Lead Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Graphic Designer

Company: Cedar

Location: Austin, Texas, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Marketing & Design Operations

Date Posted: March 08, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead a significant brand evolution, collaborating with external agencies to craft a national-tier visual identity and positioning for Cedar.

• Establish and rigorously maintain a comprehensive design system and visual language to ensure brand consistency across all platforms and materials.

• Take ownership of the brand's visual representation across diverse touchpoints, including websites, investor presentations, research publications, product marketing collateral, and event materials.

• Develop sharp, confident, and distinct visual assets tailored for key stakeholders such as developers, investors, and partners, reflecting Cedar's premium standing.

• Create compelling visual narratives for thought leadership content, transforming articles, research pieces, and housing insights into shareable, engaging material.

• Ensure seamless integration between marketing and product visuals, presenting a unified company image by working closely with the product team.

• Elevate the overall visual standard across Cedar, ensuring all outward-facing communications reflect a deep commitment to design excellence and intentionality.

• Cultivate a brand presence that commands attention within architecture, real estate, and technology discussions, establishing Cedar as a national voice.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a strategic leadership opportunity within the design function, emphasizing brand evolution and stewardship rather than purely execution. The focus on "national stage" and "national voice" indicates a high level of ambition for the brand's impact and reach. The emphasis on "premium, smart, and unmistakably intentional" suggests a sophisticated and detail-oriented brand aesthetic is expected.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the comprehensive brand evolution initiative, including the selection and management of an external branding agency to develop a robust visual identity and positioning framework.

• Define, document, and enforce the brand's design system, style guides, and visual language to ensure consistent application across all organizational outputs.

• Strategize and execute visual communication plans for key stakeholder groups, including investors, developers, and potential partners, ensuring materials are persuasive and aligned with Cedar's brand objectives.

• Develop and design high-impact visual assets for thought leadership content, such as research publications, white papers, and industry insights, to enhance Cedar's reputation as a knowledgeable leader.

• Collaborate with the product development team to ensure aesthetic coherence between marketing materials and the company's software products, fostering a unified brand experience.

• Implement and maintain rigorous quality control processes for all visual assets, ensuring they meet the highest standards of design craft and brand integrity.

• Drive the visual strategy for marketing campaigns, social media content, and event collateral, ensuring all elements align with the overarching brand narrative and objectives.

• Actively contribute to the company's strategic discussions regarding brand perception, market positioning, and how visual communication can drive business goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic brand leadership, hands-on design execution, and cross-functional collaboration. The emphasis on "leading a brand evolution" and "setting the standard" implies significant autonomy and influence over Cedar's visual direction. The expectation to work with founders and founders' ambitions suggests a dynamic, high-growth environment.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or a related field is typically expected for a Lead role of this caliber. Equivalent practical experience will also be strongly considered.

Experience: A minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in graphic design, with a significant portion focused on brand development, visual identity systems, and leading design initiatives. Experience in a lead or senior designer capacity is essential.

Required Skills:

• Proven expertise in graphic design principles, including typography, layout, color theory, and composition.

• Demonstrated ability to develop and manage comprehensive design systems, style guides, and visual branding guidelines.

• Strong proficiency in industry-standard design software, including Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and familiarity with presentation software (e.g., Google Slides, PowerPoint, Keynote).

• Experience in leading brand evolution projects, including potential rebrands, from concept to execution.

• Exceptional visual storytelling capabilities, with a knack for translating complex ideas into clear, compelling visual narratives.

• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with a disciplined approach to maintaining brand consistency and quality across all deliverables.

• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize tasks effectively, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working within the architecture, design, real estate, or urban planning sectors, demonstrating an understanding of the target audience and industry aesthetics.

• Prior experience partnering with or managing external branding agencies.

• Proven editorial design skills, with a portfolio showcasing strong experience in designing reports, publications, and long-form content.

• Familiarity with motion graphics or light animation principles (e.g., After Effects) for dynamic visual content.

• Understanding of web design principles and experience designing for digital platforms, including websites and social media.

• Experience with data visualization and creating compelling infographics.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Nice to Have" section strongly suggests that candidates with industry-specific experience (architecture, real estate) or experience leading rebrands will have a distinct advantage. The emphasis on "sharp visual taste" and "real range" indicates a need for a designer who can adapt to different contexts while maintaining a high level of aesthetic quality.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated portfolio showcasing a strong command of visual identity development and brand evolution, demonstrating a clear progression from concept to final execution.

• Examples of established and maintained design systems, including style guides, component libraries, and usage guidelines, illustrating a commitment to scalability and consistency.

• Diverse project examples covering a range of formats, such as investor presentations, research publications, marketing collateral, web graphics, and social media assets, highlighting versatility.

• Case studies detailing specific design challenges, the strategic approach taken, the design solutions implemented, and demonstrable impact or results achieved.

Process Documentation:

• Evidence of a structured approach to design project management, from brief interpretation through concept development, execution, and final delivery.

• Documentation outlining methodologies for ensuring brand consistency and quality control across multiple projects and stakeholders.

• Examples of how design processes were adapted to accommodate agency partnerships or lead rebrand efforts, showing collaborative workflow management.

• Demonstration of how design thinking and strategic planning were integrated into the creation of visual assets, showing foresight beyond mere execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements emphasize strategic thinking and process, not just aesthetic output. Applicants should be prepared to demonstrate how they manage design projects, ensure consistency, and translate strategic goals into visual outcomes. A focus on "impact" and "results" is crucial, especially for materials aimed at investors and partners.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $140,000 - $190,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience and the scope of responsibilities.

• Meaningful equity ownership, providing a stake in Cedar's growth and success.

• Comprehensive healthcare coverage, including medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Opportunity for significant impact and ownership at an early-stage company.

• Professional development opportunities within a high-growth environment.

Working Hours: This is a full-time position, typically requiring 40 hours per week. While specific hours may vary based on project needs and deadlines, the on-site nature suggests a standard office work schedule.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is competitive for a Lead Graphic Designer role with significant brand leadership responsibilities in a major tech-hub like Austin. The inclusion of "meaningful equity ownership" is a key differentiator for early-stage companies and signifies a high level of potential upside for employees. The "early-stage ownership and impact" benefit underscores the hands-on nature of the role.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology (PropTech/Construction Tech), Real Estate Development, Architecture. Cedar operates at the nexus of these rapidly evolving sectors, aiming to modernize housing development through software and architectural expertise. The company is building the "operating system for urban housing delivery," combining architectural proficiency with advanced software, automation, and data systems.

Company Size: While not explicitly stated, the description implies a growing, ambitious startup environment. The need for a Lead Graphic Designer to "lead a brand evolution" and partner with an "external agency" suggests the company is moving past its initial startup phase and investing strategically in its brand presence, likely employing between 50-200 individuals.

Founded: The founding date is not provided, but the description of Cedar as a company building "something that doesn't really exist yet" and focusing on "software, automation, and data systems" points to a relatively modern founding, likely within the last 5-10 years, positioning it as an innovative player in its field.

Team Structure:

• Operations: The core team comprises a blend of architects, engineers, and product builders, indicating a strong technical and design-oriented foundation.

• Reporting: The Lead Graphic Designer will work "directly with the founders," suggesting a flat hierarchy and direct access to key decision-makers. This also implies the role is critical to the company's strategic vision.

• Collaboration: The role requires close collaboration with the product team and external agencies, emphasizing a cross-functional and partnership-driven approach to design and branding.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: The company's focus on "software, automation, and data systems" suggests an underlying data-driven approach to its operations and product development, which likely extends to how design decisions are informed and measured.

• Scalable Architecture: The goal of "making great architecture scalable" implies a systematic, process-oriented mindset that likely influences how the brand and visual systems are developed and implemented.

• Innovation & Disruption: Cedar's mission to "reinvent how housing gets designed, permitted, and built" highlights a culture of innovation, challenging traditional industry norms through technology and design.

Company Website: https://www.cedar.build/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's industry and mission are critical context for a designer. Understanding Cedar's goal of "reinventing how housing gets designed, permitted, and built" means the brand identity needs to convey innovation, reliability, and a forward-thinking approach within the built environment sector. The direct reporting to founders is a significant aspect of the role's influence and visibility.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a "Lead" position, signifying a senior individual contributor role with significant strategic influence and ownership. It's a critical hire for Cedar, responsible for defining and executing the company's external visual identity and brand narrative. This level typically requires 5-10 years of experience and the ability to operate autonomously while also collaborating effectively.

Reporting Structure: The Lead Graphic Designer reports directly to the founders. This indicates a flat organizational structure and a high degree of visibility and direct impact on company strategy. It also means the designer will be deeply integrated into high-level decision-making processes.

Operations Impact: The visual brand is positioned as a "strategic priority" and not an "afterthought." The Lead Graphic Designer's work will directly shape how Cedar is perceived by developers, investors, policymakers, and the public. A strong brand presence is essential for attracting investment, talent, and strategic partnerships, directly contributing to Cedar's mission of scaling housing development and becoming a national voice. The role's success is measured by the brand's strength, recognition, and its ability to communicate Cedar's innovative approach and value proposition effectively.

Growth Opportunities:

• Brand Leadership: Opportunity to build and scale an entire brand identity for a company aiming for national recognition. This includes establishing foundational design principles and systems that will guide future growth.

• Strategic Influence: Direct engagement with founders provides a unique opportunity to influence company strategy and contribute to business development through effective visual communication.

• Industry Expertise: Deep immersion in the intersection of architecture, technology, and real estate, allowing for specialized knowledge development in a high-impact sector.

• Portfolio Development: The chance to create a portfolio of high-caliber work that includes a major brand evolution, investor-facing materials, and thought leadership publications, significantly enhancing career prospects.

• Potential for Team Building: As Cedar grows, there may be opportunities to build and lead a design team, transitioning from an individual contributor to a management role.

📝 Enhancement Note: The reporting structure directly to founders is a significant growth indicator, offering unparalleled exposure to executive-level strategy. The role is not just about executing design but about shaping the company's identity, which is a key stepping stone for future leadership roles in branding or marketing.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is explicitly designated as "in office at our headquarters in Austin, TX." This indicates a preference for a collaborative, on-site work environment where teams can interact directly and foster a strong company culture.

Office Location(s): Cedar's headquarters are located in Austin, Texas. This city is a recognized hub for technology, innovation, and design, offering a vibrant ecosystem for a company like Cedar. Specific office address details are not provided, but being a headquarters location implies a central and well-equipped facility.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The on-site requirement suggests an environment that values in-person collaboration, spontaneous idea-sharing, and team cohesion, which is crucial for a design-intensive role like brand evolution.

• Design-Focused: Given the company's mission and the nature of the role, the workspace is likely to be designed with creativity and design thinking in mind, potentially incorporating elements that reflect the company's aesthetic values.

• Technology & Tools: As a tech-enabled company, employees can expect access to modern technology and relevant software tools essential for design and collaboration.

• Founder Proximity: The direct reporting line to founders means the workspace likely facilitates regular interaction with leadership, fostering a dynamic and responsive work atmosphere.

Work Schedule: As a full-time, on-site role, the work schedule is likely to align with standard business hours, typically Monday through Friday. However, given the startup environment and the nature of brand evolution projects, flexibility and dedication to meeting project deadlines may be required.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "in office" suggests that Cedar prioritizes in-person collaboration and cultural immersion, which is common for early-stage companies building a strong identity and team cohesion. The Austin location places it within a competitive talent market and a growing tech scene.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications, experience, and alignment with the role's requirements. This stage focuses on visual taste and foundational skills.

2. Hiring Manager/Founder Interview: A discussion to delve deeper into your experience, strategic thinking, and understanding of brand building. Expect questions about your approach to brand evolution and your vision for Cedar's brand.

3. Portfolio Presentation & Design Challenge: A critical stage where you will present your portfolio, highlighting relevant case studies. You may also be given a design challenge (e.g., a small branding exercise or critique of existing materials) to assess your practical skills, problem-solving abilities, and how you articulate design decisions.

4. Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with key team members (e.g., product, marketing, potentially founders) to assess cultural fit, collaboration style, and how you integrate with different functions.

5. Final Interview: Likely with the founders to discuss overall fit, strategic alignment, and finalize offer details.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your ability to lead brand evolution, develop design systems, and create high-impact visuals for diverse audiences (investors, developers, publications).

• Showcase Process: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your strategic approach, your role, the tools used, and the measurable outcomes or impact. Emphasize your thought process, not just the final designs.

• Highlight Brand Stewardship: Include examples where you've managed brand consistency, developed style guides, or led rebrand efforts.

• Demonstrate Range: Include examples across different formats (presentations, editorial, digital) to show your versatility.

• Tell a Story: Frame your portfolio as a narrative of your career, showcasing your growth and impact.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Cedar's Mission: Research Cedar's business model, target audience, and industry position. Understand their current brand (if any) and how you would evolve it.

• Analyze Current Visuals: If possible, review Cedar's existing website and any public-facing materials. Be prepared to offer constructive critiques and propose strategic improvements.

• Think "Premium, Smart, Intentional": Prepare to demonstrate how your design choices embody these qualities.

• Prepare for Strategic Questions: Anticipate questions about how design supports business goals, how you collaborate with agencies, and how you measure design impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a "design challenge" and "portfolio presentation" indicates that practical application and the ability to articulate design strategy are highly valued. Candidates should be prepared to defend their design choices and demonstrate how their work aligns with business objectives.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Essential for graphic design tasks. Proficiency in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign is a baseline requirement.

• Presentation Software: Expertise in Keynote, Google Slides, or PowerPoint for creating investor decks and reports. Advanced skills in visual storytelling within these platforms are expected.

• Design System Tools: Familiarity with tools like Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD for creating and maintaining design systems, component libraries, and style guides. Figma is increasingly the industry standard for collaborative design systems.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics (e.g., Google Analytics): A basic understanding of website traffic and user behavior can inform digital design decisions.

• Data Visualization Tools (e.g., Tableau, Looker Studio): While not a primary responsibility, the ability to interpret or work with data visualizations for reports and publications would be beneficial.

CRM & Automation:

• Marketing Automation Platforms (e.g., HubSpot, Marketo): Familiarity with how marketing assets are deployed through these platforms can be advantageous for ensuring brand consistency in automated campaigns.

• Project Management Software (e.g., Asana, Trello, Jira): Experience using project management tools to track design tasks, deadlines, and collaborate with teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core tools are standard for a Lead Graphic Designer. The emphasis on "design systems" and "presentation software" points to key areas of focus for this role. While not explicitly listed, familiarity with collaborative design platforms like Figma is highly probable given its industry prevalence.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Design Excellence: A deep commitment to high-quality, intentional design that elevates the company's brand and communicates sophistication. This value is paramount, as the role is about setting the standard for how Cedar looks and feels.

• Strategic Impact: Design is viewed as a strategic tool that drives business objectives, attracts investment, and shapes market perception, rather than just an aesthetic function.

• Collaboration & Partnership: A belief in working closely with internal teams (product) and external partners (agencies) to achieve cohesive and effective results.

• Innovation & Forward-Thinking: Aligned with Cedar's mission, the culture likely values creativity, pushing boundaries, and adopting modern approaches to design and communication.

• Rigor & Discipline: Maintaining brand consistency and quality across all outputs requires a disciplined approach, attention to detail, and a commitment to established standards.

Collaboration Style:

• Founder-Centric: Direct collaboration with founders means a dynamic, responsive, and potentially fast-paced interaction style.

• Agency Partnership: The ability to effectively brief, manage, and collaborate with external branding agencies is crucial for leading the brand evolution.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Working closely with product teams to ensure brand consistency across marketing and product visuals.

• Feedback-Driven: Openness to feedback and iteration is essential in a design-led role, especially in an evolving company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to be one that highly values design as a strategic differentiator. The emphasis on founders and agencies suggests a collaborative yet driven environment where high standards are expected and met.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Defining a New National Brand: The primary challenge is to establish a compelling and cohesive visual identity for Cedar that resonates nationally within the architecture, real estate, and technology sectors, distinguishing it from existing players.

• Balancing Design Craft with Business Needs: Ensuring that design decisions not only meet aesthetic goals but also effectively serve business objectives, such as investor attraction and market positioning.

• Maintaining Consistency at Scale: As Cedar grows, maintaining the integrity and consistency of the brand across an increasing number of touchpoints and potentially new markets will be a continuous challenge.

• Leading External Agencies: Effectively managing external agencies to ensure they align with Cedar's vision and deliver work that meets the high standards set for the brand.

• Integrating Product and Marketing Visuals: Achieving seamless visual harmony between the company's software product and its marketing collateral requires careful coordination and a unified design strategy.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Brand Strategy Leadership: Gaining hands-on experience in shaping and executing a national brand strategy from its foundational stages.

• Industry Expertise: Developing deep knowledge at the intersection of architecture, technology, and real estate, a rapidly evolving and influential sector.

• Founder Mentorship: Direct interaction with founders provides unique insights into startup strategy, leadership, and business development.

• Agency Management Skills: Learning to effectively manage and collaborate with external creative partners.

• Building Design Systems: Experience in developing and scaling robust design systems that can support future product and marketing growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are significant because the role is about building something new and impactful. The growth opportunities are equally substantial, offering a chance to make a defining contribution to a company's identity and career trajectory.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach leading a brand evolution for a company like Cedar, especially when partnering with an external agency?" (Focus on your process, agency management, and strategic thinking.)

• "Describe a time you had to balance competing priorities or stakeholder feedback when developing a brand identity or a key visual asset." (Demonstrate your ability to navigate complex situations and make informed decisions.)

• "How do you ensure brand consistency across diverse platforms and materials, and what role does a design system play in this?" (Highlight your understanding of scalability and governance.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Cedar's mission and its position at the intersection of architecture, technology, and real estate?" (Express genuine interest and demonstrate research.)

• "How do you see design contributing to Cedar's goal of becoming a national voice in the future of housing?" (Connect your role to the company's strategic ambitions.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: Group your portfolio by key capabilities (Brand Evolution, Design Systems, Editorial Design, Presentation Design) or by impactful case studies.

• Focus on Impact: For each project, clearly state the problem, your solution, your role, and the results or impact achieved (e.g., improved engagement, clearer communication, stronger brand perception). Use metrics where possible.

• Articulate Your Process: Be ready to walk through your design process for key projects, explaining your rationale behind strategic and creative decisions.

• Be Ready for Critiques: Prepare to discuss your work critically, acknowledging limitations and potential future improvements. Show self-awareness.

• Tailor to Cedar: Highlight projects that demonstrate experience relevant to Cedar's industry or challenges (e.g., investor decks, thought leadership publications, brand identity work).

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, a deep understanding of brand building, and the ability to translate complex ideas into compelling visuals. The ability to articulate your process and impact is as important as the visual quality of your work.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on jobs.polymer.co.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature projects demonstrating brand evolution, design system development, and experience creating high-impact visuals for professional audiences (investors, developers). Ensure it clearly showcases your strategic approach and results.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight leadership experience, brand stewardship responsibilities, and specific achievements relevant to the core and preferred skills, using keywords like "brand evolution," "design system," "visual identity," and "stakeholder communication."

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on articulating your design process, strategic rationale, and the impact of your work. Prepare thoughtful questions about Cedar's brand strategy and company culture.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Cedar's mission, industry, and current visual presence. Understand their goals for becoming a "national voice" and how design can support that ambition.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions about operations roles. All details should be verified directly with Cedar before submitting your application. The emphasis on a "Lead" role and "brand evolution" suggests a high level of expectation for strategic contribution and hands-on execution.