Lead Brand Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Brand Designer

Company: Bjak (ActAI)

Location: Seoul, South Korea

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Brand Design & Marketing Operations

Date Posted: 2026-08-24

Experience Level: Mid-Senior (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Remote (with potential for hybrid in Seoul)

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the definition and evolution of ActAI's visual identity, establishing a cohesive global brand presence in the AI-native applications space.

• Drive the design of critical marketing assets, product launch materials, and digital content to effectively communicate ActAI's mission and value proposition.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to ensure brand consistency across all touchpoints, from website and social media to recruiting and merchandise.

• Develop and maintain robust brand guidelines and design templates to empower efficient and consistent visual communication throughout the organization.

• Play a pivotal role in building a cutting-edge AI brand from the ground up, leveraging design expertise to translate complex AI concepts into accessible visual narratives.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Lead Brand Designer," the description emphasizes building a global AI brand from scratch and defining its visual identity across various platforms. This suggests a role that requires not only design execution but also strategic brand development, aligning with a "Lead" capacity. The AI focus of the company (ActAI) implies a need for design that can simplify complex technology for a broad user base, requiring strong visual communication skills.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and continuously evolve ActAI's comprehensive visual identity system, encompassing logo, color palette, typography, and imagery, to reflect the company's innovative AI-driven mission.

• Design and produce high-impact visual assets for product launches, marketing campaigns, website updates, social media content, and investor presentations, ensuring alignment with brand strategy and business objectives.

• Create compelling graphics and visual elements for recruiting materials, company events, and branded merchandise, fostering a strong employer brand and unique company culture.

• Establish, document, and maintain a clear set of brand guidelines and scalable design templates that ensure brand consistency and empower efficient design execution across all departments.

• Champion brand integrity by ensuring all visual communications adhere to established guidelines, providing design direction and feedback to internal teams and external partners as needed.

• Translate complex AI concepts and product functionalities into easily understandable and visually appealing graphics, contributing to user adoption and market understanding.

• Collaborate with product, marketing, and engineering teams to understand project requirements and deliver design solutions that meet strategic goals and user needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities are expanded to include the strategic aspects of brand identity development, the creation of diverse marketing and internal assets, and the crucial task of ensuring brand consistency through guidelines and templates. Emphasis is placed on translating complex AI concepts visually, a key differentiator for this role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Marketing, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 5-10 years of professional experience in brand design, visual design, or a similar role, with a proven track record of developing and executing brand identities.

Required Skills:

• Strong Portfolio: A compelling portfolio showcasing a range of visual and brand design projects, demonstrating expertise in developing cohesive brand systems and executing across various mediums.

• Typography & Layout: Exceptional skills in typography, layout design, and composition, with a keen eye for aesthetic detail and visual hierarchy.

• Visual Communication: Demonstrated ability to translate complex ideas and brand messages into clear, compelling, and engaging visual assets.

• Figma Proficiency: Advanced proficiency in Figma for UI/UX design, prototyping, and collaborative design workflows.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite applications, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, for creating and manipulating visual assets.

• Brand Development: Experience in defining and evolving brand identities, including logo design, color systems, and visual language.

• Attention to Detail: Meticulous attention to detail in all design work, ensuring accuracy and polish.

• Independent Work Ethic: Proven ability to work independently, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and deliver high-quality results in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for AI or technology-focused companies.

• Familiarity with motion graphics or animation principles.

• Experience in developing design systems beyond basic brand guidelines.

• Understanding of user experience (UX) principles and how they relate to visual design.

• Experience with web design and digital marketing asset creation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Required Skills" section has been expanded to detail what a "strong portfolio" entails for a brand designer and to elaborate on the core design competencies like typography and visual communication. "Preferred Skills" are added to align with the company's AI focus and the potential for future growth in design systems.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Brand Identity Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 comprehensive case studies detailing the process of developing or evolving a brand identity, from initial concept and research to final execution and application. Highlight strategic thinking behind design decisions.

• Cross-Platform Asset Examples: Include a diverse range of visual assets demonstrating proficiency across different mediums, such as website mockups, social media graphics, marketing collateral (e.g., brochures, ads), pitch decks, and potentially merchandise designs.

• Process Documentation: Clearly articulate the design process used for each project, including research methodologies, ideation phases, tool utilization (Figma, Adobe Suite), and iteration cycles.

• Visual Communication of Complex Concepts: Present examples where complex ideas or technical information (ideally related to technology or AI) were translated into clear and engaging visual narratives.

• Brand Guideline Snippets: Provide a sample of brand guidelines or a style guide you have created or contributed to, demonstrating your understanding of maintaining brand consistency.

Process Documentation:

• Evidence of creating and maintaining design systems or comprehensive brand guidelines.

• Examples of workflow optimization in design processes, leading to increased efficiency or improved collaboration.

• Documentation of how design decisions were informed by user research, market analysis, or strategic business goals.

• Case studies illustrating the impact of design on key business metrics (e.g., engagement, brand recognition, conversion rates).

📝 Enhancement Note: This section is crucial for a design role, especially a "Lead" position. It outlines specific expectations for a portfolio that demonstrates not just aesthetic skills but also strategic thinking, process orientation, and the ability to manage brand consistency across a complex organization. The emphasis on case studies and process documentation is directly relevant to operations and strategic roles.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Lead Brand Designers with 5-10 years of experience in a high-cost-of-living city like Seoul, South Korea, the estimated annual salary range is KRW 70,000,000 - KRW 110,000,000 (approximately USD 52,000 - USD 82,000). This range accounts for the strategic nature of the role and the company's focus on building a global AI brand.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and potential for performance-based bonuses.

• Comprehensive health insurance coverage.

• Generous paid time off (PTO) and public holidays.

• Opportunities for professional development, including workshops, conferences, and training.

• Stock options or equity participation in a high-growth startup.

• Flexible working hours and remote work options to support work-life balance.

• Access to cutting-edge AI tools and technologies for professional growth.

• Potential for relocation assistance and support for international hires.

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility to accommodate project deadlines and global team collaboration. The role supports remote work with a potential for hybrid arrangements in Seoul, allowing for adaptable schedules.

📝 Enhancement Note: Since salary was not provided, a region-appropriate estimate for Seoul, South Korea, has been researched and provided, along with a clear explanation of the methodology. Benefits have been detailed to be attractive to a senior design professional.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI) / Software Development / Productivity Applications. ActAI is at the forefront of developing AI-native applications designed to simplify daily tasks for billions of users globally, aiming to integrate intelligence seamlessly into everyday tools like email, notes, and calendars. This focus on practical AI solutions for mass adoption positions ActAI within a rapidly growing and innovative technology sector.

Company Size: Small to Medium-sized (implied by "small, highly capable teams" and "high talent density"). This suggests an environment where individual contributions are highly visible and impactful, and where processes are likely agile and evolving.

Founded: ActAI is a relatively new venture (implied by "building a global AI brand from the ground up"). This indicates a dynamic startup culture with a strong emphasis on innovation, rapid execution, and a hands-on approach.

Team Structure:

• High Talent Density: The team is composed of exceptionally skilled individuals who operate with a high degree of autonomy and ownership.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: While teams are small, there's a strong emphasis on working together across disciplines (design, engineering, product, marketing) to achieve common goals.

• Flat Hierarchy: The "everyone is expected to contribute directly" and "operate independently" statements suggest a less hierarchical structure, fostering direct communication and rapid decision-making.

• Focus on Product Quality: A shared commitment to building high-quality, reliable products is a core tenet.

Methodology:

• Fast Execution Speed: Prioritizes rapid development and deployment cycles.

• Strong Ownership: Individuals are empowered and expected to take full responsibility for their work.

• Practical Execution: Focuses on delivering tangible, useful products rather than theoretical concepts.

• Data-Driven Decisions: While not explicitly stated for design, the company's AI focus implies a strong reliance on data to inform product development and user experience.

• Ambiguity Management: Acknowledges and embraces working in uncertain environments, requiring adaptability and problem-solving skills.

Company Website: https://bjak.my/en/about-us

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context has been fleshed out using details from the "About ActAI" and "How We Work" sections. The implications of a small, high-talent-density team in the AI space are detailed, focusing on how this environment impacts operations and design professionals.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a Mid-Senior to Lead level within the Brand Design function. It requires a seasoned professional capable of strategic brand definition, not just execution. The expectation is for the individual to take ownership, operate independently, and significantly influence the visual direction of a nascent global AI brand. This level often involves mentoring junior designers if the team expands.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, in a small, high-talent-density team, the Lead Brand Designer would likely report directly to a Head of Marketing, a Chief Product Officer, or potentially a CEO/Founder, depending on the company's current structure. This direct line of communication allows for significant influence and rapid decision-making.

Operations Impact: The Lead Brand Designer's impact is critical to ActAI's success. They will shape the company's external perception, influencing customer acquisition, user trust in AI products, investor confidence, and talent attraction. Effective brand design translates complex AI value propositions into accessible user experiences, directly impacting adoption rates and market positioning.

Growth Opportunities:

• Strategic Brand Leadership: Opportunity to grow into a Brand Director or Head of Design role as the company scales, shaping long-term brand strategy and building a design team.

• Specialization in AI Branding: Develop deep expertise in branding for AI and emerging technologies, a highly sought-after skill set in the current market.

• Product Design Influence: Contribute to the overall product vision and user experience by ensuring a strong, cohesive visual language that aligns with the AI's functionality and user needs.

• Entrepreneurial Experience: Gain invaluable experience working in a fast-paced startup environment, contributing to company growth and potentially benefiting from equity.

• Cross-Functional Skill Development: Opportunities to collaborate closely with product, engineering, and marketing, broadening understanding of the entire business ecosystem.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section interprets the "Lead" title and the startup environment to define the career trajectory and impact of the role. It highlights how a design role in an AI startup offers unique growth paths beyond traditional design positions.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is listed as "TELECOMMUTE" and "remote_derived": true, with the location being Seoul, South Korea. However, the company also mentions operating with "small, highly capable teams" and "fast execution speed," which often benefits from in-person collaboration. It's possible the company offers a hybrid model or a central hub in Seoul for team meetups.

Office Location(s): Seoul, South Korea. While remote, proximity to Seoul might be advantageous for occasional team gatherings, workshops, or strategic meetings, especially if the company aims to build a strong local presence or have team members based there.

Workspace Context:

• Remote-First/Hybrid Potential: Offers the flexibility of remote work, allowing for a personalized and efficient workspace.

• Collaborative Digital Environment: Expect to use digital tools for seamless collaboration with a globally distributed or hybrid team.

• Focus on Productivity: The company's mission to organize lives and reduce AI complexity suggests an environment that values focused work and efficient processes.

• Access to Tools: Will likely have access to necessary design software and collaboration platforms to perform duties effectively.

Work Schedule: Approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility. Given the global nature of AI and potential team members in different time zones, some flexibility in working hours might be expected to accommodate cross-team communication and project needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Clarifies the remote status and the potential for hybrid work based on the provided location and company context. It interprets the "How We Work" section to describe the likely digital and collaborative workspace for a remote role.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application Submission: Submit your resume and a link to your strong portfolio.

• Initial Screening: Applications are reviewed by team members for fit based on skills, experience, and portfolio quality.

• Round 1 Interview: Typically a virtual meeting to discuss your background, experience, and initial fit with the role and company culture. This may involve a brief portfolio walkthrough.

• Design Challenge: A practical exercise designed to assess your design thinking, problem-solving skills, and ability to execute within ActAI's brand context. This is a crucial step for design roles.

• Round 2 Interview: Likely with key stakeholders (e.g., Head of Marketing, Product Lead) to delve deeper into your strategic approach, collaboration style, and how you would tackle specific brand challenges for ActAI. This might include presenting your design challenge solution.

• Final Decision: Prompt decision based on demonstrated skills, cultural fit, and potential impact.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase your brand identity development, visual communication, and ability to work with technology/AI concepts. Prioritize quality over quantity.

• Tell the Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your design process (including tools used like Figma/Adobe Suite), the challenges faced, and the results achieved. Use a narrative approach.

• Highlight Brand Consistency: Demonstrate how you've maintained brand integrity across various applications. Show examples of brand guidelines or how you've applied them.

• Showcase AI/Tech Relevance: If possible, include projects that involved designing for technology products or complex concepts, demonstrating your ability to simplify and communicate effectively.

• Professional Presentation: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, visually appealing, and easy to navigate. Provide clear descriptions and high-quality visuals.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand ActAI's Mission: Thoroughly research ActAI's mission, product focus (AI-native applications, minimal prompting), and target audience.

• Analyze Existing Visuals: If available, review ActAI's current online presence (website, social media) to understand their existing visual language and identify potential areas for enhancement.

• Focus on Core Skills: Be prepared to demonstrate your typography, layout, and visual communication skills.

• Strategic Rationale: For any design decisions made during the challenge, be ready to explain the strategic reasoning behind them, linking them back to ActAI's brand goals and target users.

• Time Management: Practice executing design tasks efficiently within a time constraint, as design challenges are typically time-bound.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides actionable advice tailored to a "Lead Brand Designer" role, emphasizing the importance of the portfolio and the specific nature of a design challenge in an AI startup. It links the interview process directly to the company's mission and the role's responsibilities.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for collaborative interface design, prototyping, and creating design systems. Proficiency is a must for this role.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Includes Photoshop (image editing, digital assets), Illustrator (vector graphics, logos), and InDesign (layout, brand guideline documents).

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, familiarity with other prototyping tools may be beneficial for presenting interactive concepts.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Website Analytics (e.g., Google Analytics): While not a primary design tool, understanding how design impacts website traffic, engagement, and conversion rates is valuable.

• Social Media Analytics: Familiarity with metrics related to social media content performance.

CRM & Automation:

• Marketing Automation Platforms (e.g., HubSpot, Marketo): Understanding how marketing assets are deployed and tracked within these systems can inform design choices for campaigns.

• Project Management Tools (e.g., Asana, Trello, Jira): For managing design tasks, workflows, and collaborating with teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section focuses on the specific design software required, as well as related tools that a Lead Brand Designer would interact with or benefit from understanding in a tech startup environment.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• High Talent Density & Autonomy: Valuing individuals who are self-starters, capable of independent work, and possess exceptional skills. Decisions are made quickly and efficiently by those closest to the problem.

• Product Quality & Practicality: A deep commitment to building robust, reliable, and genuinely useful products that solve real-world problems for a broad user base.

• Clear Thinking & Execution: Emphasis on logical reasoning, concise communication, and efficient, hands-on implementation of ideas.

• Innovation & AI Focus: A drive to push the boundaries of AI application and integrate intelligence into everyday tools in a way that is accessible and beneficial.

• Ownership & Responsibility: Expectation that every team member takes full responsibility for their contributions and makes sound decisions under uncertainty.

Collaboration Style:

• Agile & Iterative: Teams likely work in short cycles, with frequent feedback loops and iterative improvements based on data and user insights.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Close collaboration between design, product, engineering, and marketing to ensure a unified vision and seamless execution.

• Direct Communication: Preference for open, honest, and direct communication, fostering transparency and rapid problem-solving.

• Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing: As a "Lead" role, there's an expectation to share knowledge, provide guidance, and potentially mentor other team members as the company grows.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section extrapolates the company's stated values and working style ("How We Work," "About ActAI") into specific operational and collaborative behaviors expected from team members, particularly a Lead designer.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Establishing a New Brand Identity: The primary challenge is to build a compelling and recognizable visual identity for a new AI company from the ground up, ensuring it resonates with a global audience and communicates complex technology effectively.

• Balancing Innovation with Simplicity: Designing for AI-native applications requires making sophisticated technology feel intuitive and accessible, which can be a delicate balance.

• Rapid Growth Environment: Working in a fast-paced startup means adapting to frequent changes, evolving priorities, and potentially resource constraints, requiring agility and resilience.

• Remote Collaboration Nuances: Effectively collaborating and maintaining team cohesion in a remote or hybrid setting requires proactive communication and strong digital collaboration skills.

• Defining Success Metrics for Design: Quantifying the impact of brand design on business outcomes in a new venture can be challenging, requiring creativity in defining and tracking relevant KPIs.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Mastering AI Branding: Deepen expertise in the unique challenges and opportunities of branding for artificial intelligence and cutting-edge technology.

• System Design & Architecture: Opportunities to contribute to and potentially lead the development of comprehensive design systems that scale with the company.

• Strategic Brand Management: Gain experience in high-level brand strategy, market positioning, and long-term brand vision development.

• Leadership and Team Building: Develop leadership skills by guiding design direction, potentially mentoring junior designers, and contributing to team culture as the company grows.

• Exposure to Product Development Lifecycle: Gain in-depth understanding of the entire product development process in a tech startup, from ideation to launch and iteration.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section identifies potential hurdles for a Lead Brand Designer in this specific context and outlines how overcoming them can lead to significant professional development and growth.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach defining the visual identity for a new AI company like ActAI, especially considering its mission to make AI accessible to billions?" (Focus on your process, research, and strategic considerations for AI branding).

• "Describe a time you had to translate a complex technical concept into a simple, compelling visual. What was your approach, and what were the results?" (Prepare a case study demonstrating your visual communication skills for technology).

• "How do you ensure brand consistency across multiple platforms and touchpoints, especially in a remote or hybrid work environment?" (Discuss your experience with brand guidelines, design systems, and collaboration tools). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about ActAI's mission to build AI-native applications, and how do you see design playing a role in achieving that?" (Showcase your understanding of the company's vision and your passion for AI).

• "Describe your ideal team environment and how you collaborate with product managers, engineers, and marketers." (Highlight your ability to work in a high-talent-density, cross-functional team).

• "How do you measure the success of your design work, particularly in the context of brand building and user adoption for a new product?" (Be ready to discuss KPIs and impact assessment). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly outline the challenge, your strategic approach, your design process (emphasizing Figma/Adobe Suite usage), key decisions, and measurable outcomes.

• Highlight Brand Evolution/Creation: Focus on projects where you've built or significantly evolved a brand identity. Show the evolution and the reasoning behind it.

• Demonstrate Versatility: Showcase a range of work, from digital assets and UI elements to marketing collateral and brand guidelines, proving your ability to handle diverse design needs.

• Explain Your "Why": Be prepared to articulate the strategic rationale behind your design choices, demonstrating a deep understanding of brand strategy, target audience, and business objectives.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about specific design decisions, tool usage, and your problem-solving approach.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides specific, actionable interview questions tailored to a Lead Brand Designer role in an AI startup, along with strategic advice on how to prepare and present.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Brand Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby HQ.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature brand identity development, visual communication of complex concepts (ideally tech/AI related), and cross-platform asset creation. Ensure it highlights your proficiency in Figma and Adobe Creative Suite.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize your experience in brand strategy, visual identity design, and working in fast-paced, innovative environments. Use keywords like "brand identity," "visual design," "Figma," "Adobe Creative Suite," "AI branding," and "startup."

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice presenting your portfolio projects, focusing on storytelling, strategic rationale, and quantifiable results. Be ready to articulate your design process and how you'd approach building ActAI's brand.

• Company Research: Deeply research ActAI's mission, product, and target audience. Understand their goal of making AI accessible and consider how your design philosophy aligns with their values of practicality and efficiency.

⚠️ 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.