Lead Brand Design Manager

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Brand Design Manager

Company: AXS

Location: Remote (with potential for in-person interviews in Los Angeles, CA)

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Brand Design / Marketing Operations

Date Posted: 2026-02-25

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead comprehensive brand design initiatives from conceptualization to final execution, ensuring alignment with overarching business objectives and minimal direct supervision.

• Develop, maintain, and continuously refresh the AXS Brand Guide, serving as the definitive source for visual identity standards and best practices.

• Mentor and guide junior and mid-level designers, fostering professional growth and elevating the quality of creative output across the team.

• Oversee and approve visual assets created by other teams to guarantee consistent brand expression across all communication channels.

• Drive the creation and management of a robust library of digital and physical creative assets to support marketing, product, and content initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a "Lead" within Brand Design, indicating a significant level of autonomy and responsibility for strategic brand direction. The emphasis on minimal oversight, building a brand guide from scratch, and mentoring junior staff suggests a mid-to-senior level position requiring strong leadership and execution capabilities. While not strictly Revenue Operations or Sales Operations, the role's impact on brand consistency and visual communication directly supports GTM strategies by ensuring a unified and professional brand presence across all customer touchpoints, which is crucial for customer acquisition and retention.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the creation, development, and ongoing iteration of the AXS Brand Guide, ensuring it remains current, comprehensive, and reflective of evolving brand strategy.

• Manage multiple brand design projects concurrently from initial concept through final delivery, demonstrating strong project management and execution skills.

• Provide constructive feedback, mentorship, and technical guidance to junior designers to foster skill development and enhance overall team performance.

• Act as the primary guardian of AXS's visual identity, reviewing and approving assets created by internal teams and external partners to ensure brand compliance.

• Develop and maintain an organized and accessible library of brand assets, including logos, templates, imagery, and other creative collateral.

• Serve as the central point of contact for all brand-related inquiries, providing expertise and resources to internal stakeholders to ensure consistent brand application.

• Partner closely with Marketing, Product, Content, and other cross-functional teams to develop integrated campaigns and ensure cohesive brand messaging.

• Proactively research and integrate emerging design trends, technologies, and best practices into the brand design function to maintain a modern and impactful visual identity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic brand stewardship and hands-on design execution. The emphasis on "maintaining and evolving our brand guidelines" and "overseeing the consistency of AXS’s visual identity" points to a need for a deep understanding of brand architecture and governance – critical for any GTM function. The collaboration with marketing, product, and content teams underscores the operational aspect of ensuring brand alignment across diverse business units.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, Fine Arts, or a related field is typically expected for this level of role.

Experience: 4-6 years of professional brand design experience, with a proven track record of leading design projects and developing brand identity systems.

Required Skills:

• Expertise in brand strategy development and execution, with a demonstrated ability to build a brand guide from its foundational elements.

• Proficient in leading high-impact design projects with minimal direct oversight, showcasing strong ownership and decision-making capabilities.

• Extensive experience creating and managing brand assets across diverse mediums (digital, print, social, etc.) and platforms.

• Expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) for sophisticated design creation and manipulation.

• Advanced skills in Figma, including proficiency in collaborative design workflows, building scalable design systems, and leveraging its capabilities for efficient asset management.

• Exceptional typography skills and a meticulous attention to detail, ensuring high-quality and polished visual output.

• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and deliver high-quality creative work under tight deadlines.

• Strong understanding of current design trends and the ability to translate insights into innovative and forward-thinking design solutions.

• Self-driven with a proactive approach, demonstrating a strong sense of ownership from project initiation to completion.

• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale, provide constructive feedback, and influence stakeholders.

• A problem-solving mindset coupled with openness to feedback and iterative design processes.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience within the entertainment, ticketing, or live events industry.

• Familiarity with project management tools (e.g., Asana, Jira).

• Basic understanding of UX/UI principles as they relate to brand consistency.

• Experience with motion graphics or animation software.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "4-6 years of professional brand design experience" and "experience partnering with senior leaders on high-impact projects with minimal oversight" clearly places this role in the mid-to-senior level. The emphasis on Adobe Creative Suite and Figma signifies the need for hands-on technical proficiency, while skills like typography, attention to detail, and brand trust highlight the critical nature of visual communication in shaping customer perception, a key GTM consideration.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust portfolio showcasing a minimum of 4-6 years of professional brand design work, with a strong emphasis on brand identity development and system creation.

• Demonstrations of building a brand guide from the ground up, illustrating the process, strategy, and final deliverables.

• Examples of high-impact, brand-aligned work across multiple mediums and platforms, highlighting versatility and strategic thinking.

• Case studies detailing lead-level responsibilities on significant projects, emphasizing problem-solving, execution, and collaboration with senior leadership.

Process Documentation:

• Showcase a clear understanding of design process workflows, from initial concept development and research to final asset delivery and implementation.

• Illustrate how brand guidelines were developed, documented, and disseminated to ensure consistent application across various teams and touchpoints.

• Provide examples of how feedback was incorporated and design iterations were managed to achieve optimal results.

• Demonstrate experience in managing a library of creative assets, including organization, version control, and accessibility for internal teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Lead Brand Design Manager role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond just showcasing aesthetics; it must demonstrate the candidate's ability to strategize, build foundational brand systems, lead projects independently, and collaborate effectively. The emphasis on "building a brand guide from the ground up" and "scalable design systems" suggests a need for process-oriented thinking and a systematic approach to brand management.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $73,851.96 - $142,080.00 annually.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Paid holidays, vacation, and sick time.

• Company-paid basic life insurance and optional voluntary life insurance.

• Parental leave.

• 401k Plan with a current employer match of 3%.

• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) options.

• Wellness offerings.

• Eligibility for a bonus under the current bonus plan requirements.

Working Hours: This is a full-time position, typically implying a standard 40-hour work week. Given the "Remote" designation, there may be flexibility in scheduling, though core collaboration hours will likely be expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is broad, reflecting the "Lead" title and the experience level (4-6 years). For a remote role, the location of the candidate will influence the specific placement within this range. Given the company's industry (entertainment/ticketing) and the nature of the role, the benefits package appears competitive and standard for a full-time position in a company of this size. The 3% 401k match is a notable benefit.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Live Entertainment, Ticketing, Technology. AXS operates at the intersection of technology and entertainment, providing ticketing solutions for a vast array of events globally.

Company Size: AXS employs over 900 professionals, with a global presence. This indicates a structured organization with established processes, but also opportunities for impact.

Founded: 2011. AXS has a history of innovation in the ticketing industry, positioning itself as a leader and evolver of fan experiences.

Team Structure:

• The Brand Design team likely operates within the broader Marketing or Creative department.

• This role involves significant collaboration with cross-functional partners, including Marketing, Product, and Content teams, suggesting a matrixed or highly integrated operational structure.

Methodology:

• Emphasis on data-driven decision-making, though this role is more creative-focused, it will need to align creative output with business goals and fan engagement metrics.

• Agile methodologies might be employed for project management, especially when collaborating with product teams.

• A strong focus on iterative design and continuous improvement of brand assets and guidelines.

Company Website: https://solutions.axs.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: AXS, as a subsidiary of AEG, is part of a large, established entity in the live entertainment space. This context suggests a dynamic environment that values innovation while maintaining operational rigor. The "Fanatix" internal name and the emphasis on "Extraordinary People" and "Meaningful Mission" point to a culture that values passion, collaboration, and a shared purpose in revolutionizing the fan experience.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Lead position, signifying a move beyond individual contributor roles. It requires strategic thinking, project leadership, and the ability to mentor others. It's a critical step towards a Senior Manager or Director-level role in Brand Design or a related creative leadership function.

Reporting Structure: The Lead Brand Design Manager will likely report to a Director or VP of Marketing/Creative. They will be responsible for mentoring and guiding junior designers, forming a small but impactful team unit. Collaboration will extend across various departments, requiring strong stakeholder management skills.

Operations Impact: While not directly involved in revenue generation processes like sales operations, this role has a significant indirect impact on revenue by:

• Enhancing Brand Perception: A strong, consistent brand identity builds trust and recognition, which are foundational for customer acquisition and retention.

• Supporting Marketing & Sales Efforts: High-quality creative assets and clear brand guidelines empower marketing and sales teams to execute campaigns effectively, leading to better conversion rates.

• Improving Fan Experience: A cohesive brand experience across all touchpoints contributes to overall customer satisfaction and loyalty, encouraging repeat business.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Progression to a Senior Brand Design Manager or Director of Brand/Creative role, overseeing larger teams and broader strategic initiatives.

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas such as design systems, brand strategy, or digital product design.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gaining broader business acumen by working closely with product, marketing, and content teams, potentially leading to opportunities in broader marketing or GTM strategy roles.

• Learning & Development: Access to training, education reimbursement, and potential for industry conferences to stay abreast of design trends and leadership best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for career progression within a creative leadership track. The "Lead" title implies an expectation of developing leadership skills, which are transferable across various operational functions that require team management and strategic oversight. The connection to GTM is through brand equity and its influence on customer perception and acquisition.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Although the role is designated as "Remote OK," the interview process includes an "in-person interview (interview team)" and subsequent "in-person/virtual interviews (stakeholders)" in Los Angeles, CA. This suggests a hybrid model might be part of the company culture or the expectation for senior roles, or simply a necessity for later-stage interviews. AXS operates globally, indicating a potentially diverse and international work environment.

Office Location(s): The company has locations worldwide, with a headquarters in Downtown Los Angeles, CA. For this remote role, candidates are likely expected to be based in the US, with potential proximity to Los Angeles for interview stages.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Collaboration: Expect to utilize digital collaboration tools extensively for communication, project management, and design sharing.

• Cross-functional Interaction: The role demands frequent virtual collaboration with diverse teams, requiring strong communication and interpersonal skills in a remote setting.

• Technology Access: The company will likely provide access to necessary design software and collaboration platforms.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours/week) are expected. While remote work offers flexibility, adherence to project deadlines and participation in scheduled meetings across different time zones (especially with global teams) will be crucial.

📝 Enhancement Note: The mention of in-person interviews in Los Angeles for a remote role suggests that while the day-to-day work is remote, there might be an expectation for occasional office visits or a preference for candidates within a commutable distance for key stages of the hiring process. This is a common practice for senior roles where team integration and face-to-face interaction are valued.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Stage 1: Recruiter Interview (20-30 min virtual) - Focus on initial fit, experience overview, and understanding of the role's core requirements.

• Stage 2: Hiring Manager Interview (60 min virtual) - Deeper dive into your brand design philosophy, leadership approach, project management skills, and alignment with AXS's brand vision.

• Stage 3: Interview Team (60 min in-person) - Likely a panel interview, assessing technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit with the core design and marketing teams. This is where your portfolio is typically presented and discussed in detail.

• Stage 4: Stakeholder Interviews (Two 30 min in-person/virtual) - Meetings with individuals from cross-functional departments (e.g., Marketing, Product) to assess collaboration capabilities and how your role will support their objectives.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your most impactful projects that best demonstrate your ability to lead brand design, build brand guides from scratch, and create assets across multiple platforms.

• Highlight Leadership: For each project, clearly articulate your role, responsibilities, and the strategic decisions you made. Emphasize instances where you partnered with senior leaders or mentored junior designers.

• Showcase Brand Systems: Include examples of your work on comprehensive brand guides, style guides, and design systems, detailing the process of their creation and implementation.

• Demonstrate Figma Proficiency: If possible, include examples that show collaborative design workflows or scalable design systems built within Figma.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data or metrics to illustrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased engagement, improved brand recall, successful campaign results). If direct metrics are unavailable, explain the intended business impact and how your design supported it.

• Prepare a Narrative: Be ready to walk through your portfolio, explaining the context, your thought process, challenges faced, solutions implemented, and the outcome for each project.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a potential design exercise during the interview process. This could involve critiquing existing AXS branding, proposing improvements, or responding to a hypothetical design brief.

• Practice articulating your design rationale clearly and concisely, focusing on how your creative solutions align with business objectives.

• Brush up on current design trends in the entertainment and ticketing industry.

• Prepare thoughtful questions about the brand's future direction, the team's current challenges, and opportunities for innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The multi-stage interview process, including an in-person component, indicates a thorough evaluation. The portfolio review is critical and should focus on demonstrating leadership, strategic brand building, and practical application of design tools. Preparing for potential design challenges is key for roles of this nature.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite (Expert Proficiency): Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign are essential for detailed graphic creation, photo manipulation, and layout design.

• Figma (Advanced Proficiency): Crucial for collaborative design, building scalable design systems, prototyping, and UI design elements.

• Brand Management Software: Familiarity with platforms for storing, managing, and distributing brand assets and guidelines (e.g., Bynder, Frontify, or an internal DAM system) is likely beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• No direct CRM or automation tool requirements are listed for this role, as it is focused on brand design. However, understanding how brand assets are utilized within marketing automation platforms or CRM systems (e.g., email templates) is beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of "Expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite" and "Advanced Figma skills" are critical requirements. Figma's prominence suggests a modern design workflow that emphasizes collaboration and design systems, which are increasingly important for maintaining brand consistency across large organizations and multiple digital touchpoints.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values (as inferred from company messaging):

• Fan-Centricity: A core value is improving the fan experience. Design decisions should ultimately serve to enhance how fans interact with and perceive the AXS brand.

• Innovation & Evolution: The company emphasizes pushing the industry forward and leading evolution. This translates to a culture that values fresh ideas, embracing new technologies, and continuous improvement in design.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: The role requires working closely with cross-functional partners. AXS values teamwork and bringing "big ideas" to the table as a collective.

• Passion & Enthusiasm: The description highlights passion for improving the fan experience and working with "extraordinary people." This suggests a desire for team members who are genuinely invested in the company's mission.

• Ownership & Accountability: The "self-driven with a strong sense of ownership" requirement points to a culture that values individuals who take initiative and responsibility for their work.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expect a highly collaborative environment where brand design is integrated into marketing campaigns, product development, and content creation processes.

• Feedback-Driven: The "problem-solving mindset and openness to feedback" requirement suggests a culture where constructive critique is welcomed and utilized for iteration and improvement.

• Knowledge Sharing: As a lead, you'll be expected to share your expertise and mentor junior designers, fostering a learning environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's emphasis on "Extraordinary People," "Meaningful Mission," and "Community & Belonging" suggests a culture that values both professional excellence and a positive, inclusive work environment. For a lead role, demonstrating alignment with these values and a collaborative leadership style will be as important as technical skills.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Maintaining Brand Consistency Across Diverse Channels: Ensuring a unified visual identity across a wide range of events, platforms, and international markets can be complex.

• Balancing Creative Vision with Business Objectives: Aligning innovative design concepts with strategic business goals and stakeholder expectations requires strong negotiation and communication skills.

• Managing Multiple Stakeholder Needs: Effectively navigating the requirements and feedback from various departments (Marketing, Product, Content, etc.) while upholding brand integrity.

• Keeping Pace with Evolving Design Trends and Technologies: Continuously learning and adapting to new tools, platforms, and aesthetic movements in the fast-paced entertainment industry.

• Mentoring and Developing Junior Talent: Effectively guiding and supporting the growth of less experienced designers while maintaining high output standards.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Opportunities to deepen expertise in areas like design systems, advanced Figma capabilities, or branding for digital products.

• Industry Engagement: Potential to attend industry conferences (e.g., design, entertainment marketing) for networking and learning.

• Leadership Development: Formal or informal training and mentorship to hone leadership, project management, and strategic thinking skills.

• Cross-Departmental Learning: Gaining exposure to different facets of the business through close collaboration with marketing, product, and content teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: Identifying these challenges and framing them as opportunities for growth will be critical during the interview process. Demonstrating foresight and a proactive approach to overcoming these hurdles will showcase leadership potential.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach building and evolving the AXS Brand Guide from its current state?" (Focus on process, stakeholder input, and iteration.)

• "Describe a time you had to partner with senior leaders on a high-impact project with minimal oversight. What was your approach and the outcome?" (Highlight ownership, strategic thinking, and communication.)

• "How do you ensure brand consistency across multiple platforms and teams, especially when assets are created by individuals outside the core brand design team?" (Discuss governance, templates, and feedback mechanisms.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What are your thoughts on the current AXS brand identity, and where do you see opportunities for evolution?" (Requires pre-interview research on AXS's existing branding.)

• "How do you foster a collaborative and growth-oriented environment for junior designers?" (Focus on mentorship, feedback, and team development.)

• "How do you balance creative innovation with the need to meet tight deadlines and business objectives?" (Explain your time management, prioritization, and negotiation skills.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your strategic approach, the solutions you designed, the tools you used (especially Figma), the challenges encountered, and the results achieved.

• Emphasize Leadership: Clearly state your role and responsibilities, especially highlighting instances of independent decision-making, stakeholder management, and mentoring.

• Showcase Brand Systems: Dedicate time to present your work on brand guides and design systems, explaining the rationale behind your choices and how they ensure scalability and consistency.

• Technical Demonstration: Be prepared to discuss your advanced Figma skills, including how you've built design systems, managed collaborative workflows, or implemented efficient design processes.

• Anticipate Questions: Be ready to answer detailed questions about your design choices, your understanding of brand strategy, and how you would adapt your approach to AXS's specific market and audience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is multi-layered, requiring preparation for behavioral, technical, and strategic questions. The portfolio is central to the evaluation, so practicing its presentation and anticipating in-depth questioning is crucial. Understanding AXS's current brand and industry context will be vital for demonstrating strategic alignment.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Brand Design Manager position:

• Submit your application through the Greenhouse application portal linked in the job posting.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight the specific keywords and responsibilities mentioned in the job description, such as "brand guide development," "Figma," "Adobe Creative Suite," "mentoring," and "cross-functional collaboration." Quantify your achievements with metrics where possible.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date, professionally presented, and specifically curated to showcase projects that align with the requirements of this role (brand guide creation, leadership, multi-platform asset development, Figma expertise). Make sure it's easily accessible online.

• Research AXS: Thoroughly investigate AXS's current brand identity, marketing campaigns, and overall presence in the entertainment and ticketing industry. Understand their mission, values, and target audience. This research will be invaluable for interview discussions.

• Practice Your Pitch: Rehearse your portfolio walkthrough and prepare concise answers to common interview questions, focusing on demonstrating your leadership, strategic thinking, and problem-solving abilities within a brand design context.

⚠️ 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.