Brand Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Brand Designer

Company: Reducto

Location: San Francisco, California, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Marketing & Creative Operations

Date Posted: 2026-05-18

Experience Level: 3-5 Years (Mid-Level)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the visual identity and brand expression for Reducto across all customer touchpoints, defining and executing a cohesive brand strategy that resonates with AI teams and enterprise clients.

• Drive the creative direction for digital marketing assets, including web presence, social media graphics, and advertising campaigns, ensuring alignment with product design and overall GTM strategy.

• Lead the design and execution of physical and experiential brand activations, such as trade show booths, signage, and out-of-home advertising, creating memorable brand interactions.

• Develop and produce engaging motion graphics and short-form video content to enhance marketing narratives and product demonstrations, leveraging tools like Lottie, After Effects, and Premiere.

• Collaborate closely with Product Design and Marketing teams to maintain brand consistency, manage design systems, and ensure a unified brand experience from pixel to billboard.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as the first Brand Designer, indicating a foundational opportunity to build and define the brand's visual language from the ground up. The emphasis on "agentic document platform for leading AI teams" and "enterprise performance at scale" suggests a need for sophisticated, high-impact visual communication that conveys trust, innovation, and technical prowess. The role requires a blend of strategic brand thinking and hands-on execution across diverse mediums, from digital ads to physical OOH campaigns.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own and execute the end-to-end vision for Reducto's web presence, collaborating with Product Design to ensure deep alignment between brand and product design systems.

• Design compelling static creative and advertisements for paid, organic social, and lifecycle marketing channels, driving brand awareness and customer acquisition.

• Elevate product screenshots and visual assets to clearly and effectively communicate Reducto's product story and value proposition.

• Produce motion graphics and short-form video content for the marketing site, social media, advertisements, and events using tools such as Lottie, After Effects, and Premiere.

• Lead the creative concept and execution for tradeshows and events, including custom booth design, signage, on-site collateral, and promotional merchandise (swag).

• Conceptualize and execute out-of-home (OOH) advertising campaigns, including billboards, taxi wraps, and transit advertising, to expand brand reach and impact.

• Ensure unwavering brand consistency across all customer-facing surfaces, from sales decks to physical advertising.

• Manage and direct external contractors and agencies when additional creative support is required, ensuring quality and brand alignment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a comprehensive scope, moving beyond typical digital-only brand design. The explicit mention of "out-of-home campaigns," "tradeshows and events," and "swag" indicates a need for a designer who can think holistically about brand experience in both digital and physical realms, and who is comfortable managing project scope from initial concept to final execution across multiple vendors.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating equivalent knowledge and practical application of design principles is paramount. A background in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or a related field is typically expected.

Experience: 3-5 years of progressive experience in brand design, marketing design, or creative design, with a significant portion ideally within a fast-paced startup or agency environment.

Required Skills:

• Proven expertise in brand identity development and management, with a strong understanding of brand strategy principles.

• High-level proficiency in visual design, including layout, typography, color theory, and composition.

• Advanced skills in design software such as Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign).

• Demonstrable experience in designing for digital marketing channels, including web, social media, and paid advertising.

• Proficiency in motion graphics creation using Lottie, After Effects, Premiere, or similar tools.

• Ability to conceptualize and execute creative campaigns from start to finish, demonstrating ownership and accountability.

• Strong collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams (Product Design, Marketing) and external vendors.

• A keen eye for detail, craft, and precision in all design outputs.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing and executing out-of-home (OOH) campaigns (billboards, transit ads, etc.).

• Experience with experiential design, including trade show booth design and event collateral.

• Familiarity with design systems and their implementation across digital and physical touchpoints.

• Experience with swag design and production.

• Previous brand design experience at an early-stage, high-growth startup or a reputable design studio.

• Understanding of AI technologies and their impact on business workflows, providing context for creative messaging.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement of 3-5 years aligns with a mid-level designer who can operate with autonomy but also benefit from mentorship. The emphasis on both digital and physical/experiential work is a key differentiator, suggesting a need for a versatile designer. The "bonus points" (preferred skills) are critical indicators of what truly sets candidates apart, particularly OOH and experiential design, which are less common requirements for many brand designer roles.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated collection of work that showcases a strong understanding of brand strategy and its execution across diverse mediums.

• Examples demonstrating end-to-end campaign ownership, from initial concept development to final delivery.

• Visuals that highlight expertise in digital design, including web assets, social media graphics, and advertising creative.

• Specific projects showcasing motion graphics or video production capabilities (e.g., animated explainer snippets, social media animations).

• Projects illustrating experience with physical or experiential design, such as event booth mockups, signage concepts, or OOH campaign examples.

• Evidence of collaboration with product design teams or contributions to design systems.

Process Documentation:

• Case studies that detail the design process for key projects, emphasizing problem identification, ideation, iteration, and final solution.

• Explanation of how brand guidelines were developed or adhered to, and how consistency was maintained across various applications.

• Examples of how user feedback or performance data influenced design iterations.

• Workflow examples demonstrating efficiency in design execution, particularly in a fast-paced environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given this is the "first Brand Designer," the portfolio will be critical for assessing the candidate's ability to define and build a brand's visual identity. The emphasis on "end-to-end" ownership and "digital and physical/experiential" work means the portfolio should not just be a collection of pretty pictures, but a narrative of how the designer approaches challenges, collaborates, and delivers impactful visual solutions across a broad spectrum of applications.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Brand Designer with 3-5 years of experience in San Francisco, a competitive salary range would likely fall between $90,000 - $130,000 annually. This estimate considers the high cost of living in San Francisco, the demand for skilled designers in the tech sector, and Reducto's stated growth trajectory and funding.

Benefits:

• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO)

• Daily catered lunch for in-office employees

• Commuter Reimbursement

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

• Health and Wellness Budget ($150/month for gym memberships, fitness classes, etc.)

• Flexible Parental Leave

Working Hours: While the standard is likely 40 hours per week, the company culture emphasizes speed and hard work, suggesting a dynamic environment where dedication to shipping projects is valued. The "Unlimited PTO" policy implies a focus on results and employee well-being, with flexibility in managing work hours as long as deliverables are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is derived from aggregated data from reputable compensation platforms (e.g., Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, LinkedIn Salary) for Brand Designers in San Francisco, adjusting for mid-level experience. The benefits package is comprehensive and aligns with typical offerings at well-funded, early-stage tech companies, with a particular emphasis on employee well-being and work-life integration.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software (AI, Enterprise Software, Document Intelligence)

Company Size: Early-stage, high-growth startup (implied by rapid revenue growth, significant funding, and hiring for foundational roles).

Founded: Reducto was founded prior to their significant funding rounds, indicating a period of development and early traction. The company has raised over $100M, suggesting a strong investor base and ambition for rapid scaling.

Team Structure:

• The Brand Designer will be part of the Marketing team, reporting to a Marketing Lead or Director.

• Close partnership with the Product Design team is explicitly stated, indicating a collaborative structure where brand and product aesthetics are closely intertwined.

• Will manage external contractors and agencies, requiring leadership and vendor management skills.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Brand Strategy: While not explicitly stated, Reducto's focus on "AI teams" and "enterprise performance" suggests that brand decisions will likely be informed by market insights, customer data, and performance metrics.

• Agile Creative Development: The emphasis on "shipping in days, not months" indicates a Lean/Agile approach to creative production, prioritizing rapid iteration and deployment.

• Holistic Brand Experience: The scope across digital, physical, and experiential touchpoints signifies a commitment to creating a unified and impactful brand narrative.

Company Website: https://reducto.ai/

📝 Enhancement Note: Reducto's positioning as a leader in the "agentic document platform for leading AI teams" puts it at the forefront of a rapidly evolving technological landscape. The company culture is described as fast-paced, high-velocity, and focused on precision and craft. This implies an environment where individuals are expected to be proactive, highly skilled, and capable of delivering high-quality work under tight deadlines. The emphasis on AI means the brand designer will need to understand and visually represent complex technological concepts in an accessible and compelling manner.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is a foundational "first Brand Designer" position, marking the beginning of building an in-house brand design function. It's a mid-level role (3-5 years experience) with significant ownership and potential to shape the company's visual trajectory.

Reporting Structure: The Brand Designer will report into the Marketing function, working closely with the Product Design team. This structure suggests a strong emphasis on aligning marketing initiatives with product development and user experience.

Operations Impact: The Brand Designer's work will have a direct and visible impact on Reducto's market perception, customer acquisition, brand recognition, and overall GTM strategy. By establishing a strong, cohesive brand identity across all touchpoints, they will contribute significantly to brand equity and market differentiation in the competitive AI and enterprise software space.

Growth Opportunities:

• Foundational Role Leadership: Opportunity to build and potentially grow a brand design team as the company scales.

• Strategic Brand Development: Influence the long-term visual direction and brand strategy of a rapidly growing AI company.

• Broad Creative Exposure: Gain experience across a wide range of design disciplines, from digital marketing to large-scale OOH and experiential events.

• Skill Expansion: Develop expertise in managing external creative resources and potentially mentoring junior designers in the future.

• Industry Expertise: Deepen understanding of the AI and enterprise software market, and how to visually communicate complex technical solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: As the first Brand Designer, this role offers a unique opportunity for significant impact and career acceleration. The success in this role could lead to broader creative leadership responsibilities, potentially overseeing all visual aspects of the company's communications and marketing efforts. The exposure to cutting-edge AI technology will also be a valuable differentiator for future career moves.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: In-person role based in their San Francisco office. The mention of "Daily Lunch, enjoy free lunch with teammates in the office" strongly suggests a collaborative office environment designed to foster team interaction and connection.

Office Location(s): San Francisco, California, United States. Specific office address is not provided but is implied to be in a central, accessible location within the city.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office environment is designed to encourage interaction, evidenced by the daily lunch offering. This suggests opportunities for spontaneous brainstorming and cross-functional collaboration with marketing, product, and potentially engineering teams.

• Resource Availability: As a well-funded startup, it's reasonable to assume access to modern design tools, hardware, and potentially a dedicated creative workspace.

• Fast-Paced Operations: The work environment is characterized by speed and a focus on rapid iteration. This implies a dynamic and energetic atmosphere where quick turnaround times are expected.

Work Schedule: While a standard work week is implied, the company's emphasis on "work hard" and "ship in days, not months" suggests a results-oriented culture. The "Unlimited PTO" benefit indicates a trust in employees to manage their time effectively to meet project deadlines while also taking necessary breaks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The description emphasizes an in-person, collaborative environment in San Francisco. The daily lunch is a key indicator of efforts to build team cohesion and facilitate spontaneous interactions, which are crucial in a fast-paced startup setting. The "work hard" ethos, coupled with unlimited PTO, points to a culture that values output and dedication while aiming to prevent burnout.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of the application and portfolio to assess basic qualifications, experience, and creative style.

• Portfolio Deep Dive: A more in-depth discussion focusing on specific projects within the portfolio, exploring design process, strategic thinking, problem-solving approaches, and collaboration experience. Expect questions about how you've handled challenges, managed stakeholders, and measured impact.

• Skills Assessment/Creative Challenge: Potentially a small design exercise or case study related to Reducto's brand or a marketing challenge, to evaluate practical skills, problem-solving abilities, and creative execution under time constraints.

• Team Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders, including marketing leadership, product design, and potentially founders, to assess cultural fit, communication skills, and alignment with Reducto's values and pace.

• Final Evaluation: Discussion on alignment with the role's strategic impact and growth potential within the company.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Showcase a range of work that directly addresses the requirements: digital marketing, motion graphics, and ideally, physical/experiential design. Prioritize projects demonstrating end-to-end ownership and impact.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process, your design rationale, and the outcome/impact. Use a narrative approach to highlight your strategic thinking.

• Highlight Collaboration: If possible, include examples of how you've worked with cross-functional teams or managed external vendors.

• Showcase Brand Consistency: Demonstrate your ability to maintain a cohesive brand identity across different applications.

• Motion Graphics & OOH: Ensure these specific skills are clearly represented with strong examples, as they are key requirements.

• Quality over Quantity: Focus on presenting your strongest, most relevant pieces.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Reducto's Brand: Research Reducto's current visual identity, products, target audience (AI teams, enterprise), and competitors. Think about how you would evolve or enhance their brand.

• Practice Motion Graphics: Be ready to discuss or even demonstrate your motion graphics capabilities, perhaps by quickly sketching out an animation concept.

• OOH & Experiential Thinking: Prepare to talk through how you would approach designing for a physical space or a billboard campaign for Reducto. Consider the unique challenges and opportunities of these mediums.

• Startup Pace: Be ready to discuss how you adapt to fast-paced environments and deliver under pressure.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely heavily scrutinize the candidate's portfolio, especially for elements related to motion graphics and OOH/experiential design. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their design process in detail and demonstrate how they can translate strategic objectives into impactful visual executions within Reducto's fast-paced, AI-focused environment.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign are core requirements for visual design and asset creation.

• Motion Graphics Software: After Effects, Premiere, and Lottie are explicitly mentioned, indicating a strong need for proficiency in video and animation production.

• Prototyping/Design Systems Tools: While not explicitly stated, familiarity with tools like Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD would be beneficial, especially for collaboration with Product Design.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• No direct CRM or automation tools are listed as primary responsibilities for this role. However, understanding how marketing assets are deployed through automation platforms or CRM systems (e.g., for email campaigns, ad targeting) would provide valuable context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is heavily centered around visual creation and motion graphics. The explicit mention of Lottie, After Effects, and Premiere suggests these are not just "nice-to-haves" but essential tools for this role, particularly for web presence and marketing animations. Collaboration with Product Design likely means familiarity with tools used in that domain (e.g., Figma) is a plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• High Bar for Quality & Craft: A strong emphasis on precision, detail, and aesthetic excellence in all design outputs.

• Speed & Agility: The ability to move fast, iterate quickly, and ship work efficiently without compromising quality.

• Ownership & Accountability: Taking full responsibility for projects from concept to completion.

• Collaboration: Working effectively with cross-functional teams and external partners.

• Impact-Oriented: A focus on how design contributes to business objectives and market perception.

• Passion for AI: A genuine interest in how AI is reshaping work and a desire to visually communicate Reducto's role in this transformation.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated with Product Design: Close working relationship to ensure brand and product design systems are in sync.

• Cross-Functional Partnerships: Engaging with Marketing, Sales, and Engineering to ensure brand consistency and effective communication across all touchpoints.

• Vendor Management: Effectively directing and collaborating with external contractors and agencies to achieve desired creative outcomes.

• Feedback-Driven: Openness to feedback from team members and stakeholders to refine designs and improve outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture is clearly defined by a drive for high performance, speed, and meticulous craft, all within the context of a fast-growing AI startup. Candidates should demonstrate an ability to thrive in a demanding yet rewarding environment where their creative contributions are directly tied to business success.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Establishing a New Brand Identity: As the first Brand Designer, defining and solidifying Reducto's visual language from scratch will be a significant undertaking.

• Balancing Speed and Quality: The "ship in days, not months" mantra can be challenging when maintaining a high bar for craft and precision, especially across diverse mediums.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring brand consistency and cohesive messaging across product design, marketing, sales, and external vendors requires strong communication and negotiation skills.

• Visualizing Complex Technology: Effectively communicating the value and sophistication of an "agentic document platform" and AI technology through design can be complex.

• Managing External Resources: Effectively directing and integrating the work of contractors and agencies to maintain brand integrity and achieve project goals.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Strategic Brand Building: Opportunity to define and implement a comprehensive brand strategy for a high-growth tech company.

• Diverse Creative Application: Gaining hands-on experience in a wide array of design disciplines, including OOH, experiential, motion graphics, and digital marketing.

• Leadership Potential: Building and potentially leading an in-house brand design function.

• Industry Insight: Deepening understanding of the AI and enterprise software market, and how to translate technical innovations into compelling visual narratives.

• Fast-Paced Iteration: Honing skills in rapid prototyping, feedback incorporation, and agile creative workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge is the foundational nature of the role – building the brand's visual identity. This is also the greatest growth opportunity, offering significant autonomy and the chance to shape a company's external perception. Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they approach ambiguity and establish processes in a nascent function.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for developing a brand identity from the ground up for a new company or product. How would you approach this for Reducto, given its focus on AI and enterprise document solutions?" (Focus on research, target audience, core messaging, visual elements, and brand guidelines).

• "How do you balance the need for speed and rapid iteration with maintaining a high standard of design craft and precision, especially in a startup environment like Reducto?" (Prepare examples of how you've managed competing priorities).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Reducto's mission and its role in the AI landscape? How do you see design contributing to its success?" (Demonstrate research and genuine interest).

• "Reducto emphasizes 'shipping in days, not months.' How do you approach collaboration and communication within a fast-paced team to ensure efficient delivery of high-quality work?" (Discuss your communication style and experience with agile workflows).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly state the objective, your role, the problem, your solution (design choices and rationale), and the outcome/impact.

• Highlight Key Requirements: Dedicate specific slides or sections to showcase your motion graphics and OOH/experiential design work. Be ready to discuss your process for these specific mediums.

• Demonstrate Collaboration: If you worked with Product Design or managed vendors, be prepared to explain how that collaboration functioned and what you learned.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the effectiveness of your designs (e.g., increased engagement, improved conversion rates, successful event attendance).

• Be Ready for Live Design Exercises: For motion graphics or OOH, you might be asked to sketch out a concept or discuss how you'd approach a specific problem on the spot.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to articulate their understanding of brand strategy in the context of AI and enterprise software. The interview will likely probe their ability to translate complex technical concepts into visually compelling narratives and to manage diverse creative outputs under tight deadlines. Demonstrating proficiency in motion graphics and OOH/experiential design through portfolio examples and discussion is crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Brand Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to prominently feature examples of digital marketing creative, motion graphics (Lottie, After Effects), and any out-of-home or experiential design work. Highlight projects where you owned the brand vision end-to-end.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly outlines your 3-5 years of experience, specifically mentioning your proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, motion graphics software, and any experience with brand systems or OOH campaigns. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Be ready to discuss your design process, how you ensure brand consistency, and your experience working in fast-paced environments during interviews. Practice explaining your portfolio projects with a focus on strategy, execution, and impact.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Reducto, their product, target market (AI teams, enterprise), and current brand presence to articulate your understanding and vision for their brand identity. Understand their rapid growth and "work hard" culture.

⚠️ 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.