Senior Graphic Designer / Lead Brand Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Graphic Designer / Lead Brand Designer

Company: Coursedog

Location: Remote (United States)

Job Type: Full Time

Category: Marketing / Creative & Media / Art & Design

Date Posted: October 28, 2025

Experience Level: 5+ Years

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is a critical leadership position within the Marketing department, focusing on defining and executing the company's visual brand identity.

• The Senior Graphic Designer / Lead Brand Designer will be responsible for both strategic brand direction and hands-on design execution across multiple media.

• This individual will act as the primary design authority, ensuring brand consistency and elevating the overall brand experience for Coursedog.

• The position requires a blend of creative vision, technical proficiency in design tools, and strong cross-functional collaboration skills to influence stakeholders and drive alignment on brand initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is explicitly described as "Senior" and "Lead," indicating a high level of autonomy and responsibility. The reporting structure to the SVP of Marketing further underscores the strategic importance of this position. The emphasis on driving strategic direction alongside execution suggests this is not just a production role but one that shapes the company's visual future.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Drive the strategic evolution and implementation of Coursedog's visual brand direction, ensuring it effectively communicates category leadership and value propositions.

• Execute comprehensive design work across a wide array of media, including digital assets, print materials, web interfaces, and advertising campaigns.

• Expand, own, and enforce existing brand guidelines while developing new templates and adapting content to maintain visual consistency and impact.

• Lead the design direction for Coursedog's print magazine, "AcOps," from concept to final production.

• Collaborate closely with Product Marketing, Sr. Demand Gen Manager, and external web development agencies to lead website design updates, including wireframing and UX/UI considerations.

• Art direct and craft compelling visual assets for multi-channel advertising campaigns, ensuring alignment with marketing objectives.

• Partner with Product Marketing and other leaders to define and create key diagrams and visuals that articulate Coursedog's value propositions.

• Drive video and animation projects from storyboarding and directional concepts through to managing external vendors for final production.

• Own the ongoing visual identity of Coursedog, ensuring continuous elevation of brand marketing efforts and their impact.

• Propose and champion design priorities that directly support go-to-market strategies and customer success objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual role: strategic leadership in brand direction and hands-on execution. Emphasis on "owning" and "driving" indicates significant autonomy. The inclusion of managing external vendors for video and animation suggests a need for project management and directorial skills beyond traditional graphic design.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating equivalent knowledge and practical application of design principles is expected.

Experience: 5+ years of professional design experience, with a proven track record in brand development and multi-channel execution.

Required Skills:

• Brand Strategy & Development: Ability to drive strategic visual brand direction and own its implementation.

• Graphic Design Proficiency: Mastery of design principles and execution across various media (web, print, digital, advertising).

• Design Tool Expertise: Proficient in Adobe Suite (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), Figma, and Canva.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively with marketing, product, and leadership teams.

• Communication Skills: Strong verbal and written communication, capable of influencing executive audiences and articulating design vision.

• Web Design & UX/UI: Experience with web design, wireframing, and understanding of UX/UI principles.

• Template Creation & Management: Ability to develop and manage asset templates for consistent brand application.

• Independent Workload Management: Capability to manage personal workload effectively while collaborating.

Preferred Skills:

• Motion Graphics & Animation: Experience in storyboarding, directing, and managing video/animation creation.

• Vendor Management: Experience working with and managing external animators and video editing vendors.

• Consultative Approach: Ability to influence colleagues and stakeholders toward a unified design vision.

• Developer Collaboration: Experience working alongside or managing developers in web design processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement is explicitly stated as "5+" years, aligning with a senior-level position. The specific mention of Adobe Suite, Figma, and Canva indicates the expected technical toolkit. The preference for motion graphics and vendor management points towards a desire for a candidate who can oversee complex creative projects end-to-end.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 5 years of professional design work, with a strong emphasis on brand development and strategic visual direction.

• Demonstrated examples of driving and executing visual brand strategies across diverse media (e.g., digital campaigns, print collateral, website design, advertising).

• Case studies or project examples illustrating the ability to expand and implement brand guidelines effectively.

• Projects that highlight collaboration with cross-functional teams and executive stakeholders, showcasing communication and alignment on design vision.

Process Documentation:

• Examples of how you've approached the development of key asset templates and adapted existing content for consistency.

• Any work related to defining or refining brand guidelines, including process for their application and enforcement.

• Demonstrated ability to storyboard and direct motion graphics or video projects, showing the process from concept to execution.

• Evidence of involvement in web design processes, including wireframing and UX/UI considerations, and collaboration with developers.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is paramount for this role, as it's the primary method for assessing strategic design thinking and execution capabilities. The emphasis should be on demonstrating leadership in brand development, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to manage projects from concept through to final delivery, including vendor management for specialized creative assets.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Senior Graphic Designer / Lead Brand Designer with 5+ years of experience in a remote, US-based role within the SaaS industry, the estimated salary range is $90,000 - $130,000 annually. This range can vary based on specific experience, location within the US (though remote, some companies consider cost of living adjustments), and negotiation.

Benefits:

• Healthcare, Dental & Vision: A fixed contribution model ensures equity, with the company covering 99% to 43% of premiums depending on coverage level selected. Partners include Aetna and Guardian.

• Wellness Perks: Access to Spring Health (mental health), XP Health (vision), Carrot Fertility (family planning), and One Medical (primary care).

• Retirement Planning: 401(k) plan available from day one. A 4% employer match on annual salary will be provided starting January 1, 2026.

• Unlimited Paid Time Off: Flexibility and work-life balance are prioritized with an unlimited PTO policy.

• Equity: All employees are granted equity in the company, with vesting tied to role and tenure, reviewed with promotions.

• Paid Parental Leave: Industry-leading benefits including 12 weeks for primary caregivers and 6 weeks for secondary caregivers, fully paid.

• Health Savings Accounts (HSA) & Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA): Support for pre-tax savings.

Working Hours: While the specific number of hours is not explicitly stated, a full-time role typically implies around 40 hours per week. The remote-first culture suggests flexibility in scheduling, provided work is completed and collaboration needs are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on publicly available data for similar roles in the US tech sector, considering the "Senior" and "Lead" designation and a 5+ year experience requirement. The detailed benefits package is highly competitive and attractive for operations professionals seeking long-term stability and well-being.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Coursedog operates in the EdTech (Education Technology) sector, specifically focusing on higher education solutions for course management, academic operations, and student success. This context implies a need for design that is professional, trustworthy, and speaks to an academic audience.

Company Size: Coursedog is a growing company, likely falling into the mid-size category for a tech startup (e.g., 50-250 employees, based on typical growth trajectories for companies in this space). This size typically offers a balance between the agility of a startup and the structure of a more established organization, impacting how design projects are initiated and executed.

Founded: Founded in 2017, Coursedog is a relatively young but established company in the EdTech space, suggesting a dynamic and evolving culture. Its history as a remote-first company since inception means that collaboration and communication tools are integral to its operations.

Team Structure:

• Marketing Department: This role sits within the Marketing team, reporting to the SVP, Marketing. The team likely includes specialists in demand generation, product marketing, content, and potentially other design-focused roles as the company grows.

• Reporting Hierarchy: The direct report to the SVP of Marketing signifies a high level of visibility and strategic input for the designer.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: The role explicitly requires collaboration with Product Marketing, Demand Generation, Product, and potentially sales teams to ensure brand consistency and support go-to-market initiatives.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: While not explicitly stated, a modern marketing team, especially in SaaS, will likely leverage data to inform design decisions, measure impact, and optimize campaigns.

• Agile/Iterative Processes: Given the fast-paced tech environment and the "remote-first" culture, design processes are likely to be iterative, incorporating feedback and adapting to changing priorities.

• Brand Consistency Focus: A core methodology will be maintaining and elevating a consistent brand identity across all touchpoints.

Company Website: https://www.coursedog.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding Coursedog's position in the EdTech market is crucial for tailoring design output. As a growing, remote-first company founded in 2017, the culture likely values innovation, collaboration, and adaptability. The reporting structure to the SVP of Marketing highlights the strategic nature of the design function.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a "Senior" and "Lead" individual contributor. It represents a significant step up from a general graphic designer, offering leadership in brand strategy and execution. The focus is on owning a critical function rather than managing a team directly, though there's potential to manage external vendors.

Reporting Structure: The designer reports directly to the SVP, Marketing. This provides high visibility and direct access to executive decision-making regarding brand strategy. It also implies a high degree of trust and autonomy in shaping the company's visual identity.

Operations Impact: The visual brand is a direct representation of Coursedog's market position, credibility, and customer experience. This role has a substantial impact on brand perception, marketing campaign effectiveness, website engagement, and ultimately, lead generation and customer acquisition. The design work directly supports go-to-market and customer success goals.

Growth Opportunities:

• Brand Leadership Expansion: Potential to grow into a Brand Director or Head of Brand role as the company scales, potentially overseeing a larger team or multiple design functions.

• Strategic Design Influence: Deepen influence on overall marketing strategy and product positioning through compelling visual storytelling.

• Specialization & Skill Development: Opportunity to become an expert in specific areas like motion graphics, web UX/UI, or integrated campaign design, with potential support for training or certifications.

• Mentorship: As a senior member, there's an opportunity to mentor junior designers or provide design guidance to other teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is ideal for a designer looking to own and significantly influence a brand's visual identity in a growing company. The direct reporting line to the SVP of Marketing offers exceptional exposure and potential for career advancement within the marketing and creative leadership track.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. Coursedog has been a "remote-first" organization since inception, indicating a mature infrastructure and culture built around distributed work.

Office Location(s): Remote, with a stated requirement for candidates located within the United States. While no specific office is mentioned, the company has a headquarters in Chicago, IL.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Despite being remote, the emphasis on cross-functional collaboration suggests frequent virtual meetings, use of collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Zoom), and a culture that values open communication.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Adobe Suite, Figma, Canva), project management tools, and communication platforms is expected.

• Team Interaction: While physical interaction is absent, opportunities for connection within the marketing team and across departments will be facilitated through virtual channels and scheduled team events.

Work Schedule: The remote-first culture prioritizes outcomes over hours, suggesting a degree of flexibility. However, as a full-time role, core business hours and availability for collaborative meetings will be necessary. The company's location in the Central Time Zone (America/Chicago) might imply a preference for candidates who can align with these hours for team synchronization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote-first nature is a defining characteristic. Candidates should be comfortable with asynchronous communication, self-management, and leveraging digital tools to maintain strong working relationships and project momentum.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

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

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the SVP, Marketing to evaluate strategic thinking, brand vision, and cultural fit. This stage will likely delve into past project successes and how the candidate approaches brand leadership.

• Design Challenge/Portfolio Review: A practical exercise or in-depth review of portfolio pieces. Candidates will be expected to articulate their design process, strategic rationale, and how they achieved specific outcomes. This may involve presenting case studies.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders (e.g., Product Marketing, Demand Gen) to assess collaboration skills and ability to integrate design with business objectives.

• Final Interview: Potentially with other company leaders to confirm fit and alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your ability to lead brand strategy and execute across diverse media. Prioritize work that aligns with Coursedog's industry (EdTech) or B2B SaaS.

• Showcase Process: For each selected project, clearly outline the problem, your strategic approach, the tools used, your role, the challenges faced, and the measurable results or impact.

• Highlight Leadership: Emphasize instances where you drove strategic direction, influenced stakeholders, or managed complex projects, especially those involving external vendors.

• Demonstrate Tool Proficiency: Ensure your portfolio clearly reflects your command of Adobe Suite, Figma, and Canva, and any other relevant tools.

• Web Design & UX/UI Focus: Include examples of your web design, wireframing, and UX/UI experience, especially if it involved collaboration with developers.

• Tailor to Coursedog: Research Coursedog's current brand and website. Think about how your skills and vision can elevate their existing brand identity.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for questions about your design philosophy, how you approach brand consistency, and how you handle creative feedback or conflicting stakeholder opinions.

• Practice articulating your design decisions and their business impact, using data or metrics where possible.

• Familiarize yourself with Coursedog's product and target audience to better understand their brand needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily weigh the candidate's portfolio and their ability to articulate the strategic thinking behind their creative work. Expect to discuss how you've driven brand initiatives and collaborated with diverse teams.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Essential for professional graphic design, including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and potentially After Effects for motion graphics.

• Figma: Critical for web design, UI/UX prototyping, wireframing, and collaborative design workflows.

• Canva: Useful for quick template creation, social media assets, and potentially for broader team accessibility to design elements.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• No direct CRM or automation tool usage is specified for this role, but an understanding of how design assets are used within marketing automation platforms or CRM visual interfaces might be helpful.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Adobe Suite and Figma is non-negotiable. Canva is also explicitly mentioned, suggesting its integration into their workflow for broader accessibility and efficiency.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Remote-First: Emphasizes flexibility, autonomy, and outcome-driven work. Trust and transparency are likely core tenets.

• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on cross-functional teamwork and open communication to ensure brand alignment and project success.

• Innovation & Growth: As a growing EdTech company, there's likely a culture that encourages new ideas, continuous learning, and adapting to market changes.

• Customer Focus: While a design role, understanding the end-user (higher education institutions) and their needs will be crucial for creating effective visuals.

• Ownership & Accountability: The "self-starting" requirement and emphasis on "owning vision" points to a culture where individuals take responsibility for their work and its impact.

Collaboration Style:

• Virtual & Asynchronous: Expect a heavy reliance on digital collaboration tools (Slack, email, video conferencing) and comfort with asynchronous communication to accommodate a distributed team.

• Feedback-Oriented: The description mentions incorporating feedback effectively, suggesting a culture where constructive criticism is welcomed and used for improvement.

• Strategic Alignment: Collaboration will focus on ensuring design efforts are strategically aligned with marketing and business objectives, requiring clear articulation of design rationale.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "remote-first" culture is paramount. Candidates should be comfortable with distributed work dynamics and possess strong self-management skills. Collaboration is key, but it will be conducted primarily through digital channels.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Brand Evolution: Balancing the implementation of existing brand guidelines with the need to evolve and elevate the visual identity to project category leadership.

• Remote Collaboration: Effectively driving strategic design direction and collaborating with stakeholders across different locations and time zones.

• Multi-Channel Execution: Ensuring consistent and impactful design across a wide variety of media, from print magazines to digital ads and website interfaces.

• Vendor Management: Successfully managing external animators and video editors to achieve desired creative outcomes within project constraints.

• Balancing Strategy and Execution: Shifting between high-level strategic brand thinking and hands-on design work.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Skills: Opportunity to deepen expertise in areas like motion graphics, video direction, and advanced UX/UI design.

• Brand Strategy Leadership: Grow into a more senior strategic role, influencing broader marketing initiatives and company branding.

• Industry Exposure: Gain experience within the EdTech and B2B SaaS sectors, understanding their unique design and marketing challenges.

• Mentorship: Potential to mentor junior designers or contribute to design best practices within the company.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a significant opportunity to shape a growing brand's visual identity. The challenges are tied to leadership, strategic execution, and adapting to a remote environment, all of which can be leveraged for professional growth.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you drove the strategic direction of a visual brand. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your strategic thinking, execution, and impact).

• "How do you ensure brand consistency across diverse media like print, web, and advertising, especially in a remote setting?" (Highlight your process for guidelines, templates, and collaboration).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What are your thoughts on Coursedog's current brand identity? How would you approach evolving it to project category leadership?" (Show you've researched the company and can think strategically about their brand).

• "How do you prefer to work with executive stakeholders and incorporate feedback into your design process?" (Assess your communication, influence, and adaptability).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: Structure your portfolio presentation around stories. For each key project, explain the "why" (the challenge/objective), the "how" (your strategic approach and execution), and the "what" (the outcome/impact).

• Strategic Rationale: Clearly articulate the strategic thinking behind your design choices. Why did you choose specific colors, typography, layouts, or imagery? How did it serve the brand or campaign objective?

• Process Demonstration: Show your process, from initial concepts and wireframes to final polished assets. This includes demonstrating your proficiency with tools like Figma and Adobe Suite.

• Collaboration Examples: Highlight instances where your design work involved significant collaboration or influenced cross-functional teams.

• Impact Measurement: Where possible, quantify the impact of your design work using metrics (e.g., increased engagement, conversion rates, brand recall). If direct metrics aren't available, discuss qualitative impacts or intended outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare to discuss specific examples from your portfolio that align with the responsibilities outlined, especially those involving brand strategy, cross-functional collaboration, and managing complex creative projects. The ability to articulate your strategic decision-making process is as important as the final visual output.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Graphic Designer / Lead Brand Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Coursedog careers page.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio specifically highlights projects demonstrating strategic brand leadership, multi-channel design execution, and proficiency in Adobe Suite, Figma, and Canva. Prioritize B2B SaaS or EdTech examples if available.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize your 5+ years of experience, leadership in design direction, cross-functional collaboration skills, and specific tool proficiencies mentioned. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, strategic rationale, and how you handle feedback. Prepare case studies that showcase your ability to drive brand vision and deliver impactful results.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Coursedog's products, target market, and current brand presence. Understand their mission and values to demonstrate cultural fit and strategic alignment 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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