Sr. Content Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Sr. Content Designer
Company: Illumio
Location: Sunnyvale, California, United States
Job Type: Full-Time
Category: Content Design / User Experience Operations
Date Posted: October 29, 2025
Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (7+ years)
Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is critical for enhancing Illumio's product-led growth strategy by transforming complex cybersecurity workflows into intuitive, self-service visual content journeys.
• The Sr. Content Designer will leverage generative AI and advanced design tools to create compelling in-app content experiences, driving product adoption and customer value.
• This position involves demonstrating thought leadership in visual storytelling, influencing the team's content transformation agenda, and mentoring other content creators.
• The core focus is on designing and delivering high-quality visual content, including onboarding paths, learning maps, and infographics, tailored for a cybersecurity audience.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Sr. Content Designer," its responsibilities heavily overlap with UX Operations and GTM Enablement functions by focusing on user adoption, product understanding through visual aids, and driving customer value post-sale. The emphasis on in-app content, product-led growth, and user journey optimization positions this role within the broader operations and customer success ecosystem, particularly in leveraging content as a tool for operational efficiency and customer engagement.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the design and creation of compelling visual content, including infographics, how-to workflows, learning journeys, and onboarding paths, to enhance user understanding and adoption of Illumio's platform.
• Utilize generative AI and advanced design software (Adobe Creative Suite, Camtasia) to produce high-impact visual assets that clearly communicate complex cybersecurity concepts and workflows.
• Conduct quarterly design audits to identify content gaps, assess the effectiveness of existing visual communication strategies, and recommend optimizations for clarity and impact.
• Develop audience-specific content design strategies, tailoring visual formats (color, imagery, typography, layout) for diverse user personas and their journey from onboarding to advanced usage and troubleshooting.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Product Management, UX Design, Engineering, and Marketing teams to ensure visual content is aligned with product roadmap goals, user needs, and overall brand messaging.
• Champion a "less is more" design philosophy, ensuring all visual content is concise, easily digestible, and effectively conveys key information without overwhelming the user.
• Mentor and guide other content creators on the team, leading multi-media design workshops to foster skill development and expand the team's capabilities in visual content creation.
• Influence the product design cycle by actively participating in Figma reviews during the prototype phase, providing recommendations for intuitive customer journeys and embedded help content.
• Partner with Product Management to embed visual content within the product interface, aiming to onboard new customers efficiently and enable them to quickly adopt new features and products.
• Build visual learning maps for existing and new Illumio products, ensuring they are easy to follow and provide value without information overload.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strategic approach to content design, moving beyond simple asset creation to influencing product adoption and customer success. The emphasis on "product-led growth" and "self-service visual content journeys" indicates a strong connection to GTM and customer enablement operations. The mentorship aspect suggests a potential for team leadership within the content function.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or a related field.

Experience:

• 7+ years of progressive experience in content design, content strategy, and visual communication, preferably within enterprise software, cybersecurity, or a related technical industry.
• Proven track record of creating impactful in-product application guidance, infographics, and visual storytelling assets that drive user adoption and engagement.

Required Skills:

• Advanced Graphic Design Proficiency: Exceptional design skills with a strong portfolio showcasing a keen eye for aesthetics, layout, typography, and visual hierarchy. Expertise in creating polished, professional designs that capture attention and convey information effectively.
• Visual Storytelling: Ability to translate complex technical concepts and cybersecurity workflows into clear, concise, and compelling visual narratives through infographics, diagrams, and flowcharts.
• Content Strategy & Design: Demonstrated experience in developing and executing content design strategies, including audience segmentation, journey mapping, and optimizing content for user adoption and retention.
• Generative AI Utilization: Proven ability to leverage generative AI tools effectively to accelerate the creation of information graphics and visual content, enhancing efficiency and output quality.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Excellent communication, interpersonal, and collaboration skills, with a demonstrated ability to work effectively with Product, UX, Engineering, and Marketing teams.
• Project Management: Strong organizational and project management capabilities, with the ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously in a fast-paced, agile environment.
• Agile Environment Adaptability: Experience working in an agile development environment, understanding sprint cycles, and adapting to changing priorities and project requirements.

Preferred Skills:

• Video Editing Proficiency: Advanced user of Camtasia or similar video editing tools for creating multimedia content, tutorials, or explainer videos.
• Figma Integration: Familiarity with Figma for embedding and reviewing design prototypes, and influencing UX design decisions.
• Atlassian Suite Proficiency: Proficient in using Atlassian tools such as Confluence for documentation and JIRA for project tracking and workflow management.
• Cybersecurity Domain Knowledge: Background or understanding of cybersecurity principles, threats, and solutions, which can inform the creation of relevant and impactful visual content.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 7+ years of experience and the emphasis on "thought leadership" and "influencing the team's content transformation agenda" suggest this role is more senior than a standard content designer, potentially with lead or principal-level responsibilities within the content team. The explicit mention of "generative AI" is a key differentiator and indicates a forward-looking approach to content creation tools.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Visual Design Excellence: A robust portfolio showcasing a diverse range of high-quality visual content, including infographics, user onboarding flows, learning maps, and visual workflows. Examples should demonstrate clarity, impact, and adherence to design best practices.
• Process Optimization Examples: Portfolio pieces that illustrate how visual content has been used to simplify complex processes, improve user understanding, and drive adoption or efficiency gains.
• User Journey Mapping: Demonstrations of how visual content has been strategically designed to guide users through specific journeys, from initial onboarding to ongoing engagement and self-service.
• Tool Proficiency Showcase: Visuals that implicitly or explicitly demonstrate proficiency with industry-standard design tools (Adobe Creative Suite) and potentially video editing software.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Evidence within the portfolio of designing and optimizing workflows through visual aids, clearly depicting steps, decision points, and outcomes.
• Content Transformation Strategies: Examples of how complex technical information has been transformed into accessible visual content for different user personas and learning preferences.
• Metrics & Impact Demonstration: While not explicitly stated as a portfolio requirement, candidates are expected to be able to articulate the impact of their visual content designs, ideally with data or qualitative feedback demonstrating successful adoption, reduced support requests, or improved user comprehension.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "process optimization" and "user journey mapping" within the portfolio requirements aligns this role with operations-focused roles that aim to improve efficiency and user experience through well-designed content. The ability to demonstrate impact is crucial for operations professionals.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $122,000 - $140,000 USD per year

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans designed to support employee well-being.
• Retirement Savings Plan: 401(k) plan with potential company match to aid in long-term financial planning.
• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays to promote work-life balance.
• Professional Development: Opportunities for ongoing learning, training, and skill enhancement, including workshops and potentially conference attendance.
• Stock Options/Equity: Potential for stock options or equity grants, aligning employee success with company growth.
• Commuter Benefits: Support for commuting to the Sunnyvale office.
• Wellness Programs: Initiatives focused on employee health and well-being.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time work week, typically 40 hours, with flexibility to manage project timelines and deadlines.
• This is an on-site role requiring 5 days a week in the Sunnyvale office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is typical for a Sr. Content Designer role in the Sunnyvale, California area, aligning with industry benchmarks for experienced professionals in the tech sector. The benefits listed are standard for a full-time position at a technology company of Illumio's size and industry. The explicit requirement for 5 days a week in the office differentiates this from hybrid or remote roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Cybersecurity and Ransomware Containment. Illumio is a leader in Zero Trust security, providing a breach containment platform for hybrid multi-cloud environments. Company Size: Illumio is a growing technology company, likely with 500-1000 employees based on typical industry growth trajectories for established cybersecurity leaders. Founded: Illumio was founded in 2013, indicating a company with established market presence and a history of innovation in the cybersecurity space.

Team Structure:

• The Product Management team fosters a culture of thought leadership, independence, and responsibility, working closely with Engineering to solve customer problems.
• The Content team is described as "small but mighty," consisting of five content creators and strategists focused on delivering the right content to the right audience at the right time.
• This role will collaborate cross-functionally with Product, UX, Engineering, and Marketing teams, suggesting a highly integrated, matrixed organizational structure typical in tech companies.

Methodology:

• Product-Led Growth: The team is focused on driving product adoption and customer value through in-app content and self-service visual journeys.
• Agile Development: Content creation and product development operate within an agile framework, emphasizing iterative development and responsiveness to change.
• Data-Driven Optimization: While not explicitly detailed for content, the broader company context suggests a data-informed approach to product development and customer engagement, implying that content effectiveness will likely be measured and optimized.
• Visual Storytelling: A core methodology for transforming complex information into easily digestible visual formats.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Illumio's focus on cybersecurity and ransomware containment places it in a high-growth, critical industry. The company culture emphasizes innovation, independence, and customer-centricity. The "product-led growth" strategy is a key operational driver that this role directly supports.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a Senior level within the Content Design function, implying a significant degree of autonomy, expertise, and potential for leadership. It's a key contributor role focused on driving specific operational outcomes (product adoption, user enablement) through content.

Reporting Structure: The role reports into the Content team, which is part of the broader Product or Marketing organization. The Sr. Content Designer will likely report to a Content Lead, Manager, or Director. They will work closely with Product Managers and UX Designers, indicating cross-functional reporting lines for project execution.

Operations Impact: The Sr. Content Designer has a direct impact on the customer's experience with Illumio's products. By creating intuitive visual content, this role facilitates:

• Faster Customer Onboarding: Reducing time-to-value and improving initial customer satisfaction.
• Increased Product Adoption: Driving usage of key features and maximizing customer ROI.
• Reduced Support Load: Empowering users with self-service resources, thereby decreasing reliance on customer support.
• Enhanced User Experience: Contributing to a seamless and intuitive product interaction, which is fundamental to customer retention and advocacy.
• Product-Led Growth: Directly supporting the company's GTM strategy by making the product easier to learn and use, thereby driving organic growth.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership within Content: Opportunity to mentor junior designers, lead design initiatives, and potentially shape the future direction of the content team as it grows.
• Specialization in AI-Driven Content: Developing expertise in leveraging cutting-edge AI tools for content creation, a highly sought-after skill.
• Cross-Functional Influence: Deepening collaboration with Product and UX, gaining insights into product strategy and user experience design principles.
• Domain Expertise: Becoming an expert in cybersecurity content design, a niche but critical area within enterprise software.
• Potential for Senior/Principal Roles: With demonstrated success, opportunities may arise for Principal Content Designer or management roles within the content or UX organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant growth potential by enabling the candidate to become a subject matter expert in a critical, high-demand area (cybersecurity content) and by providing exposure to product-led growth strategies and AI-driven content creation. The emphasis on influencing product design and mentoring others points towards a clear career progression path.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Illumio operates with a strong emphasis on on-site collaboration. This role requires a dedicated presence in the Sunnyvale office 5 days a week, indicating a traditional office environment designed for in-person teamwork.

Office Location(s): Sunnyvale, California, United States. This location is in the heart of Silicon Valley, offering access to a vibrant tech ecosystem.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The office is designed to foster collaboration, with teams working closely together on product development and GTM initiatives. Expect a dynamic workspace where cross-functional interaction is frequent and encouraged.
• Operations Tools and Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Adobe Creative Suite, Camtasia), collaboration platforms (Atlassian Suite), and potentially AI-powered design tools will be available to support the Sr. Content Designer's work.
• Team Interaction: Regular opportunities for face-to-face meetings, brainstorming sessions, and feedback exchanges with colleagues in Product, UX, Engineering, and the Content team.

Work Schedule:

• The role requires a standard 40-hour work week, typical for full-time employment.
• While the expectation is 5 days in the office, the nature of design work often involves managing project timelines, which may require some flexibility to meet deadlines, balanced with the need for consistent office presence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "5 days a week in the office" requirement is a significant aspect of the work environment, emphasizing in-person collaboration and a structured, on-site operational model. This is crucial for candidates seeking a traditional office-based role.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter will review your application and resume, looking for alignment with the core requirements and portfolio.
• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the hiring manager to assess your experience, design philosophy, approach to content strategy, and fit with the team. This stage will likely delve into your portfolio.
• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: A dedicated session where you present your portfolio, showcasing key projects and explaining your design process, impact, and problem-solving skills. You may also be given a timed design challenge to assess your skills in a practical scenario.
• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from Product, UX, and Engineering to evaluate your collaboration style, ability to understand technical requirements, and how you integrate feedback.
• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader to discuss your strategic vision, leadership potential, and overall fit with Illumio's culture and long-term goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best represent your skills in visual storytelling, infographic design, user journey mapping, and working with complex technical information. Prioritize projects that align with enterprise software or cybersecurity.
• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem you were solving, your role, your design process, the tools you used, the challenges you faced, and the measurable impact of your work (e.g., increased adoption, improved clarity, reduced support tickets).
• Highlight AI Usage: If applicable, showcase projects where you effectively utilized generative AI tools to enhance your workflow or output.
• Demonstrate Process Optimization: Clearly explain how your designs simplified complex workflows or improved user efficiency. Quantify impact where possible.
• Prepare for Discussion: Be ready to discuss your design choices, defend your decisions, and answer questions about your approach to collaboration and feedback.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with Illumio's products, the cybersecurity landscape, and common user challenges in this space.
• Focus on Clarity & Simplicity: Practice distilling complex information into easy-to-understand visuals. The "less is more" principle is key.
• Time Management: If a timed challenge is given, practice working efficiently under pressure. Focus on delivering a clear, well-reasoned solution rather than perfection.
• Articulate Your Process: Be prepared to explain your thought process, even for a short exercise. How did you approach the problem? What information did you prioritize?

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio presentation and a potential design challenge indicates a practical, results-oriented hiring approach common for design and operations roles. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate their ability to translate strategy into tangible, impactful visual assets.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Advanced proficiency required in Photoshop and Illustrator for creating high-quality graphics, infographics, and visual assets.
• Video Editing Software: Advanced user of Camtasia or similar tools for multimedia content creation (tutorials, explainer videos).
• Generative AI Tools: Demonstrated ability to effectively use AI for content creation and design acceleration.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Figma: Familiarity with Figma is preferred for collaborating with UX and influencing product design during the prototyping phase.
• Atlassian Suite: Proficiency in Confluence for documentation and JIRA for project tracking and workflow management is required.

CRM & Automation:

• While not explicitly listed, experience with content management systems (CMS) or digital asset management (DAM) systems might be beneficial for organizing and deploying created assets, though not a stated requirement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specific tools listed (Adobe Creative Suite, Camtasia, Atlassian) are crucial for this role. Proficiency in "Generative AI" is a significant and modern requirement, signaling an investment in cutting-edge content creation technologies.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Focus: A strong dedication to understanding and meeting customer needs through intuitive and effective visual content, ensuring they can quickly adopt and derive value from Illumio's platform.
• Innovation & Risk-Taking: Eagerness to embrace new tools and methodologies, particularly generative AI, to push the boundaries of content creation and deliver "wow" experiences.
• Efficiency & Simplicity: A commitment to the "less is more" approach, ensuring visuals are easily consumable and reduce complexity for users.
• Collaboration & Alignment: A belief in working closely with cross-functional teams (Product, UX, Engineering) to ensure content is cohesive, impactful, and aligned with product goals.
• Thought Leadership: Encouraging independent thinking, taking responsibility, and demonstrating expertise to guide the team's strategic direction in content design.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Approach: Expect close partnerships with Product, UX, and Engineering, involving participation in design reviews and providing input early in the product development cycle.
• Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing: A culture of mentorship where senior members guide and develop the skills of others, fostering collective team growth through workshops and shared learning.
• Feedback Exchange: An environment where constructive feedback is exchanged regularly to refine designs and improve content effectiveness, contributing to a culture of continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "innovation," "risk-taking," and "thought leadership" suggests a dynamic and forward-thinking team culture. The "less is more" principle directly relates to operational efficiency by simplifying user interaction.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Translating Complex Technical Concepts: The primary challenge will be to distill intricate cybersecurity concepts and workflows into easily understandable visual formats for a diverse user base.
• Balancing Innovation with Execution: Leveraging new tools like generative AI while maintaining high standards for quality, accuracy, and brand consistency.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring that visual content meets the needs of multiple stakeholders (Product, UX, Marketing) and aligns with product roadmaps and user journey goals.
• Measuring Content Impact: Developing methods to track and demonstrate the effectiveness of visual content in driving product adoption, user satisfaction, and reducing support load.
• Rapidly Evolving Technology: Keeping pace with advancements in AI and design tools to maintain a competitive edge in content creation.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI-Powered Design Mastery: Deepen expertise in using advanced generative AI tools for content creation, becoming a go-to expert in this emerging field.
• Cybersecurity Domain Expertise: Gain in-depth knowledge of cybersecurity principles, threats, and Illumio's specific solutions, enhancing your ability to create highly relevant content.
• Product-Led Growth Strategy: Develop a strong understanding of how content design contributes to and supports product-led growth initiatives.
• Mentorship & Leadership Skills: Hone leadership capabilities through mentoring junior team members and potentially leading design projects or workshops.
• Cross-Functional Exposure: Broaden your understanding of product development, UX design, and go-to-market strategies by working closely with these departments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the need for strong problem-solving skills and adaptability. The growth opportunities are significant, particularly in the areas of AI in design and specialized cybersecurity content, which are high-impact skills in the current tech landscape.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Content Strategy for Adoption: "How would you approach designing a visual onboarding journey for a new cybersecurity product to maximize user adoption and minimize time-to-value?" (Focus on user journey mapping, key information hierarchy, and visual storytelling).
• AI Tool Integration: "Describe a project where you've used generative AI in your design workflow. What were the benefits and challenges?" (Be prepared to discuss specific tools, your process, and how AI enhanced your output).
• Simplifying Complexity: "Walk me through how you would visually represent a complex microsegmentation workflow for a beginner user." (Demonstrate your ability to break down technical concepts and use analogies or simplified diagrams).

Company & Culture Questions:

• Illumio's Mission: "What excites you about Illumio's mission to contain ransomware and breach containment?" (Show genuine interest in the cybersecurity domain and the company's impact).
• Team Collaboration: "How do you typically collaborate with Product Managers and UX Designers to ensure your visual content aligns with product goals and user experience?" (Highlight your communication style and experience in cross-functional partnerships).
• "Less is More" Philosophy: "How do you balance the need for comprehensive information with the principle of 'less is more' in visual design?" (Discuss your approach to content prioritization and concise visual communication).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Start with Impact: Begin by highlighting the most impressive projects that demonstrate your core skills and successful outcomes.
• Contextualize Each Project: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your specific role and contributions, the target audience, your design process, the tools used, and the measurable results or impact.
• Showcase Your Process: Be prepared to walk through your thought process, from initial concept to final execution, explaining your design decisions and how you addressed challenges.
• Highlight AI and Efficiency: If applicable, explicitly point out where and how you used AI tools to improve efficiency or creativity.
• Be Prepared for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your design choices, how you handle feedback, and your understanding of the cybersecurity domain.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design skills, but also strategic thinking, an understanding of product-led growth, and the ability to leverage modern tools like AI for operational efficiency in content creation.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Sr. Content Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.
• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your 7+ years of experience in content design and strategy, emphasizing achievements in enterprise software or cybersecurity. Use keywords from the job description such as "visual storytelling," "infographics," "user onboarding," and "generative AI."
• Prepare Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date, showcases your best work relevant to the role (infographics, learning maps, workflows), and clearly articulates the impact of your designs. Be ready to present it confidently.
• Research Illumio: Gain a deep understanding of Illumio's products, its position in the cybersecurity market, and its company culture. Prepare to discuss how your skills align with their mission and goals.
• Practice Interview Responses: Rehearse answers to common interview questions, focusing on the strategy, collaboration, and problem-solving aspects relevant to operations and content design. Be ready to discuss your experience with AI tools and your "less is more" design philosophy.

⚠️ 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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