Lead Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Graphic Designer

Company: Bjak

Location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Marketing Operations / Creative Operations

Date Posted: 2026-08-04

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the visual strategy and execution for marketing campaigns, social media, and digital advertising, ensuring impactful and conversion-focused creative assets.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with content, video, and performance marketing teams to align visual narratives with broader GTM strategies and optimize creative performance.

• Leverage cutting-edge AI tools to enhance ideation, accelerate production workflows, and maintain a competitive visual edge in a fast-paced environment.

• Uphold and evolve brand consistency and visual excellence across all digital touchpoints, contributing to a cohesive and compelling brand presence.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role bridges creative execution with performance marketing, requiring a strong understanding of how visual assets directly impact conversion rates and ROI. The emphasis on AI tools suggests a forward-thinking approach to creative production within the marketing operations framework.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end creation of visual assets for marketing campaigns, social media channels, web content, and digital advertising platforms, encompassing both static and motion graphics.

• Translate creative briefs into visually compelling and conversion-oriented designs that effectively communicate product benefits and brand messaging.

• Produce high-quality short-form motion content and static assets designed to elevate brand presence and engagement across digital platforms.

• Support product marketing initiatives by developing clear, benefit-driven visuals that resonate with target audiences and drive product adoption.

• Analyze performance data from visual assets to inform iterative design improvements, scale successful creative directions, and optimize campaign effectiveness.

• Foster strong collaborative relationships with content creators, video producers, and performance marketing specialists to ensure integrated campaign execution.

• Maintain rigorous brand consistency and uphold the highest standards of visual excellence across all creative outputs, ensuring a unified brand experience.

• Explore and integrate AI tools (e.g., Midjourney, DALL·E, Runway) into the creative workflow to enhance ideation, streamline production, and drive innovation.

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of scalable brand templates and comprehensive visual systems to ensure efficiency and consistency in asset creation.

• Stay abreast of emerging design trends, motion graphics techniques, and AI advancements to maintain a visually competitive and innovative creative output.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of creative leadership and data-driven optimization, a hallmark of modern marketing operations roles. The expectation to analyze performance data and iterate on designs underscores the role's direct impact on marketing effectiveness and revenue generation.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Arts, Marketing, or a related field is typically expected for a Lead role. Equivalent professional experience and a robust portfolio can often substitute for formal education.

Experience: 5+ years of progressive experience in graphic design, motion design, or creative content production roles, with a demonstrated track record of success in digital-first environments.

Required Skills:

• Graphic Design & Motion Graphics: Proven ability to create impactful visual assets for digital platforms, including static graphics and short-form motion content.

• Portfolio Excellence: A strong, digital-first portfolio showcasing exceptional visual storytelling, execution quality, and creative problem-solving.

• Software Proficiency: Advanced skills in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), Figma, After Effects, and Premiere Pro, including mastery of relevant motion workflows.

• AI Tool Integration: Experience with or a strong, demonstrated curiosity and aptitude for utilizing AI tools for creative production (e.g., Midjourney, DALL·E, Runway).

• Brand Systems & Design Principles: Deep understanding of layout, composition, typography, color theory, visual hierarchy, and the ability to apply and scale brand systems effectively.

• Performance-Oriented Design: Ability to translate marketing objectives into visually compelling creative that drives engagement and conversion.

• Agility & Execution: Capacity to execute quickly, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and deliver high-quality work under tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

• Collaboration & Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.

Preferred Skills:

• Performance Creative Production: Specific experience in producing short-form ads, social media videos, or performance-driven creatives for paid media channels.

• Startup & High-Growth Environments: Prior experience working in fast-paced, high-growth startup or FinTech environments, understanding the unique demands and opportunities.

• Sound Design & VFX: Basic skills in sound design or simple visual effects (VFX) to enhance motion content.

• Scalable Systems: Familiarity with developing and working within template libraries, design systems, and other scalable brand asset management frameworks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "digital-first design," "conversion-focused visuals," and "performance marketing" strongly indicates that this role is deeply integrated into the marketing operations and GTM strategy. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate how their design work directly contributes to measurable business outcomes.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Digital-First Execution: Showcase a range of digital assets (social media ads, web banners, campaign visuals) that demonstrate adaptability to various platforms and user interfaces.

• Visual Storytelling: Include case studies or examples that clearly articulate a narrative arc or communicate a complex message effectively through visuals.

• Brand System Application: Demonstrate how you have applied or contributed to brand guidelines, ensuring consistency and scalability in your work.

• Performance Impact: Where possible, include examples of creative work that has shown measurable results (e.g., increased click-through rates, engagement, conversions) and explain the design decisions that led to these outcomes.

• Motion Graphics Showcase: Highlight your motion design capabilities through examples of animations, explainer videos, or dynamic ad creatives.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Be prepared to discuss your process for taking a creative brief from concept to final delivery, including how you manage feedback, iterate on designs, and ensure efficiency.

• System Implementation: Provide examples of how you have contributed to or utilized design systems, templates, or asset libraries to streamline production and maintain brand integrity.

• Measurement & Analysis: Discuss your approach to understanding creative performance data and how you use insights to inform future design decisions and optimize creative strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a "Lead" role, the portfolio should not only showcase execution but also strategic thinking, process efficiency, and an understanding of how design contributes to business objectives. The ability to discuss the "why" behind design choices and their impact is crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Lead Graphic Designer with 5-10 years of experience in Tokyo, Japan, the estimated annual salary range is ¥7,000,000 - ¥11,000,000 JPY. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in major Japanese cities, considering the company's startup nature and the demand for specialized creative talent.

Benefits:

• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive health insurance coverage, potentially including dental and vision.

• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation days, public holidays, and sick leave.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for training, workshops, and attendance at industry conferences, with a focus on design, motion, and AI tools.

• Stock Options/Equity: Potential for equity participation in a growing startup, aligning employee success with company growth.

• Flexible Work Environment: Hybrid work model offering a balance between in-office collaboration and remote flexibility.

• Tech Stipend: Allowance for home office setup or personal technology upgrades.

• Team Events & Socials: Opportunities for team building and social interaction to foster a strong company culture.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours are expected, likely around 40 hours per week. The company emphasizes passion and output over strict hour counting, suggesting a results-oriented work environment where flexibility may be afforded to high performers who consistently meet objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation based on market data for Tokyo. Benefits are inferred from typical offerings in tech startups and FinTech companies. The company's emphasis on passion and results suggests a culture that values output and impact over strict time-tracking.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Technology (FinTech), specifically focused on making financial planning, saving, investing, spending, and insurance accessible and smarter for individuals in Southeast Asia.

Company Size: While not explicitly stated in the provided data, the description mentions "teams working around the world, with over 20 nationalities" and a focus on building "next-generation products." This suggests a growing, dynamic startup environment, likely ranging from 50-250 employees, with potential for rapid scaling.

Founded: 2019, indicating a relatively young company with a disruptive approach to the financial services sector.

Team Structure:

• The role is part of a "lean, high-output team that moves fast." This implies a flat hierarchy with direct access to decision-makers and a focus on individual contribution.

• Collaboration is expected with "content, video, and performance marketing teams," indicating cross-functional integration within the marketing department.

• The mention of "teams working around the world, with over 20 nationalities" suggests a global, diverse team structure, requiring strong remote collaboration skills. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Optimization: The role emphasizes analyzing performance data to iterate and improve visual assets, reflecting a data-driven approach to marketing and creative production.

• Agile Execution: The "lean, high-output team" and "moves fast" culture suggests an agile methodology, prioritizing speed, iteration, and continuous improvement.

• Ownership & Impact: The company values individuals who "think like an owner" and where "results, speed, and ownership matter more than titles," indicating a culture of accountability and direct impact.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Bjak is a FinTech innovator aiming to democratize financial services. The company culture is described as fast-paced, results-oriented, and global, which is common for successful tech startups. For a Lead Graphic Designer, this means high autonomy, significant impact, and the need for strong adaptability.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is designated as a "Lead" position, signifying a senior individual contributor role with significant ownership and potential for mentorship. It sits above junior or mid-level designers and focuses on driving strategic visual output for marketing initiatives, bridging creative execution with performance outcomes.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly defined, a Lead Graphic Designer typically reports to a Marketing Manager, Head of Marketing, or Creative Director. They will likely work closely with cross-functional teams and may have informal mentorship responsibilities over junior designers or interns.

Operations Impact: The Lead Graphic Designer's work directly impacts key operational metrics such as customer acquisition cost (CAC), conversion rates, brand awareness, and campaign ROI. By creating high-performing visual assets, they contribute significantly to the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, which in turn drives customer acquisition and revenue growth. The role's focus on data analysis and iteration further solidifies its connection to operational efficiency and effectiveness.

Growth Opportunities:

• Creative Leadership: Potential to grow into a Creative Director or Head of Design role, overseeing larger creative teams and defining broader visual strategies for the company.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas such as motion graphics, AI-driven design, or performance creative optimization.

• Cross-Functional Expansion: Transition into broader marketing strategy roles, leveraging design expertise to inform campaign planning and execution.

• Mentorship: Develop leadership skills by mentoring junior designers and contributing to the growth of the creative function within Bjak.

• Industry Expertise: Become a subject matter expert in FinTech marketing creative, a niche with high demand.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Lead" title suggests a path towards management or deep specialization. The emphasis on AI tools and performance marketing indicates opportunities to develop highly sought-after skills in a rapidly evolving industry.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is described as "Hybrid," requiring at least 3 days per week in the Japan office. This suggests a modern office space designed to facilitate collaboration, innovation, and team interaction.

Office Location(s): The primary office location is Tokyo, Japan. Specific details about the office's amenities or accessibility would need to be confirmed directly, but for a tech startup in Tokyo, it's likely to be in a well-connected business district.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and emphasis on cross-functional teams suggest a workspace that encourages interaction, brainstorming, and shared project work.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software, high-performance workstations, and potentially specialized AI hardware or software licenses.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for in-person collaboration with marketing, content, and video teams, fostering a dynamic and integrated creative process.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, with an expectation of 40 hours per week. However, the company culture emphasizes passion and results over strict hour-counting. This implies a degree of flexibility for high performers, allowing for focused work periods and efficient management of tasks to meet deadlines, particularly important for a hybrid setup.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role in Tokyo necessitates a balance between structured office time for collaboration and remote flexibility for focused creative work. The company's culture likely supports efficient work practices rather than prolonged office hours.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Stage 1: Online Assessment/Practical Task: Expect a design challenge or a take-home assignment that evaluates your core design skills, creative thinking, and ability to meet specific project requirements within a given timeframe. This is crucial for assessing practical application and speed.

• Stage 2: Role-Specific Interview: This interview will likely focus on your experience, portfolio, technical skills, and understanding of design principles relevant to performance marketing and brand building. Be prepared to discuss your design process, creative rationale, and how you use data to inform your work.

• Stage 3: CEO/Final Round: This interview assesses cultural fit, alignment with company values, strategic thinking, and your potential to contribute to Bjak's overall mission. It's an opportunity to demonstrate your passion, ownership mindset, and long-term vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Impact: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your skills in digital-first design, motion graphics, and conversion-focused creative. Tailor your selection to highlight experience with AI tools if possible.

• Showcase Process & Rationale: For each project, clearly explain the brief, your design process, the challenges faced, your problem-solving approach, and the rationale behind your design decisions.

• Quantify Results: Whenever possible, present metrics (e.g., CTR, engagement rates, conversion improvements) that demonstrate the impact of your visual assets. Use charts or clear statements to illustrate success.

• Highlight AI & Motion: Explicitly showcase projects where you've used AI tools or created compelling motion graphics, explaining your approach and the benefits derived.

• Brand Consistency Focus: Include examples that demonstrate your understanding and application of brand systems, showing how you maintain consistency across different platforms.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Brief: Carefully analyze the requirements of any assessment task, paying close attention to objectives, target audience, and constraints.

• Time Management: Practice executing design tasks within realistic time limits, simulating the pressure of a fast-paced environment.

• Presentation Skills: Prepare a concise and compelling presentation for your portfolio and any design challenges, focusing on clear communication of your ideas and their impact.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Bjak's mission, products, and existing marketing efforts to tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest. Understand their current visual identity and consider how you can enhance it.

📝 Enhancement Note: The rapid interview process (aiming for an offer within a week) means candidates must be highly prepared and responsive. The emphasis on assessments and practical tasks suggests that practical skills and immediate impact are highly valued.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Essential for graphic design and video editing, including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, and Premiere Pro.

• Figma: A collaborative interface design tool, crucial for web design, prototyping, and team-based design workflows.

• AI Design Tools: Proficiency or strong familiarity with tools like Midjourney, DALL·E, and Runway for ideation, asset generation, and accelerating production.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Performance Marketing Platforms: Experience with platforms like Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager, and analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel) to understand creative performance metrics.

• Data Visualization Tools: While not explicitly mentioned, familiarity with tools that can help visualize creative performance data (e.g., Tableau, Looker Studio) would be beneficial.

CRM & Automation:

• Marketing Automation Platforms: Understanding how visual assets integrate into email marketing and campaign automation workflows (e.g., HubSpot, Marketo, Mailchimp).

• Content Management Systems (CMS): Familiarity with CMS platforms (e.g., WordPress) for web asset implementation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of AI tools and core design software like Adobe Suite and Figma indicates a modern, digitally-focused creative environment. Understanding how creative assets perform within marketing automation and analytics platforms is key for this role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Passion & Drive: A core value is working for passion, not just counting hours, indicating a team that is deeply engaged and motivated by their work.

• Innovation & Next-Generation Thinking: The company actively seeks individuals who "love building great next-generation products, not status quo," fostering an environment of continuous improvement and forward-thinking.

• Accessibility & Inclusivity: The mission to make financial applications "accessible online by millions" and "not for an exclusive few" suggests a value placed on broad impact and user-centric design.

• Efficiency & Speed: The "lean, high-output team that moves fast" and the emphasis on "clarity, execution, and iteration" highlight a culture that prioritizes speed, agility, and effective execution.

• Ownership & Accountability: Team members are expected to "think like an owner" and contribute meaningfully, with "results, speed, and ownership mattering more than titles."

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Close collaboration with content, video, and performance marketing teams is essential, fostering a holistic approach to campaign creation.

• Data-Informed Iteration: A culture of analyzing performance data and using insights to refine creative work and improve outcomes.

• High-Output & Fast-Paced: Team members are expected to contribute significantly and operate efficiently in a dynamic environment where quick turnaround times are common.

• Global & Diverse: Working with a team of over 20 nationalities requires strong cross-cultural communication and adaptability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is strongly aligned with typical high-growth tech startups: agile, results-driven, and focused on innovation. The emphasis on ownership and speed means individuals must be proactive, self-motivated, and comfortable with rapid change.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Speed with Quality: The fast-paced environment and tight deadlines can be challenging, requiring the ability to produce high-quality work efficiently without compromising brand integrity.

• AI Integration Mastery: Staying ahead of the curve with rapidly evolving AI tools and effectively integrating them into a creative workflow can be a continuous learning challenge.

• Performance Optimization: Translating creative vision into measurable performance gains requires a deep understanding of marketing analytics and audience behavior, which can be complex.

• Brand Evolution: As Bjak expands its offerings, maintaining a cohesive and evolving brand identity across diverse financial products will require strategic visual leadership.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Tool Mastery: Opportunity to become an expert in leveraging AI for creative production, a highly sought-after skill.

• Performance Creative Specialization: Develop deep expertise in creating visual assets optimized for conversion and ROI in performance marketing campaigns.

• FinTech Industry Insight: Gain valuable experience and knowledge within the rapidly growing FinTech sector, understanding its unique marketing challenges and opportunities.

• Leadership Development: Grow into a leadership role, mentoring junior designers and shaping the creative direction of a dynamic startup.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical of a fast-growing tech company, offering significant opportunities for professional development in cutting-edge areas like AI-driven design and performance marketing.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Operations Strategy: "How would you approach developing a visual strategy for a new financial product launch, considering our target audience and competitive landscape?" (Be prepared to discuss your process, key considerations, and how you'd measure success.)

• Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: "Describe a time you had to collaborate with performance marketers to optimize a creative asset based on data. What was the outcome, and what did you learn?" (Focus on your ability to interpret data and translate it into actionable design changes.)

• Problem-Solving & Efficiency: "Imagine you need to create 50 variations of a banner ad for a campaign with a tight deadline. How would you approach this efficiently while maintaining brand consistency and quality?" (Highlight your use of templates, AI tools, and efficient workflows.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• Company Operations: "What excites you about Bjak's mission to make financial planning more accessible, and how do you see design playing a role in achieving this?" (Showcase your understanding of the company's purpose and your passion for its impact.)

• Team Dynamics: "Our team is lean and moves fast. How do you thrive in such an environment, and how do you ensure effective communication and collaboration with remote and in-office colleagues?" (Emphasize your adaptability, proactivity, and communication skills.)

• Impact Measurement: "How do you define and measure the success of your design work in a marketing context?" (Discuss KPIs, A/B testing, and your approach to demonstrating ROI.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: Structure your presentation with a clear beginning (brief/problem), middle (process/solution), and end (results/impact).

• Data Visualization: Use clear charts and concise data points to illustrate the performance of your work. If direct metrics aren't available, discuss how you would measure success or the expected impact.

• AI Tool Showcase: Dedicate a section or highlight specific examples of how you've used AI tools, explaining your workflow and the benefits gained in terms of speed, ideation, or output quality.

• Interactive Elements: Be ready to answer in-depth questions about specific design choices, workflows, and your creative decision-making process. Consider a brief live demo if appropriate and feasible.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the fast-paced interview process, candidates should prioritize showcasing their ability to deliver results quickly, adapt to new tools (especially AI), and understand the performance impact of their creative work. Demonstrating an "owner's mindset" will be key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Ashby application portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and portfolio to highlight your experience in digital-first design, motion graphics, AI tool utilization, and performance-driven creative. Select 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant projects.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 5+ years of experience, proficiency with required software (Adobe Suite, Figma, After Effects), and any experience in FinTech or startup environments. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, creative rationale, and how you measure the impact of your work. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions and be ready to discuss your approach to using AI tools.

• Company Research: Thoroughly review Bjak's website, mission, and current marketing materials to understand their brand, target audience, and competitive positioning. This will help you tailor your application and interview responses.

⚠️ 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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