Lead Brand & Creative Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Brand & Creative Motion Designer

Company: tem

Location: United Kingdom

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Creative & Design / Brand Operations

Date Posted: 2026-04-22

Experience Level: 5-10 Years (Mid-Senior to Senior)

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the development and execution of tem's distinctive motion language, ensuring brand consistency and recognition across all digital touchpoints.

• Drive end-to-end delivery of high-impact motion design projects, from initial concept to final production for campaigns, product narratives, social media, and internal communications.

• Leverage an AI-first mindset to integrate cutting-edge tools and workflows, accelerating ideation, iteration, and production processes for motion graphics.

• Translate complex energy market and product concepts into clear, emotionally resonant, and easily understandable motion stories that support business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor (IC3) within the Brand and Creative team. The emphasis on "AI-first workflows" suggests a forward-thinking approach to creative production, requiring candidates to be adept at utilizing emerging technologies to enhance efficiency and creative output. The "Energy Sector" context implies a need for designers who can simplify technical or abstract concepts into visually compelling narratives.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Motion Language Development: Define, document, and evolve a comprehensive motion system, including principles, pacing, transitions, typography in motion, and reusable templates to establish a instantly recognizable brand identity.

• End-to-End Project Ownership: Take full responsibility for the entire lifecycle of motion design projects, encompassing concept development, storyboarding, asset creation, animation, editing, and final delivery across various platforms.

• Narrative Storytelling: Craft compelling motion graphics that effectively communicate tem's mission, product value, and market innovations, ensuring both emotional resonance and clarity for diverse audiences.

• Quality Assurance & Consistency: Uphold and elevate the brand's visual standards through meticulous attention to detail in craft, consistency in application, and the creation of efficient, high-quality reusable assets.

• Independent Execution & Ambiguity Navigation: Operate autonomously, planning and executing non-routine tasks, leading diverse projects with end-to-end accountability, and making confident, informed decisions in ambiguous situations.

• AI Tool Integration: Proactively explore and implement AI tools to optimize creative processes, including research, ideation, animatics, scripting assistance, and style exploration, while maintaining creative integrity.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Brand, Product, Growth, and Content teams to ensure motion design initiatives align with and actively contribute to overarching business goals and product strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic brand building (motion language) and tactical execution (end-to-end delivery). The emphasis on "IC3 execution" and "operating in ambiguity" indicates a need for a proactive, self-sufficient designer capable of driving initiatives with minimal oversight. The integration of AI tools suggests a requirement for continuous learning and adaptation to new technologies.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating equivalent practical experience and expertise in motion design is paramount. A Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Motion Design, Animation, or a related field is typically preferred.

Experience: 5-10 years of professional experience in motion design, with a significant portion spent in fast-paced, high-growth environments such as startups or scale-ups. Proven experience in a senior individual contributor role is essential.

Required Skills:

• Exceptional Motion Design Craft: Demonstrable expertise in motion graphics, animation, typography, composition, pacing, and visual storytelling, as evidenced by a strong portfolio.

• Independent Project Delivery: Proven track record of independently managing and delivering complex motion design projects from concept to completion with minimal supervision.

• Brand System Application: Ability to understand and translate brand strategy into a cohesive and flexible motion design system that ensures brand recognition and consistency across diverse applications.

• Complex Narrative Translation: Skill in distilling intricate technical or abstract concepts (e.g., energy markets, AI infrastructure) into clear, engaging, and emotionally intelligent motion narratives.

• AI Tool Proficiency: Practical experience and a proactive approach to utilizing AI tools for accelerating creative workflows, including ideation, research, storyboarding, and production.

• Startup/Scale-up Environment Acumen: Experience thriving in dynamic, fast-paced environments where priorities may shift rapidly, and a high quality bar must be consistently maintained.

Preferred Skills:

• Advanced After Effects Proficiency: High-level command of Adobe After Effects, including complex animation, expressions, and rendering techniques.

• 3D Software Familiarity: Experience with 3D animation software such as Cinema 4D or Blender is a significant advantage.

• Editing & Sound Design Sensibility: Competence in video editing and a strong understanding of rhythm, timing, and basic sound design/VO integration to create polished final assets.

• Web Motion Integration: Experience translating motion design principles into web-specific formats, including Lottie or Rive animations, or the ability to collaborate effectively with developers on web implementation.

• Performance-Driven Iteration: Understanding of how to connect motion design outputs to key performance indicators (KPIs) such as engagement rates, completion rates, and conversion metrics, and ability to iterate based on data.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Must-Haves" are heavily weighted towards practical, demonstrable skills and experience in fast-paced environments, aligning with the "Senior IC3-level execution" requirement. The "Really Desirable" skills point towards a well-rounded motion designer who can contribute beyond pure animation, touching on 3D, editing, sound, and web implementation, indicating a desire for a versatile creative.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate End-to-End Process: Showcase a clear workflow from initial brief or concept, through ideation, storyboarding, asset creation, animation, and final delivery, highlighting problem-solving and decision-making at each stage.

• Brand System Implementation: Include examples that illustrate the application of a brand's motion principles and how a consistent motion language was developed and maintained across different project types.

• Complex Concept Visualization: Present case studies where intricate or technical information was successfully translated into clear, engaging, and understandable motion graphics.

• AI Tool Integration Evidence: Where possible, highlight projects where AI tools were used to enhance efficiency, accelerate ideation, or achieve creative outcomes that might have been more challenging otherwise.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Be prepared to discuss your personal process for approaching new motion design projects, including how you manage timelines, gather feedback, and iterate on creative concepts.

• System Implementation & Automation: Demonstrate an understanding of creating reusable assets, templates, and style guides to ensure consistency and efficiency in motion production.

• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Be ready to discuss how you would connect motion design work to business outcomes and how you would use data (e.g., engagement metrics, completion rates) to inform future creative decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a senior motion design role, the portfolio is paramount. The emphasis is not just on the final output but on the candidate's process, strategic thinking, and ability to integrate modern tools like AI. Demonstrating an understanding of how motion design contributes to business goals is crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on research for Senior Motion Designers with 5-10 years of experience in the United Kingdom, particularly in tech/startup environments, the estimated annual salary range is £65,000 - £90,000 GBP. This range accounts for the senior individual contributor level, the specialized skill set (including AI integration), and the fully remote nature within the UK.

Benefits:

• Competitive Salary: Reflecting experience and responsibilities in a high-growth tech company.

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Including medical, dental, and vision insurance options.

• Generous Paid Time Off: A flexible approach to vacation and personal days to support work-life balance.

• Remote Work Stipend: Support for home office setup and ongoing remote work expenses.

• Professional Development Budget: Opportunities for training, conferences, and skill enhancement relevant to motion design and AI tools.

• Equity/Stock Options: Potential for participation in the company's growth through stock options, common in venture-backed startups.

• Pension Scheme: Contribution towards retirement savings.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week. While the role is remote, flexibility is expected to accommodate cross-functional team collaboration across different time zones if necessary, and to meet project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimates are based on industry benchmarks for senior-level creative roles in the UK tech sector, considering the company's Series B funding and growth stage. Benefits are typical for well-funded tech startups prioritizing employee well-being and professional growth. The "fully remote" aspect necessitates a discussion around flexibility and potential need for asynchronous communication strategies.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Energy Technology (EnTech) / AI Infrastructure for Energy Markets. tem is disrupting a traditional industry by leveraging AI to create a more transparent, fair, and efficient global energy market. This means the company operates at the intersection of deep technology, finance, and a critical global sector.

Company Size: tem is a rapidly scaling company, having recently closed a $75 million Series B funding round. This indicates a size likely in the range of 100-300 employees, transitioning from a startup to a scale-up phase. This size offers opportunities for significant impact while still maintaining agility.

Founded: Founded with a mission to rebuild the energy transaction infrastructure, tem is a relatively young but fast-growing company, focused on innovation and rapid market penetration.

Team Structure:

• The Brand & Creative team likely consists of specialists in design, content, and marketing, working closely with Product, Growth, and Engineering.

• As a Senior Individual Contributor (IC3), this role reports into a Head of Brand, Creative Director, or Head of Marketing, with a focus on owning specific creative workstreams end-to-end.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Creativity: While a creative role, the "AI-first mindset" and emphasis on tracking impact suggest a data-informed approach to creative development and iteration.

• Agile & Iterative: Operating in a fast-paced scale-up environment necessitates agile workflows, rapid prototyping, and iterative refinement of creative assets.

• Systematic Brand Building: The focus on building a "motion language" and "systems" indicates a commitment to establishing scalable and consistent brand assets.

Company Website: https://www.tem.energy/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's mission-driven nature in the critical energy sector, combined with its AI-first technology and recent Series B funding, suggests a dynamic, innovative, and ambitious work environment. The emphasis on both "craft" and "impact" means the creative team is expected to deliver aesthetically strong work that also drives business results.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is a Senior Individual Contributor (IC3). In many tech organizations, this level signifies an expert in their domain who can operate independently, lead complex projects without direct management, and mentor junior team members. They are expected to set standards and drive innovation within their craft.

Reporting Structure: The designer will likely report to a Creative Director, Head of Brand, or Head of Marketing. While not a management role, they are expected to influence creative direction through their expertise and execution. They will collaborate closely with peers in Product, Growth, and Content.

Operations Impact: The motion designer's work will directly impact brand perception, customer understanding of complex products, and engagement across marketing channels. By creating clear, compelling narratives, they will contribute to brand awareness, product adoption, and ultimately, revenue growth by making tem's offerings more accessible and attractive.

Growth Opportunities:

• Deepening AI Specialization: Become a subject matter expert in leveraging AI tools for creative production within the energy tech sector, potentially leading to new workflow innovations.

• Expanding Creative Influence: Grow from an individual contributor to potentially influencing broader creative strategy, leading creative initiatives, or mentoring a growing team as the company scales.

• Cross-Disciplinary Skill Development: Gain exposure to product strategy, growth marketing, and the nuances of the energy market, broadening your understanding of business drivers and creative application.

• Category Leadership Contribution: Play a key role in defining the visual identity and storytelling approach for a company aiming to lead a new category in energy transaction infrastructure.

📝 Enhancement Note: The IC3 designation is crucial. It means the role is for an experienced, self-sufficient professional who is expected to deliver at a high level without constant direction, rather than managing people. Growth opportunities are framed around expanding expertise and influence within the creative domain and contributing to the company's scaling efforts.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is Fully Remote within the United Kingdom. This means the primary workspace will be a home office.

Office Location(s): While the company is based in the UK, and the role is remote within the UK, specific physical office locations are not detailed. However, for remote workers, the focus is on seamless digital collaboration.

Workspace Context:

• Digital Collaboration Hub: The primary "workspace" will be digital, relying heavily on collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, video conferencing, project management software) for communication and feedback.

• Access to Operations Tools: Expect access to industry-standard design software and potentially specialized AI creative tools, along with project management and communication platforms.

• Team Interaction: While remote, opportunities for team interaction will occur through scheduled video calls, virtual team meetings, and collaborative design sessions. The company culture likely emphasizes inclusivity and connection despite physical distance.

Work Schedule: The standard is a 40-hour work week. Given the remote nature and the fast-paced environment, there may be a need for some flexibility to accommodate project deadlines, team meetings across different UK time zones, and potentially international stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The fully remote nature is a key aspect. The work environment is digital-first, emphasizing strong communication and collaboration skills within a virtual setting. Candidates should be comfortable with asynchronous communication and self-management.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio by the recruiting team to assess alignment with core requirements and experience level.

• Portfolio Deep Dive (with Hiring Manager/Creative Lead): A dedicated session to walk through your portfolio. Expect to discuss your process, creative decisions, problem-solving approaches, and how you've applied brand strategy. Be prepared to elaborate on specific projects, especially those demonstrating storytelling and complex concept visualization.

• Skills Assessment/Creative Challenge: This may involve a practical exercise or a take-home brief designed to assess your motion design craft, ability to interpret a brief, and your AI-first approach. The focus will be on your process, not just the final output.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with peers from Brand, Product, or Growth teams to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and how you integrate creative work with business objectives.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader (e.g., Head of Marketing, CPO) to discuss cultural fit, long-term vision, and overall alignment with tem's mission.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Impact: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best showcase your motion design craft, storytelling ability, brand system thinking, and experience with complex concepts. Prioritize work that aligns with tem's industry and AI-first approach.

• Tell Your Process Story: For each project, clearly articulate the brief, your role, your creative process, challenges faced, solutions implemented (including any AI tools used), and the outcome or impact. Use visuals to support your narrative.

• Highlight Brand & System Thinking: Show examples where you've developed or applied a consistent motion language. Demonstrate your understanding of how motion contributes to brand identity.

• Demonstrate AI Integration: If you have examples of using AI tools, make them prominent. Explain the specific AI tools used, how they benefited the project (e.g., speed, ideation), and how you maintained creative quality.

• Prepare for Specific Questions: Anticipate questions about your experience in fast-paced environments, how you handle ambiguity, your approach to translating technical information, and your understanding of performance metrics for creative work.

Challenge Preparation:

• Deconstruct the Brief: If given a brief, thoroughly analyze the objectives, target audience, and key messages.

• Focus on Process & Rationale: Your approach and the reasoning behind your creative decisions will be as important as the final execution.

• Time Management: Practice delivering a concise and impactful presentation within a given timeframe.

• Stakeholder Communication: Be ready to articulate your creative strategy clearly and concisely to non-design stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to evaluate both creative talent and practical application in a scaling tech company. The portfolio review is central, with a strong emphasis on process, AI integration, and the ability to connect creative work to business outcomes.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe After Effects: Essential for core motion graphics and animation.

• Adobe Creative Suite (Premiere Pro, Illustrator, Photoshop): For editing, asset creation, and general design support.

• AI Creative Tools: Proficiency in or willingness to learn and integrate tools such as Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, RunwayML, Pika Labs, or similar for ideation, asset generation, and animation assistance.

• 3D Software (Optional but Desirable): Cinema 4D, Blender for potential 3D integration.

• Motion Design Plugins & Scripts: Familiarity with popular plugins that enhance workflow and capabilities in After Effects.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Lottie/Rive: For exporting animations for web and mobile use.

• Basic understanding of analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, platform-specific social media analytics): To understand how motion content performs.

CRM & Automation:

• Project Management Tools: e.g., Asana, Jira, Trello for workflow tracking and collaboration.

• Communication Platforms: e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams for daily interaction.

• Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems: Potentially used for organizing brand assets.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of an "AI-first mindset" and "modern tools" is critical. Candidates need to be comfortable with or eager to adopt AI tools alongside traditional software like After Effects. The ability to work with web-optimized formats like Lottie is also a key technical requirement for digital-first companies.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & Future-Forward: A strong drive to adopt new technologies (like AI) and pioneer new approaches in the energy sector.

• Transparency & Fairness: Core to the company's mission, this value likely extends to internal communications and how teams operate.

• Impact-Driven: A focus on tangible results and contributing to business objectives, rather than just creative output for its own sake.

• Agility & Adaptability: Embracing change, moving quickly, and iterating based on feedback and market dynamics.

• Collaboration & Inclusivity: Building a strong team culture where diverse perspectives are valued and contribute to collective success.

Collaboration Style:

• High-Paced & Cross-Functional: Expect to work closely with individuals from various departments (Product, Growth, Content), requiring clear communication and a collaborative spirit.

• Feedback-Oriented: A culture that encourages constructive feedback to improve work and processes, essential for rapid iteration.

• Empowered Individual Contributors: Team members are trusted to take ownership and drive their work forward, with support and guidance from leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture is shaped by its mission-driven nature in a complex industry, its reliance on AI and technology, and its fast-paced, scaling environment. The values emphasize innovation, impact, and collaboration, all critical for a senior individual contributor role.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Translating Technical Complexity: Simplifying the intricacies of energy markets, AI infrastructure, and financial transactions into visually engaging and easily understandable motion graphics.

• Maintaining Brand Consistency at Pace: Ensuring a high standard of brand identity across a wide range of motion assets produced rapidly in a scaling environment.

• Integrating AI Seamlessly: Effectively incorporating AI tools into existing workflows without compromising creative quality or brand integrity, and staying ahead of rapid AI advancements.

• Remote Collaboration Dynamics: Building strong working relationships and maintaining effective communication within a fully remote team structure.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Mastering AI in Creative Production: Deepen expertise in cutting-edge AI tools and workflows for motion design, potentially becoming a go-to resource for the company.

• Brand System Evolution: Contribute significantly to defining and evolving a company's visual identity system for a category-defining product.

• Cross-Functional Acumen: Gain a deeper understanding of product development, growth marketing strategies, and the business operations of a scaling tech company.

• Mentorship and Influence: As a senior member, opportunities may arise to mentor junior designers or guide creative direction for new initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are specific to the role's requirements: complexity of the subject matter, balancing speed and quality, and navigating new technology. Growth opportunities are framed around deepening specialized skills and expanding influence within the company.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for developing a new motion language or system for a brand. How would you ensure it's both distinctive and adaptable?"

• "How do you approach translating complex technical or abstract concepts, like AI in energy markets, into clear and engaging motion stories?"

• "Walk me through a project where you used AI tools to accelerate your creative process. What were the benefits and challenges?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about tem's mission to rebuild the energy transaction market?"

• "How do you approach collaboration within a fully remote, fast-paced startup environment?"

• "Describe a time you had to operate with minimal guidance or in an ambiguous situation. How did you navigate it?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each portfolio piece, clearly outline the brief, your role, your problem-solving process, the creative decisions made, any AI tools used, and the measurable impact or outcome.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use your motion work to demonstrate your skills. Be prepared to pause and discuss specific frames, transitions, or animation choices.

• Highlight AI Integration: Explicitly call out where and how AI tools were used, explaining the value they added.

• Articulate Brand Thinking: Emphasize how your work aligns with or builds brand identity. Discuss your approach to creating consistent visual systems.

• Be Prepared for Technical Deep Dives: Have answers ready for questions about specific software techniques, file formats, and integration challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview questions will focus on process, problem-solving, AI integration, and brand thinking. Candidates should prepare to articulate their creative strategy, demonstrate their ability to translate complex ideas, and showcase how they leverage modern tools.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Brand & Creative Motion Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight experience in motion design, storytelling, brand systems, AI tool integration, and working in fast-paced startup/scale-up environments. Quantify achievements where possible (e.g., "Increased engagement by X% through animated explainer video").

• Highlight Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is easily accessible and showcases your best work relevant to the role. Consider a brief introductory statement on your portfolio page that aligns with tem's mission.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your creative process, your approach to AI integration, and how you translate complex ideas into compelling motion graphics. Be ready to discuss specific projects in detail.

• Research tem: Understand their mission, product, recent funding, and target audience. This will help you tailor your application and ask insightful questions during interviews.

⚠️ 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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