs.

• Tool Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your proficiency with Figma and Adobe CC, and how you leverage them. If you've used AI tools, be prepared to explain their role in your workflow.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time. Focus on the most impactful aspects of your work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design skill, but also strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit for a fast-paced AI startup. The portfolio presentation is the core of the evaluation.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Brand Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Paraglide's Teamtailor careers page.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature 2-3 of your strongest projects that best align with brand design, web experiences, and marketing collateral. Ensure these pieces showcase strong visual craft, brand thinking, and shipped work.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight experience relevant to AI startups, brand development, web design, and proficiency in Figma and Adobe Creative Cloud. Use keywords from the job description, such as "visual storytelling," "brand systems," and "AI tools."

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio, articulating your design process, and explaining the strategic rationale behind your creative decisions. Prepare to discuss your experience with AI design tools and working in fast-paced environments.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Paraglide, its mission, its target audience (finance teams), and its competitive landscape. Understand their current visual presence and identify potential areas for enhancement.

⚠️ 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.

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