Lead Brand Designer at Bjak

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Brand Designer

Company: Bjak

Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Marketing Operations / Brand Strategy

Date Posted: August 4, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

This role is pivotal in shaping and executing BJAK's visual identity across all customer touchpoints, demanding a strong command of brand strategy and execution.
The Lead Brand Designer will be instrumental in maintaining and evolving the company's brand system, ensuring visual consistency and impact across marketing, product, and partner channels.
Collaboration is key, requiring seamless integration with marketing, content, product, and performance teams to deliver cohesive and compelling brand experiences.
The position requires a blend of hands-on design work and strategic input, supporting both immediate business needs and long-term brand growth objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Lead Brand Designer," the responsibilities and required skills, particularly the emphasis on collaborating with marketing, content, product, and performance teams, and the need to support immediate business needs alongside long-term brand growth, suggest a strong alignment with GTM (Go-To-Market) operations and marketing operations functions. The role bridges creative execution with strategic brand deployment in a commercial context.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

Develop and produce engaging, high-quality brand materials that consistently reflect BJAK’s established visual identity and messaging.
Lead the evolution and refinement of BJAK’s comprehensive brand system, ensuring adherence and consistency across all marketing campaigns, product interfaces, and partner communications.
Foster strong cross-functional partnerships with marketing, content, product management, and performance marketing teams to ensure cohesive brand experiences and integrated campaign execution.
Design and adapt brand expressions for diverse audience segments, including consumers, business partners, and internal stakeholders, tailoring communication strategies as needed.
Maintain and update BJAK’s official brand guidelines, ensuring meticulous craft and uniformity in all brand outputs and communications.
Deliver rapid, high-quality design solutions that effectively support both strategic, long-term brand development initiatives and immediate, tactical business objectives.
Provide creative and strategic input to the overall brand direction, reporting directly to the Creative Manager and contributing to strategic planning.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibility to "Deliver fast, thoughtful design work that supports both long-term brand growth and immediate business needs" indicates a need for agility and a focus on measurable outcomes, typical of GTM roles. The emphasis on "performance marketing" in the "Nice to Have" section further reinforces this connection.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Marketing, or a related field is typically expected for a Lead role. Equivalent practical experience may also be considered.

Experience: 5+ years of dedicated experience in brand design, graphic design, or a closely related creative discipline, with a proven track record of developing and managing brand systems.

Required Skills:

Demonstrated expertise in brand identity development, visual storytelling, and the creation and management of robust visual systems.
Proven ability to translate strategic objectives into compelling visual narratives and cohesive brand experiences.
Strong collaborative skills, with experience working effectively across diverse teams including marketing, product, and content.
Ability to balance hands-on creative execution with strategic brand oversight and direction.
High degree of ownership, commitment to quality, and a proactive approach to continuous improvement in design processes and outputs.
Proficiency in industry-standard design software, including Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and Figma for collaborative design workflows.
Experience with motion design tools such as After Effects and Premiere Pro for creating dynamic visual content.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, essential for global team collaboration. Preferred Skills:
Experience in performance marketing environments, understanding how brand elements drive conversion and ROI.
Familiarity with fast-paced startup ecosystems and the ability to adapt quickly to evolving business needs.
Basic skills in motion graphics, sound editing, or simple visual effects to enhance creative assets.
Experience working with, contributing to, or managing design systems, templates, or brand asset libraries.
Interest or demonstrable experience in leveraging AI tools to enhance design workflows, efficiency, and creative output.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "5+ years of experience" and the "Lead" title suggest a mid-to-senior level professional. The requirement for "strong portfolio demonstrating brand storytelling, consistency, and high-quality execution" implies a need for candidates to showcase not just aesthetic skill but also strategic thinking and impact. The mention of AI tools indicates a forward-thinking approach to design operations.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

A comprehensive portfolio is mandatory, showcasing a strong command of brand storytelling, visual system development, and consistent, high-quality design execution across various mediums.
Demonstrate the ability to evolve and maintain brand guidelines, presenting examples of how brand consistency was achieved and managed across different projects or platforms.
Include case studies that highlight the strategic thinking behind design decisions, detailing the problem, your approach, the tools used, and the measurable impact on brand perception or business objectives.
Showcase proficiency with key design tools such as Adobe Creative Suite and Figma, with examples illustrating your workflow and collaborative capabilities.
Present examples of motion graphics or video content created using After Effects or Premiere Pro, demonstrating your ability to bring brands to life dynamically. Process Documentation:
Provide examples of how you have documented and refined design processes, particularly for brand system implementation or the creation of marketing collateral.
Illustrate your approach to managing design iterations and feedback loops, particularly in cross-functional environments, demonstrating an organized and efficient workflow.
Showcase experience with design systems, including contributions to their development, maintenance, or application, highlighting how they ensure efficiency and consistency.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Lead Brand Designer role, the portfolio is the primary demonstration of capability. The emphasis here is on showcasing strategic brand development, cross-functional collaboration impacts, and proficiency with modern design tools and processes, including emerging AI applications.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on Tokyo, Japan, and the experience level (5-10 years), a competitive salary for a Lead Brand Designer typically ranges from ¥7,000,000 to ¥12,000,000 JPY annually. This estimate accounts for the cost of living in Tokyo, the demand for experienced design professionals, and industry benchmarks for lead creative roles.

Benefits:

Competitive salary package with potential for performance-based bonuses.
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
Generous paid time off (PTO) including vacation, sick leave, and public holidays.
Opportunities for professional development, including training, workshops, and conference attendance.
Access to cutting-edge design tools and technology, including AI-powered design software.
Hybrid work model offering flexibility between remote work and office collaboration.
Potential for stock options or equity in a growing company.
Employee assistance programs and wellness initiatives.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours are typically 40 hours per week. The hybrid model allows for flexibility, with at least 3 days per week expected in the Tokyo office. The company culture emphasizes passion and impact over strict hour counting, suggesting a results-oriented work environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on industry standards for Tokyo, Japan, for a Lead Brand Designer with 5-10 years of experience. The benefits are standard for a tech/fintech company in a major global city, tailored to attract and retain creative talent. The note about "passion, not counting hours" aligns with the company description.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Technology (Fintech) / Insurance Technology (Insurtech). BJAK operates in the rapidly evolving financial services sector, leveraging technology to make insurance and other financial products more accessible and user-friendly.

Company Size: BJAK is a growing company with a significant international presence, indicated by "teams working around the world, with over 20 nationalities." This suggests a dynamic, potentially fast-paced environment with diverse perspectives.

Founded: 2019. As a relatively young company, BJAK likely fosters an innovative, agile, and growth-oriented culture, characteristic of startups aiming to disrupt established markets.

Team Structure:

The design team likely operates within a broader creative department, reporting to a Creative Manager.
This role requires close collaboration with marketing, content, product, and performance teams, indicating a matrixed or project-based team structure for specific initiatives.
The global nature of the teams (over 20 nationalities) suggests a culture that values diversity and cross-cultural communication. Methodology:
BJAK emphasizes building "next-generation products" and redefining financial applications, pointing to a culture that embraces innovation, experimentation, and a user-centric design approach.
The company values passion, drive, and a focus on impact over strict adherence to working hours, indicating a performance-driven and results-oriented environment.
The use of "smarter ways to plan, save and grow their money" suggests a data-informed approach to product development and marketing.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company description highlights a mission-driven culture focused on innovation, accessibility, and empowering users financially. For a designer, this means working on products with real-world impact and being part of a team that values forward-thinking solutions. The "20 nationalities" suggests a diverse and inclusive workplace.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a "Lead Brand Designer," indicating a senior individual contributor role with significant responsibility for brand strategy execution and team collaboration. It suggests a path beyond pure execution, involving strategic input and potential mentorship.

Reporting Structure: The Lead Brand Designer reports directly to the Creative Manager. This implies a clear hierarchy within the creative function, with opportunities to influence the manager's strategic decisions and gain visibility with senior leadership.

Operations Impact: The brand designer's work directly influences customer perception, engagement, and conversion rates. By ensuring a consistent and compelling brand identity across all touchpoints, this role is critical to BJAK's Go-To-Market strategy, supporting marketing campaigns, product adoption, and partner acquisition efforts.

Growth Opportunities:

Specialization & Leadership: Advance to a Senior Brand Designer or Art Director role, taking on more complex brand initiatives and potentially leading small project teams.
Skill Development: Deepen expertise in emerging areas like AI-driven design tools, advanced motion graphics, or UX/UI principles within a brand context. Opportunities for training, workshops, and conferences are likely available.
Strategic Influence: Contribute more significantly to overall brand strategy, working closely with marketing and product leadership to shape brand direction and campaigns. Potential to mentor junior designers as the team grows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Lead" title suggests a career trajectory that balances expert execution with strategic contribution, common in design operations or creative leadership paths within GTM functions. Growth opportunities focus on both deepening creative expertise and expanding strategic influence.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is hybrid, requiring 3 days per week in the Tokyo office. This suggests a modern office environment designed to facilitate collaboration, brainstorming, and team cohesion.

Office Location(s): The primary office is located in Tokyo, Japan, a major global hub offering excellent infrastructure and connectivity. Specific office details would be provided upon further engagement.

Workspace Context:

The office environment is expected to support cross-functional collaboration, with dedicated spaces for team meetings, design reviews, and creative brainstorming sessions.
Access to up-to-date design software, hardware, and potentially emerging AI tools will be provided to facilitate efficient and innovative work.
Opportunities for direct interaction with creative peers, marketing, product, and performance teams will be abundant, fostering a dynamic and synergistic work atmosphere.

Work Schedule: While the standard is 40 hours per week, the company culture emphasizes passion and results over strict timekeeping. This implies a degree of flexibility, provided that deadlines are met and high-quality work is consistently delivered. The hybrid model further supports work-life balance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model in a major city like Tokyo points to a professional and collaborative office setting, balanced with the flexibility of remote work, which is increasingly standard for creative and operations roles.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

Online Assessment/Practical Task: Expect a design challenge that assesses your brand storytelling, visual system thinking, and execution skills under time constraints. Prepare to showcase your approach to a specific brief.
Role-Specific Interview: This will delve deeper into your portfolio, discussing specific projects, your strategic contributions, cross-functional collaboration experiences, and your understanding of brand systems and their impact. Be ready to articulate your design process and decision-making.
CEO / Final Round: This stage likely assesses cultural fit, strategic alignment with BJAK’s mission, and your long-term vision for the brand. Demonstrate your passion, leadership potential, and how you embody the company's values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Strategic Narrative: Structure your portfolio around case studies that tell a story: the challenge, your strategic approach, the execution, and the results (quantifiable where possible).
Brand System Focus: Highlight projects where you developed or significantly contributed to a brand system. Show how you ensured consistency and scalability.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Include examples or explanations of how you worked with marketing, product, or performance teams, demonstrating your ability to translate business needs into effective design solutions.
Tool Proficiency: Clearly indicate the tools used for each project, especially Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and motion graphics software. If you have AI tool experience, showcase its application.
Quality over Quantity: Curate your best work that directly aligns with the requirements of this Lead Brand Designer role.

Challenge Preparation:

Understand BJAK: Research BJAK’s current brand, target audience, and market position. Understand their mission and values.
Design Principles: Refresh your knowledge of core design principles, brand strategy, visual identity systems, and current design trends.
AI Integration: Think about how AI tools can enhance design workflows and creative output, and be prepared to discuss potential applications.
Concise Communication: Practice presenting your work and ideas clearly and concisely, focusing on impact and strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to be fast-paced, typical of growing tech companies. The emphasis on a practical task and portfolio review highlights the hands-on nature of the role. Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, collaboration, and proficiency with modern design tools.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

Adobe Creative Suite: Essential for comprehensive graphic design, photo editing, and layout. Proficiency in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign is expected.
Figma: A critical tool for collaborative interface design, prototyping, and design system management. Its role in team-based design workflows is paramount.
Motion Graphics Tools: After Effects and Premiere Pro are required for creating dynamic visual content, animations, and video assets that enhance brand storytelling.

Analytics & Reporting:

While not explicitly listed as a design tool, understanding how brand elements perform is crucial. Familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics) or reporting dashboards that track campaign performance and brand engagement metrics would be beneficial for understanding design impact. CRM & Automation:
Experience with CRM systems or marketing automation platforms is not a direct requirement for the designer role but understanding how brand assets are deployed within these systems (e.g., email marketing templates, landing pages) is advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specific mention of Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and motion tools (After Effects, Premiere Pro) indicates the core technical requirements. The inclusion of AI tools suggests a forward-looking approach to the design technology stack.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

Passion & Drive: BJAK seeks individuals who are passionate about their work and driven by a desire to build great products and redefine financial applications, rather than simply working fixed hours.
Quality & Craftsmanship: A deep care for the quality of work and continuous improvement is paramount, ensuring high standards in all brand outputs.
Innovation & Forward-Thinking: A curiosity about design trends, motion, and emerging technologies like AI, coupled with a desire to build "next-generation products."
Collaboration & Ownership: Enjoying cross-functional teamwork and taking full ownership of one's work, from concept to execution.

Collaboration Style:

Cross-Functional Integration: The role demands close collaboration with marketing, content, product, and performance teams, requiring seamless communication and a unified approach to brand deployment.
Strategic Partnership: Working closely with the Creative Manager and other stakeholders to contribute creative and strategic input to overall brand direction.
Feedback & Iteration: An environment that likely embraces constructive feedback and iterative design processes to achieve optimal results.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture emphasizes a proactive, passionate, and collaborative approach. For a designer, this means being an active participant in the creative process, contributing ideas, and working effectively with diverse teams to achieve common goals.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

Balancing Speed and Quality: Delivering fast, thoughtful design work that supports both long-term brand growth and immediate business needs requires efficient workflows and prioritization skills.
Maintaining Brand Consistency: Evolving a brand system across diverse marketing and product surfaces for varied audiences can be complex.
Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring cohesive brand experiences when collaborating with multiple departments, each with its own objectives and timelines.
Adapting to Evolving Tools: Staying current with design trends and integrating new technologies, such as AI tools, into established workflows.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Advanced Design Skills: Opportunities to deepen expertise in motion graphics, AI-powered design, and other emerging creative technologies.
Brand Strategy Influence: Gaining experience in shaping broader brand strategy and contributing to high-level creative direction.
Cross-Functional Exposure: Developing a deeper understanding of marketing, product development, and performance metrics through close collaboration.
Industry Engagement: Potential to attend industry conferences, workshops, or pursue certifications relevant to brand design and creative technology.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the dynamic nature of working in a growing fintech company. The growth opportunities are geared towards developing a well-rounded creative professional with both deep design skills and strategic business acumen.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

Brand Evolution: "Describe a time you evolved a brand system or visual identity. What was your process, and what was the impact?" Focus on your strategic approach, problem-solving, and measurable outcomes.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: "How do you collaborate with marketing, product, or performance teams to ensure brand consistency and effectiveness?" Prepare examples demonstrating your communication, negotiation, and integration skills.
Design Process & Tools: "Walk us through your process for creating a key brand asset, from brief to final delivery. How do you leverage tools like Figma and AI in your workflow?" Be ready to explain your methodologies and tool choices.

Company & Culture Questions:

BJAK's Mission: "What excites you about BJAK's mission to help people get more from their money, and how can your design skills support this?" Connect your passion for design with the company's purpose.
Ideal Work Environment: "What does a collaborative and innovative design environment look like to you?" Align your response with BJAK's values of passion, quality, and continuous improvement.
Measuring Design Impact: "How do you measure the success of your brand design work?" Discuss metrics beyond aesthetics, such as brand recall, engagement, conversion rates, or user feedback.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

Storytelling: Present your portfolio not as a collection of images, but as a narrative of your problem-solving capabilities and strategic thinking.
Impact-Oriented: For each project, clearly articulate the business objective, your role, your creative solution, and the resulting impact or success metrics.
Tool Demonstration: Be prepared to discuss your use of specific tools (Adobe CC, Figma, After Effects, AI) and how they facilitated your work.
Conciseness and Clarity: Practice presenting your key projects within a set timeframe, ensuring your message is clear and impactful.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, collaborative capabilities, and a clear understanding of how design drives business objectives, especially within the fintech/insurtech space. Highlighting experience with AI tools will be a significant advantage.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.
Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature brand system development, visual identity execution, and cross-functional collaboration case studies. Highlight projects that demonstrate your ability to balance creative excellence with business objectives.
Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize your 5+ years of brand design experience, proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and motion graphics tools, and any experience with AI-enhanced design workflows. Use keywords from the job description.
Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, strategic thinking, and collaborative approach. Prepare specific examples that showcase your problem-solving skills and impact. Rehearse your portfolio presentation, focusing on storytelling and measurable results.
Company Research: Thoroughly research BJAK's mission, products, and current brand presence. Understand their target audience and market positioning. Formulate thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers, demonstrating your engagement and interest.

⚠️ 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.

Lead Brand Designer