Senior Brand Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Brand Designer

Company: Circle

Location: Warsaw, Masovian Voivodeship, Poland

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Marketing & Design Operations

Date Posted: 2026-09-30

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Remote Solely

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the evolution of Circle's visual identity and brand narrative across all customer touchpoints, driving brand recognition and market impact.

• Lead creative direction for high-stakes initiatives including major product launches, strategic campaigns, and company announcements, ensuring cohesive and compelling brand representation.

• Develop and implement scalable brand systems and visual identity frameworks that ensure consistency and effectiveness across diverse marketing channels such as web, social media, paid advertising, events, and email.

• Translate complex software and AI capabilities into clear, engaging visual experiences and compelling brand narratives, enhancing product understanding and market appeal.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor with significant ownership over brand strategy and execution within the Design Studio team. The emphasis on "evolving how Circle looks, feels, and communicates" and "building scalable visual systems" indicates a strategic function beyond asset creation, focusing on the long-term brand architecture and its application across the customer journey. The mention of AI-powered creative tools suggests an innovative approach to design workflows.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and continuously evolve Circle's visual identity system, ensuring it is consistently applied across all customer-facing platforms and marketing materials.

• Provide creative leadership and strategic direction for key marketing initiatives, including product launches, global campaigns, and major announcements, ensuring alignment with overall business objectives.

• Design and document comprehensive, scalable brand systems and templates that empower cross-functional teams to maintain brand consistency and accelerate creative output.

• Develop powerful visual narratives that effectively communicate the value proposition of complex software and AI products, translating technical features into relatable and engaging brand experiences.

• Create a wide range of visual assets, including campaign identities, illustrations, iconography, graphics, presentations, and launch collateral, all while upholding the highest standards of brand quality.

• Collaborate with Motion Designers and Product Marketing to conceptualize and storyboard creative assets for launch videos, motion graphics, and product announcements, ensuring a seamless transition from static design to dynamic content.

• Partner closely with Product Marketing, Content, Motion, and Leadership teams to align on and execute the visual strategy for significant company milestones and communications.

• Establish and maintain reusable brand systems, creative frameworks, and guidelines to improve consistency, efficiency, and speed across the entire organization's creative efforts.

• Proactively research and stay abreast of emerging trends in branding, AI, motion design, and digital experiences to continuously innovate and refresh Circle's design language.

• Confidently present creative concepts and design rationale to stakeholders, effectively articulating design decisions and incorporating feedback to refine creative outputs.

• Maintain an unwavering commitment to exceptional detail and craft, ensuring all design assets meet the high-quality standards expected of a leading technology brand.

• Explore and integrate AI-powered creative tools to enhance design workflows, boost efficiency, and drive innovation in the design process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic brand development and hands-on design execution. The emphasis on "scalable brand systems," "visual narratives for new product launches," and "creative frameworks" points to a need for a designer who can build and maintain a robust brand foundation, not just execute individual design tasks. The direct collaboration with leadership and product marketing signifies the strategic importance of this role in shaping the company's external perception.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong academic foundation in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, or a related creative field is highly recommended. The emphasis is on demonstrated skill and experience.

Experience: A minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in Brand Design or Visual Design roles, specifically within modern software, AI, or technology companies, is required. Experience with SaaS products and understanding their unique design challenges is crucial.

Required Skills:

• Brand Design Expertise: Proven ability to define, evolve, and manage visual identity systems for technology-focused brands.

• Visual Identity Systems: Deep understanding of creating and scaling brand guidelines, design systems, and visual frameworks for diverse applications.

• Figma Proficiency: Advanced mastery of Figma for UI/UX design, prototyping, and collaborative design system management.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Expert-level proficiency in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign for graphic design, illustration, and layout.

• Visual Storytelling: Exceptional ability to translate complex ideas and product features into clear, compelling visual narratives.

• Creative Direction: Demonstrated experience leading the creative vision for marketing campaigns, product launches, and strategic brand initiatives.

• Typography & Composition: Superior skills in typography, layout, color theory, and overall visual composition.

• Motion Graphics Collaboration: Experience working with motion designers, understanding the translation of static design to animation and visual storytelling.

• Communication & Presentation: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to confidently present design concepts and articulate rationale to diverse stakeholders.

• Asynchronous Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively in a remote, asynchronous environment, managing projects and communicating across time zones.

• Attention to Detail: Meticulous focus on craft and detail, ensuring the highest quality in all delivered assets.

• SaaS & AI Design Trends: Strong awareness of current and emerging design trends in SaaS and AI sectors.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience developing creative concepts and storyboards for video content and motion graphics.

• Familiarity with AI-powered creative tools and an eagerness to experiment with new technologies.

• Experience in designing for global audiences and understanding cultural nuances in branding.

• Proficiency in other design and prototyping tools beyond Figma and Adobe Suite.

• Experience in building reusable templates and creative frameworks for broad organizational use.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize practical experience and a strong portfolio over formal education. The specific mention of Figma and Adobe Creative Suite, along with "scalable brand systems," "visual storytelling," and "creative direction," points towards a need for a designer who can both execute high-quality creative work and contribute strategically to the brand's architecture and long-term vision. The "5+ years" experience, coupled with the "Senior" title, implies a need for leadership in creative execution and strategic thinking within the design function.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 5 years of brand design and visual identity work, with a strong focus on modern software, AI, or technology companies.

• Demonstrations of successful brand evolution and the development of scalable brand systems across multiple customer touchpoints.

• Case studies detailing the creative process for major product launches or marketing campaigns, highlighting strategic thinking, problem-solving, and the impact of design.

• Examples of visual storytelling that effectively communicate complex product features or value propositions for technology products.

• Inclusion of work that exhibits exceptional typography, composition, layout, and color theory application.

• Evidence of collaboration with motion designers or contributions to motion graphics projects, illustrating how static designs translate into dynamic content.

• Work that reflects an understanding of SaaS and AI design trends and a forward-looking perspective on modern branding. Process Documentation:

• Case studies should clearly outline the design process, from initial brief and research to concept development, iteration, and final execution.

• Documentation of how brand systems were developed, implemented, and maintained, including examples of style guides or design system components.

• Explanation of how complex product information was translated into digestible visual narratives and engaging brand experiences.

• Evidence of iterative design processes, including how feedback was incorporated and how designs were refined based on strategic objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is critical for this role, serving as the primary evidence of the candidate's capabilities. The emphasis is not just on the aesthetic quality of the work but also on the strategic thinking, process, and demonstrable impact of their design contributions, particularly within the technology and AI sectors. The need for "scalable brand systems" and "visual narratives for complex software" suggests a portfolio that goes beyond individual assets to showcase system-level thinking and strategic communication through design.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: The provided range of $100,000 - $120,000 USD per year is based on U.S. benchmarking, applied globally. This range is competitive for a Senior Brand Designer role in the technology sector, particularly for a fully remote position with a company of Circle's size and growth trajectory. The exact placement within this range will depend on the candidate's specific experience, skills, and alignment with the role's requirements.

Benefits:

• U.S.-Benchmarked Compensation: A competitive salary structure designed to align with U.S. market standards, ensuring fair compensation regardless of global location.

• Equity in the Company: Stock options or other equity grants, providing a stake in Circle's growth and success.

• Ongoing Equity Refresh Grants: Regular grants of equity to retain and reward long-term contributions and performance.

• Generous Paid Time Off: 35 days of paid time off annually, offering significant flexibility and work-life balance.

• Company Retreats: Two annual company-wide offsites in diverse global locations, fostering team cohesion, collaboration, and cultural connection.

• Health Benefits: Comprehensive health coverage to support employee wellbeing.

• Wellbeing Support: Resources and programs designed to promote mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing.

• Professional Growth Support: Opportunities and resources dedicated to fostering continuous learning, skill development, and career advancement for employees.

Working Hours: While not explicitly defined in hours, Circle operates on a high-expectations, results-oriented model, managing for performance rather than strictly tracking hours. The company culture emphasizes asynchronous collaboration and documentation, suggesting flexibility in daily work schedules, provided deadlines are met and collaboration is effective across time zones. A standard full-time workload is implied.

📝 Enhancement Note: The compensation is explicitly stated as U.S.-benchmarked, which is a significant benefit for candidates in regions with lower salary averages. The generous PTO and frequent company retreats are also highlighted as key employee perks. The emphasis on "managing for high expectations very closely" rather than "tracking hours" is a crucial aspect of the work culture for operations professionals to understand, implying a focus on output and impact.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software (SaaS), AI, Community Platforms. Circle operates at the intersection of technology, community building, and creator economy platforms, leveraging AI to enhance its offerings. This industry context means a fast-paced, innovative environment with a focus on user experience and cutting-edge technology.

Company Size: Approximately 270 team members (and growing). This size indicates a company that has achieved significant product-market fit and is in a growth phase, offering opportunities for impact while still maintaining a degree of agility and close-knit team dynamics.

Founded: Founded in 2020. This relatively recent founding date suggests a dynamic, startup-like culture focused on rapid innovation, scalability, and disruption.

Team Structure:

• The Senior Brand Designer is part of the Design Studio team, which functions as the "creative engine" for marketing design. This implies a centralized creative function.

• Collaboration is expected with Marketing, Product Marketing, Motion Design, Content, and Leadership teams, highlighting a cross-functional and collaborative environment.

• As a fully remote company, the team structure relies heavily on asynchronous communication, documentation, and self-management.

• Reporting likely falls within a design leadership hierarchy, though specific reporting lines are not detailed. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: While not explicit for this role, the company's focus on "AI-powered" solutions and "managing for high expectations" suggests an underlying data-informed approach.

• Async-First & Documentation: Emphasis on asynchronous communication and extensive documentation, fostering efficiency and knowledge sharing across global teams.

• Iterative Improvement: Continuous evolution of brand and product, driven by research, feedback, and experimentation with new technologies.

• High Expectations & Impact Focus: A culture that values high performance, clear outcomes, and significant contributions to company goals.

Company Website: https://circle.so/

📝 Enhancement Note: Circle's culture is defined by its remote-first, global nature, emphasis on asynchronous work and documentation, and a results-driven approach with high expectations. The "Design Studio" functioning as a "creative engine" suggests a dedicated and strategically important design function within the marketing organization. The company's rapid growth and recent founding indicate an environment ripe for innovation and impact.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Individual Contributor role. It signifies a high level of expertise and autonomy, with the expectation of leading significant creative projects and influencing brand strategy. The role is not management-track but focuses on deep specialization and impact within the design discipline.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Brand Designer will likely report to a Design Lead, Head of Design, or potentially a Marketing Director within the Design Studio. Collaboration is key with cross-functional teams, but the primary reporting line will be within the design function.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct and substantial impact on how Circle is perceived externally. The Senior Brand Designer will shape the company's visual identity, influencing brand recognition, customer acquisition, and market positioning. The design work directly supports marketing initiatives, product launches, and overall brand equity, contributing to revenue generation and growth.

Growth Opportunities:

• Deepen Specialization: Further develop expertise in brand strategy, visual identity systems, and digital design trends within the technology and AI space.

• Lead Creative Initiatives: Take on increasing leadership responsibility for major campaigns and product launches, driving creative direction and execution.

• Influence Brand Strategy: Contribute to high-level brand strategy discussions and decision-making, shaping the future of Circle's visual language.

• Explore Emerging Technologies: Gain hands-on experience with AI-powered creative tools, becoming an early adopter and innovator in design workflows.

• Mentorship: Potential to mentor junior designers as the team grows, sharing expertise and best practices.

• Cross-functional Learning: Deepen understanding of product marketing, content strategy, and motion design through close collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path for a Senior Brand Designer at Circle is primarily focused on deepening expertise, increasing strategic influence, and leading larger, more impactful projects. While not a management role, the opportunity to become a go-to expert, influence brand direction, and experiment with new technologies offers significant career development. The remote and global nature of the company also provides exposure to diverse markets and working styles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. Circle is a remote-first company, meaning there is no physical office for this role. All work is conducted remotely, leveraging digital collaboration tools.

Office Location(s): This role is specifically open to candidates in Poland. While the company is global, there may be specific regional considerations for employment and benefits, hence the focus on Poland for this position.

Workspace Context:

• Digital Collaboration Hub: The primary workspace is digital, relying on tools like Slack, Notion, Figma, and video conferencing for communication and collaboration.

• Asynchronous Focus: The environment is optimized for asynchronous work, requiring strong organizational skills, clear written communication, and the ability to manage tasks independently across different time zones.

• Creative Autonomy: As a senior role in a remote setting, there's a high degree of autonomy in managing one's workflow and creative process, balanced by clear expectations and project goals.

• Global Team Interaction: Opportunities to interact with a diverse, international team, fostering a rich and varied work experience.

Work Schedule: Flexible, asynchronous work schedule is implied, with a focus on delivering high-quality work and meeting project deadlines. While specific hours are not mandated, effective collaboration across time zones and responsiveness during core collaboration windows (if any) will be important. A standard full-time commitment is expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The fully remote nature of Circle is a defining characteristic of its work environment. The emphasis on asynchronous communication and documentation is critical for candidates to understand, as it shapes how teams collaborate and manage projects. The specific location requirement of Poland indicates a need to consider local employment laws and benefits structures for that region.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your application, resume, and most importantly, your portfolio, to assess alignment with the role's requirements and Circle's brand aesthetic.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: Expect a dedicated session to walk through your portfolio. Be prepared to discuss your process, design rationale, strategic thinking behind key projects, and how you've handled challenges. Focus on case studies that demonstrate brand evolution, system design, and impactful campaign work.

• Skills & Collaboration Interview: A discussion focused on your technical skills (Figma, Adobe Suite), understanding of SaaS/AI design, and your ability to collaborate effectively in a remote, asynchronous environment. This may involve behavioral questions.

• Team/Culture Fit Interview: An opportunity to meet with potential team members or leadership to assess cultural alignment with Circle's values and work style.

• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership to discuss overall fit, strategic contributions, and alignment with company vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of