Lead Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Graphic Designer

Company: Nord Security

Location: Vilnius, Lithuania

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Creative & Media / Art & Design / Marketing / Technology / Management & Leadership

Date Posted: 2026-09-14

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Hybrid (Remote work from anywhere within Lithuania)

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead visual quality and creative direction for NordVPN's website assets, mobile marketing, and video content, driving brand integrity and performance impact.

• Provide strategic concept-thinking and quality assurance for the broader Nord Security umbrella brand.

• Coach, mentor, and elevate the skills of the design squad, fostering a culture of high-craft and strategic design.

• Develop and optimize production conditions, including file systems and Figma tooling, to ensure efficient and high-quality creative asset delivery.

• Collaborate closely with marketing teams to translate objectives into compelling visual narratives across digital platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is described as 70% hands-on craft and 30% leadership, indicating a need for a candidate who is proficient in execution while also capable of guiding and developing a team. The focus on both NordVPN and Nord Security brands suggests a requirement for strong brand system understanding and the ability to balance product-specific needs with overarching brand consistency.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and uphold the visual quality and creative bar for NordVPN's website, mobile marketing campaigns, in-app surfaces, and video content.

• Guide and mentor junior designers through constructive critique, setting clear benchmarks for visual excellence across digital and motion touchpoints.

• Assume ultimate accountability for the creative output of the design squad, driving a shift from pure execution to strategic, high-craft design.

• Partner with the Brand Design Lead to ensure NordVPN's digital and mobile assets align with global brand consistency guidelines.

• Translate marketing objectives into compelling visual stories for web layouts, app stores, and video formats, balancing brand adherence with user engagement.

• Establish robust production conditions, including file systems, Figma tooling, and handoff patterns, to enable the team's efficient launch of creative assets.

• Execute high-stakes design work, such as key website landing pages, core mobile asset frameworks, and defining video asset pipelines that serve as team references.

• Ethically integrate generative AI tools into the squad's daily workflow to accelerate asset creation and iteration across various digital platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus on hands-on execution and team leadership. The emphasis on "production conditions" and "handoff patterns" suggests a need for strong organizational skills and an understanding of development workflows. The integration of AI tools points to a forward-thinking approach to design operations.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Fine Arts, Marketing, or a related field is typically expected for a Lead role.

Experience: 5+ years of experience in marketing design, branding, or creative agencies, with demonstrated experience in leading or mentoring designers (formally or informally).

Required Skills:

• Advanced visual design and art direction capabilities, evidenced by a portfolio showcasing refined craft and conceptual depth.

• Proven ability to balance brand consistency with performance outcomes, designing for user engagement without compromising brand systems.

• Working fluency with generative AI tools as part of a daily design craft, with sound judgment on AI application.

• Strong understanding of brand systems and multi-channel design principles.

• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with photography, photo editing, or compositing.

• Illustration skills or experience guiding illustration styles.

• Experience designing and implementing AI-assisted creative workflows for a team.

• Understanding of 3D visuals or experience collaborating with 3D designers.

• Experience working with large-scale or global brands.

• Familiarity with the digital product environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a strong portfolio as a primary indicator of skill. The inclusion of generative AI fluency as a core requirement, rather than a preference, signals its importance in the company's design operations. The "stand out" skills suggest areas where candidates can further differentiate themselves.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio demonstrating a minimum of 5 years of professional experience in marketing design, branding, or agency work.

• Showcase of refined visual design craft, including examples of digital assets, branding projects, and potentially motion graphics or video content.

• Evidence of conceptual depth through case studies that explain the design process, challenges, and outcomes, particularly in relation to marketing objectives.

• Examples of work that illustrate the ability to balance brand integrity with performance metrics and user engagement.

• Demonstration of leadership or mentorship experience, perhaps through team project examples or descriptions of guidance provided. Process Documentation:

• The ability to articulate and document design workflows, including file system organization and Figma tooling best practices.

• Examples of how you've established or improved production conditions for a design team to ensure quality and speed.

• Case studies that highlight collaboration with marketing teams and the translation of marketing objectives into visual assets.

• Experience or understanding of integrating AI tools into design processes for asset creation and iteration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are heavily geared towards demonstrating practical application of design skills, leadership, and an understanding of modern design operations, including AI integration and workflow optimization. Candidates should be prepared to walk through their portfolio and explain their process and impact.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: €3,600 - €4,800 per month (Gross). This translates to approximately €43,200 - €57,600 annually before taxes.

Benefits:

• Professional Development: Training, mentorship, and ample opportunities for growth.

• Work-Life Balance: Extra vacation days, sick days, and flexible time off.

• Healthcare: Private health insurance (fully covered) in Lithuania and Poland.

• Well-being: Free subscriptions to Calm, Headspace, and Mindletic; resilience and mindfulness training.

• Fitness: In-house gyms, sport cards, online workouts, and personal fitness guidance.

• Company Culture: Annual company-wide workation, team-building events, and company celebrations.

• Milestone Recognition: Gifts for birthdays, weddings, and new family members.

• Family Support: Children’s summer camps and flexible schedules for parents.

• Workspace Perks: Access to amenities at the Vilnius HQ including a coffee bar, gym, kids' room, music room, and massage chairs.

• Flexibility: Ability to work from anywhere within Lithuania.

Working Hours: The role typically involves a standard 40-hour work week, with flexibility offered for remote work and general work-life balance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is gross and for Lithuania. The benefits package is extensive, emphasizing employee well-being, professional development, and a strong company culture. The "work from anywhere" within Lithuania offers significant flexibility.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Cybersecurity. Nord Security is a prominent leader in digital privacy and security solutions, building an ecosystem of tools like NordVPN, password managers, and identity protection.

Company Size: Nord Security is a significant player in the cybersecurity market, employing a substantial number of professionals globally. The specific number of employees is not listed, but the comprehensive benefits and global reach suggest a large and well-established organization.

Founded: The founding date is not specified, but Nord Security has grown to become a globally recognized brand, indicating a history of innovation and market expansion.

Team Structure:

• The Design Team is multidisciplinary, comprising Product Designers, UX/UI Designers, UX Researchers, UX Writers, and Graphic Designers.

• The Lead Graphic Designer will lead a "squad" within this larger team, focusing on NordVPN's visual assets and supporting the Nord Security brand.

• There's a clear reporting structure with a Brand Design Lead, implying collaboration and alignment at a higher level. Methodology:

• Focus on simplifying complex digital security topics through human, high-quality design.

• Emphasis on ownership, honest feedback, and creative initiative within the design team.

• A blend of hands-on execution and strategic leadership is expected from the Lead Graphic Designer.

• Integration of generative AI into daily craft to enhance asset creation and iteration.

• Commitment to brand integrity and performance impact in all visual communications.

Company Website: https://nordsecurity.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Nord Security positions itself as a leader in digital privacy and security, using design as a key differentiator to simplify complex issues. The culture appears to value proactive contribution, constructive feedback, and a forward-thinking approach to design tools like AI.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Lead position, signifying a senior role with significant responsibility for both individual contribution and team guidance. It requires a strong balance of expert-level craft skills and leadership capabilities.

Reporting Structure: The Lead Graphic Designer will report to a higher-level design lead (potentially the Brand Design Lead or Head of Design) and will be responsible for mentoring and guiding a "squad" of designers. This implies a matrixed structure where individuals may report to different leads based on project focus.

Operations Impact: The role directly influences how millions of users perceive and interact with NordVPN and the Nord Security ecosystem. The visual output impacts brand perception, user engagement, marketing effectiveness, and ultimately, business growth. The Lead is accountable for ensuring the creative output meets high standards and drives desired outcomes.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Opportunities to deepen expertise in visual design, art direction, AI integration, and potentially 3D or illustration through hands-on work and mentorship.

• Leadership Development: Formal and informal mentorship, coaching, and the opportunity to build and lead a design squad, developing management and strategic planning skills.

• Brand Exposure: Working with a global brand like Nord Security provides significant exposure and experience with large-scale brand systems and international marketing campaigns.

• Process Innovation: The chance to define and refine design production workflows, including AI integration, offering a unique opportunity to shape operational efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for experienced designers to transition into leadership, balancing expert-level execution with team development. The impact is significant, touching millions of users and contributing directly to business objectives.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The job is listed as TELECOMMUTE, with a requirement to be based in Lithuania. This indicates a remote-first or hybrid approach where employees can work from anywhere within Lithuania. The company also has an HQ in Vilnius with specific amenities.

Office Location(s): While remote work from anywhere in Lithuania is permitted, the company has a physical presence and amenities at its Vilnius HQ. Specific details on office space or hybrid expectations beyond remote work in Lithuania are not fully detailed, but the mention of "Cyber City" HQ suggests a modern, well-equipped workspace.

Workspace Context:

• Flexibility: The ability to "work from anywhere" within Lithuania offers substantial autonomy for operations professionals to manage their work environment.

• Tools & Technology: Access to a modern tech stack including Figma, generative AI tools, and the full Adobe Suite is provided, supporting efficient and creative work.

• Collaboration: While remote, the emphasis on mentorship, team building, and company events suggests a culture that fosters connection and collaboration despite physical distance. The Vilnius HQ amenities also suggest opportunities for in-person interaction.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is implied, typical for a FULL_TIME role. The remote-first nature likely allows for some flexibility in daily scheduling, provided deadlines and team collaboration needs are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "work from anywhere" policy within Lithuania is a significant perk for remote operations professionals, offering flexibility while maintaining team connection and access to company resources through the Vilnius HQ.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process: While not explicitly detailed, a typical process for a Lead role at a company like Nord Security would involve:

• Initial Screening: Resume and portfolio review by a recruiter.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Assessment of experience, leadership potential, and cultural fit.

• Design Challenge/Portfolio Review: A practical exercise or in-depth discussion of the candidate's portfolio, focusing on their craft, strategic thinking, and leadership approach. This may involve presenting case studies.

• Team/Peer Interviews: Meetings with other designers and stakeholders to assess collaboration style and team dynamics.

• Final Interview: Possibly with senior leadership to discuss strategic vision and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Leadership: Include examples where you've mentored, guided, or led design projects, detailing your role and the impact on the team.

• Highlight Process: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your approach, the tools used (including AI), key decisions, and the final outcomes, emphasizing performance metrics.

• Brand System Mastery: Demonstrate your understanding of brand guidelines and how you've applied them while also pushing creative boundaries for performance.

• AI Integration: Be ready to discuss how you've ethically and effectively used generative AI in your workflow, its benefits, and limitations.

• Conciseness and Clarity: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, easy to navigate, and clearly communicates your value proposition for a Lead Graphic Designer role.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss your approach to setting creative bars, mentoring designers, and collaborating with marketing.

• Anticipate questions about balancing brand integrity with performance metrics.

• Practice articulating your strategic vision for visual design within a product and brand context.

• Review NordVPN and Nord Security's current visual presence to offer informed perspectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on AI tools in the job description suggests that candidates should be ready to demonstrate practical application and strategic thinking around AI in design during interviews and potential challenges.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI/UX design, prototyping, and collaborative design workflows. Proficiency is expected for team collaboration and asset creation.

• Full Adobe Suite: Includes Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Premiere Pro, etc., for advanced graphic design, photo editing, motion graphics, and video editing.

• Generative AI Tools: Expected to be used daily for asset creation, iteration, and potentially workflow acceleration. Candidates should be familiar with current AI art and design generation platforms.

Analytics & Reporting: While not explicitly listed, understanding how design impacts metrics like conversion rates, engagement, and brand recall will be crucial. Familiarity with analytics platforms might be beneficial for understanding performance data.

CRM & Automation: Not directly relevant to this design role, but an understanding of how marketing campaigns are executed and tracked might be useful for context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma, Adobe Suite, and Generative AI tools highlights the core technical requirements. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their proficiency and experience with each, particularly how they integrate AI into their creative process.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• High Craft & Judgment: A strong emphasis on the quality and strategic thinking behind design decisions.

• Ownership & Initiative: Employees are expected to take responsibility for their work and proactively contribute ideas.

• Honest Feedback: A culture that values constructive criticism to foster growth and improve outcomes.

• Simplifying Complexity: Using design to make intricate digital security concepts accessible and understandable.

• Performance Impact: Design is seen as a driver of business objectives, not just an aesthetic element.

• Ethical AI Integration: Responsible and thoughtful use of AI tools in the creative process.

Collaboration Style:

• Multidisciplinary: Working within a diverse design team (UX/UI, UX Research, Writers, Graphic Designers) requires strong communication and the ability to integrate different perspectives.

• Cross-functional Partnership: Close collaboration with marketing teams is essential to translate objectives into effective visual campaigns.

• Mentorship-Focused: The lead role fosters a collaborative environment where knowledge is shared, and team members are coached to improve their skills.

• Brand Alignment: Working closely with the Brand Design Lead ensures consistency and adherence to overarching brand strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture values both individual excellence and collaborative growth. The emphasis on "honest feedback" suggests an environment where designers are encouraged to challenge and support each other.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Brand & Performance: Navigating the inherent tension between maintaining global brand consistency and optimizing designs for specific marketing performance goals.

• Leading & Mentoring: Effectively guiding and elevating a team of designers while also maintaining high personal craft standards.

• AI Integration Strategy: Developing and implementing effective, ethical strategies for incorporating generative AI into daily design workflows at scale.

• Global Brand Consistency: Ensuring visual assets for NordVPN and Nord Security align across diverse platforms and markets.

• Rapid Iteration: Meeting the demands of dynamic marketing campaigns and product updates with high-quality assets delivered efficiently.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Skills: Deepen expertise in areas like motion graphics, illustration, or 3D through project work and internal/external training.

• Leadership & Management: Develop strategic leadership skills through hands-on team management, mentorship programs, and potential management training.

• AI in Design: Become a leader in applying AI tools for creative acceleration and innovation within a design context.

• Global Brand Experience: Gain invaluable experience working with a globally recognized cybersecurity brand, understanding international market nuances.

• Process Optimization: Contribute to defining and refining design operational processes, including production workflows and AI integration strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents a significant opportunity for growth in both technical design skills and leadership capabilities, particularly in the evolving landscape of AI-assisted design.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• How would you establish and maintain the visual quality bar for a product squad like NordVPN's? Can you provide examples from your portfolio?

• Describe your approach to mentoring junior designers. What strategies do you employ to foster their growth and ensure high-quality output?

• How do you balance brand integrity with the need for performance-driven design in marketing assets? Walk us through a project where you achieved this.

• What is your experience with generative AI tools in a professional design context? How do you assess their ethical use and effectiveness for different tasks?

• How would you build production conditions (e.g., file systems, Figma tooling) to support a design team's efficiency and quality? Company & Culture Questions:

• What excites you about Nord Security's mission and its position in the cybersecurity industry?

• How do you approach giving and receiving constructive feedback within a design team?

• Based on your understanding, how do you see design contributing to NordVPN's growth and user engagement?

• What are your thoughts on the importance of simplifying complex technical topics through design? Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio to clearly highlight leadership examples, diverse design projects (web, mobile, video), and case studies demonstrating problem-solving and impact.

• Narrative: For each project, tell a story: the challenge, your role, the process (including AI use), key decisions, and measurable results. Quantify impact where possible.

• AI Showcase: Be ready to demo or discuss specific instances where AI tools were used, the benefits, and any challenges encountered.

• Brand & Performance: Explicitly show how you've navigated the line between brand consistency and performance optimization.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time; focus on your strongest, most relevant work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to discuss their leadership philosophy, their practical experience with AI in design, and their strategic thinking on brand and performance. Demonstrating an understanding of Nord Security's mission and products will be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight your most relevant experience in marketing design, branding, leadership, and AI integration. Ensure it showcases both refined craft and conceptual depth.

• Resume Optimization: Craft your resume to emphasize your 5+ years of experience, leadership or mentorship roles, proficiency with Figma and Adobe Suite, and experience with generative AI tools. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, leadership approach, and strategic thinking, especially regarding brand integrity, performance impact, and AI integration. Prepare specific examples from your portfolio.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Nord Security, NordVPN, and their current design and marketing efforts. Understand their mission and values to align 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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