Senior Brand Designer

Vega
Full-time$120k-150k/year (USD)New York, United States

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Brand Designer

Company: Vega

Location: New York, NY, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Brand Design / Creative Operations

Date Posted: 2026-06-06T02:02:11

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

  • Drive the strategic evolution and execution of Vega's comprehensive brand identity system, ensuring a cohesive visual narrative across all platforms.

  • Lead the ownership and maintenance of brand guidelines and design systems, enabling consistency and clarity for internal teams and external stakeholders.

  • Collaborate closely with creative leadership, external partners, and cross-functional teams to translate brand strategy into impactful visual design solutions.

  • Elevate the overall visual output and brand representation within product design, marketing collateral, web presence, events, and digital communications.

  • Mentor junior designers and contribute to raising the bar for visual craft and brand coherence across the entire design function.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor with significant strategic ownership over brand identity. The emphasis on "owning the system in-house" after an initial agency refresh suggests a need for strong self-direction and the ability to operationalize brand standards effectively. The mention of "AI-native platform for the SOC" indicates a B2B SaaS environment with a focus on technical sophistication, which will influence the brand's visual language and the designer's ability to translate complex concepts.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

  • Strategically own and continuously evolve Vega's core brand identity system, encompassing typography, color palettes, layout principles, and character development.

  • Partner effectively with an external brand agency during the current brand refresh initiative, and subsequently assume full in-house stewardship of the established brand system.

  • Translate the overarching brand narrative and strategic messaging into a compelling and consistent visual language across all external and internal touchpoints.

  • Proactively review, refine, and elevate all brand-driven creative output, including sales decks, social media assets, event materials, website design, and product interfaces.

  • Develop, maintain, and disseminate comprehensive brand guidelines and design system documentation, ensuring accessibility and adherence for the broader design team, marketing, sales, and other relevant stakeholders.

  • Collaborate closely with the Product Design team to ensure seamless integration and consistent application of the brand identity within the user interface and overall product experience.

  • Provide mentorship and guidance to other designers within the team, fostering a culture of design excellence and consistent brand application.

  • Oversee and collaborate with an illustration partner to evolve and maintain Vega's unique illustration and pixel art language, ensuring visual harmony and brand alignment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic brand leadership and hands-on execution. The expectation to "own the system in-house" implies a need for robust documentation and governance capabilities. The collaboration with product design and illustration partners underscores the cross-functional nature of this role and its impact across various creative disciplines.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, Branding, or a related field is typically expected for a senior-level position of this nature, demonstrating foundational understanding and formal training.

Experience: 5+ years of dedicated experience in brand design, preferably within a high-caliber agency setting or an in-house team at a growth-stage technology company. Proven track record of successfully owning and evolving a brand identity system from its strategic conceptualization through system development to meticulous execution.

Required Skills:

  • Demonstrated ownership and strategic leadership in developing and managing a comprehensive brand identity system.

  • Exceptional typography skills, with a focus on functional and impactful type usage that drives brand communication and user experience, rather than purely decorative application.

  • Highly refined visual judgment, characterized by restraint, intentionality, and meticulous craft in all design outputs.

  • Advanced proficiency in industry-standard design software, including Figma, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), and other relevant design and prototyping tools.

  • Proven experience in creating, maintaining, and implementing brand guidelines and design systems that foster consistency and scalability.

  • Strong presentation and communication skills, with the ability to articulate brand strategy, design rationale, and decisions effectively to leadership and cross-functional teams. Preferred Skills:

  • Prior experience within the cybersecurity, developer tools, or B2B SaaS industries, providing a strong understanding of the target audience and market dynamics.

  • Background in editorial design, magazine layout, or print production, offering a deeper appreciation for detailed typographic and layout systems.

  • Interest and/or experience with pixel art, voxel art, character design, or other specialized illustration styles that align with Vega's evolving visual language.

  • Familiarity with motion design principles and the ability to translate static brand systems into dynamic visual experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize deep expertise in brand identity and system thinking. The "nice to have" skills point towards a unique visual aesthetic for Vega, requiring a designer who is not only technically proficient but also creatively adventurous and adaptable to specialized art forms.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

  • Showcase a minimum of 2-3 distinct brand identity projects where you demonstrably owned the brand system from strategy to execution, highlighting the evolution and application of typography, color, and visual language.

  • Include detailed case studies that outline your strategic process, problem-solving approach, and the impact of your design decisions on brand perception and business objectives.

  • Present examples of brand guidelines or design systems you have developed or significantly contributed to, demonstrating your ability to codify visual standards for consistency and scalability.

  • Provide evidence of how you have translated brand strategy into tangible visual assets across various touchpoints, such as web, marketing collateral, or product interfaces. Process Documentation:

  • Demonstrate your approach to defining and documenting brand strategy, including research methodologies and stakeholder alignment processes.

  • Illustrate your methods for developing and implementing visual systems, including typography hierarchies, color systems, and grid structures.

  • Showcase your experience in creating and maintaining comprehensive brand guidelines, detailing how you ensure their usability and adoption by various teams.

  • Provide examples of how you measure the effectiveness and consistency of brand application across different platforms and campaigns.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role, as it directly demonstrates the candidate's ability to own and manage a brand identity system. The emphasis should be on strategic thinking, systematic execution, and measurable impact, rather than just aesthetic appeal.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $120,000 – $150,000 annually, commensurate with experience and specific location within New York.

Benefits:

  • Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

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

  • 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match.

  • Professional development budget for conferences, courses, and learning resources relevant to brand design and operations.

  • Stock options or equity in a fast-growing cybersecurity startup.

  • Opportunity to shape the visual identity of a rapidly scaling company in a critical industry.

  • Hybrid work environment offering flexibility and work-life balance.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours are expected, typically around 40 hours per week. While a hybrid model offers flexibility, consistent availability during core business hours for collaboration with teams in New York and potentially Tel Aviv is anticipated.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific to the role and location. The benefits list is a standard offering for tech startups of this caliber, with an emphasis on professional development, which is crucial for a senior creative role.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Cybersecurity, specifically focusing on AI-native Security Operations Center (SOC) analytics and operations. Vega is redefining how security teams manage data and detect threats.

Company Size: Vega is a fast-growing startup. While the exact number of employees isn't specified, its description as a "fastest-growing startup" and "next rocket-ship in cyber" suggests a dynamic, agile, and scaling environment, likely ranging from 50-200 employees.

Founded: The founding date isn't explicitly stated, but the company's rapid growth and recent focus on a brand refresh suggest it's in a significant growth phase, likely founded within the last 5-10 years.

Team Structure:

  • The design team is likely structured to support product design, brand, and creative operations. This role reports to the Creative Design Lead and collaborates closely with product designers, marketing, and potentially engineering.

  • Cross-functional collaboration is a cornerstone, with significant interaction expected with marketing, product management, engineering, and executive leadership.

  • The brand team will likely include a mix of internal talent and external agency partners, requiring strong vendor management and communication skills. Methodology:

  • Data-driven decision-making, especially in product and marketing, is a hallmark of successful SaaS companies like Vega.

  • Emphasis on agile development and iterative design processes to respond quickly to market needs and customer feedback.

  • A culture of continuous improvement and learning, particularly important in the fast-evolving cybersecurity landscape.

Company Website: https://vega.io/

📝 Enhancement Note: Vega operates in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving industry. The company culture is likely to be fast-paced, innovative, and focused on impact. The brand designer will need to be comfortable in this environment and able to contribute to a brand that reflects cutting-edge technology and robust security.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Brand Designer role, indicating a high level of individual contributor expertise and strategic responsibility. It signifies a designer who is expected to lead significant aspects of brand identity, mentor others, and influence creative direction.

Reporting Structure: The role reports to the Creative Design Lead. This implies a hierarchical structure within the design department, with the Creative Design Lead overseeing broader creative strategy and the Senior Brand Designer focusing on the specialized area of brand identity.

Operations Impact: The Senior Brand Designer's impact is critical for Vega's Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy. A strong, cohesive brand identity is essential for establishing market credibility, differentiating from competitors, attracting talent, and communicating the value proposition of their AI-native cybersecurity platform. This role directly influences brand perception, customer acquisition, and overall market positioning.

Growth Opportunities:

  • Specialization: Deepen expertise in brand system development, particularly within the B2B SaaS and cybersecurity sectors. Potential to become the de facto brand guardian and strategist.

  • Leadership: Transition into a Brand Design Lead or Creative Director role as the company scales, potentially managing a larger team and broader creative initiatives.

  • Cross-functional Expansion: Gain exposure to product strategy, marketing operations, and GTM planning, leveraging design thinking to solve broader business problems.

  • Industry Influence: Contribute to defining the visual language of next-generation cybersecurity platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant growth potential for a designer passionate about building a brand from the ground up in a high-growth tech environment. The opportunity to influence a brand's evolution in a critical industry like cybersecurity is a key differentiator.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model, indicating a blend of remote and in-office work. This suggests a modern approach to workplace flexibility, balancing the benefits of in-person collaboration with the autonomy of remote work.

Office Location(s): New York, NY. This places the designer in a major global hub for technology, design, and business, offering access to a vibrant creative community and industry events.

Workspace Context:

  • The New York office is likely a modern, collaborative workspace designed to foster innovation and teamwork.

  • Access to necessary design tools, software, and potentially high-performance workstations.

  • Opportunities for informal and formal collaboration with colleagues from various departments, including product design, marketing, and sales.

  • The hybrid nature means the designer will need to be effective working both independently and collaboratively in a shared physical space.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time business hours, with flexibility expected due to the hybrid arrangement. The focus will be on achieving objectives and meeting deadlines rather than strict adherence to a 9-to-5 schedule, though availability during core collaboration hours is key.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model in New York City offers a desirable work environment for many professionals. The company's growth stage suggests an energetic and potentially demanding but rewarding atmosphere, common in successful tech startups.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

  • Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter or hiring manager to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and salary expectations.

  • Portfolio Review & Presentation: A dedicated session where candidates present their portfolio, focusing on 2-3 key brand identity projects. This is where strategic thinking, process, and execution will be evaluated. Expect to discuss your role, challenges, and outcomes.

  • Skills-Based Interview: A deeper dive into specific skills, such as typography, brand system development, and experience with design tools (Figma, Adobe Suite). May include scenario-based questions or a brief design exercise.

  • Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders, potentially including the Creative Design Lead, Product Design Lead, and a marketing representative, to assess collaboration style and understanding of business needs.

  • Final Interview: A conversation with senior leadership to discuss strategic vision, cultural alignment, and long-term impact.

Portfolio Review Tips:

  • Curate Strategically: Select projects that most directly showcase your ability to own and evolve a brand identity system from strategy to execution. Prioritize B2B SaaS or tech projects if available.

  • Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your strategic approach, your specific contributions, the design process, and the measurable results or impact. Use visuals to support your narrative.

  • Highlight Systems Thinking: Emphasize how you built and maintained brand systems (typography, color, layout, etc.) and how they were applied consistently.

  • Showcase Documentation: Include examples of brand guidelines or design system components you've created.

  • Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design rationale, how you handle feedback, your experience with external partners, and your understanding of Vega's market.

Challenge Preparation:

  • While a formal "challenge" might not be explicitly stated, be prepared for a discussion or a small, focused exercise on how you would approach evolving Vega's brand.

  • Research Vega's current brand identity thoroughly. Identify strengths and potential areas for strategic evolution.

  • Understand the cybersecurity market and the visual language prevalent in B2B SaaS.

  • Prepare to discuss how you would balance brand consistency with the need for innovation and differentiation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to assess not only design skills but also strategic thinking, communication, and the ability to operate within a fast-paced startup environment. A strong, well-documented portfolio that tells a strategic story is paramount.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

  • Figma: Essential for collaborative design, prototyping, and component-based design systems.

  • Adobe Creative Suite: Including Photoshop for image manipulation, Illustrator for vector graphics, and InDesign for layout and brand guideline production.

  • Prototyping Tools: Potentially tools beyond Figma for advanced interactive prototypes or animations.

Analytics & Reporting:

  • While not directly part of the brand designer's core tools, understanding how design impacts analytics (e.g., website conversion rates, engagement metrics) is beneficial. Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics or product analytics platforms may be helpful for understanding design impact. CRM & Automation:

  • Not directly relevant to the Senior Brand Designer's daily tasks, but understanding how brand assets are utilized in marketing automation platforms or CRM systems (e.g., email templates, landing pages) can be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma and the Adobe Suite is non-negotiable. The ability to work within and contribute to design systems is also a key technical requirement, directly impacting the efficiency and scalability of the brand's visual execution.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

  • Innovation & AI-Native: A commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology, including AI, to solve complex problems in cybersecurity.

  • Impact & Execution: A strong focus on delivering tangible results and driving business growth, particularly in the high-stakes cybersecurity market.

  • Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication and teamwork across departments are crucial for a fast-growing startup.

  • Customer-Centricity: Understanding and addressing the needs of security operations teams (SOC) is paramount.

  • Excellence & Craft: A dedication to high standards in product, design, and overall execution.

Collaboration Style:

  • Cross-functional Integration: Expect to work closely with Product, Engineering, Marketing, and Sales teams. The brand designer will need to effectively translate business objectives into visual strategies and communicate design decisions clearly to non-designers.

  • Feedback-Driven: A culture that values constructive feedback and iterative improvement, essential for rapid product and brand development.

  • Shared Ownership: While roles are defined, there's an expectation of shared responsibility for the company's success, encouraging proactive contribution and problem-solving.

📝 Enhancement Note: Vega's culture likely reflects its position as a fast-paced, innovative cybersecurity startup. The ideal candidate will be adaptable, proactive, and able to thrive in an environment that demands both creative excellence and a results-oriented mindset.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

  • Balancing Brand Evolution with Startup Pace: Evolving a brand identity while maintaining consistency for a rapidly growing company requires careful planning and execution.

  • Translating Complex Technology: Visually communicating the value and sophistication of an AI-native cybersecurity platform to a diverse audience.

  • Cross-functional Alignment: Ensuring brand consistency across numerous touchpoints and stakeholder needs, especially in a dynamic startup environment.

  • Standing Out in a Crowded Market: Differentiating Vega's brand in the competitive cybersecurity landscape through unique and impactful design.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

  • Deep Dive into Cybersecurity: Gain specialized knowledge of the cybersecurity industry, its audiences, and its visual communication norms.

  • Brand Strategy Leadership: Develop advanced skills in brand strategy, identity system creation, and brand governance within a high-growth tech context.

  • Cross-Disciplinary Experience: Collaborate closely with product design and marketing teams, broadening understanding of the full GTM lifecycle.

  • Mentorship and Team Growth: Opportunity to mentor other designers and contribute to building out the design function.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers the chance to tackle significant branding challenges in a critical and exciting industry. The growth opportunities are substantial for a designer looking to make a strategic impact and advance their career in tech.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

  • "Describe your process for developing a brand identity system from scratch or evolving an existing one. How do you ensure strategic alignment with business goals?" (Prepare to walk through a case study emphasizing strategy and system design).

  • "How would you approach translating the concept of an 'AI-native platform for the SOC' into a compelling visual language for Vega?" (Think about abstract concepts, technology, security, and data).

  • "Imagine you need to create brand guidelines for a fast-growing startup. What are the essential components, and how do you ensure adoption across different teams?" (Focus on practicality, usability, and accessibility). Company & Culture Questions:

  • "What are your impressions of Vega's current brand, and where do you see opportunities for evolution?" (Requires thorough research of their website and existing materials).

  • "How do you handle constructive criticism or conflicting design feedback from stakeholders with different priorities?" (Demonstrate collaboration and problem-solving skills).

  • "Describe a time you had to balance creative vision with practical constraints or tight deadlines." (Highlight adaptability and efficiency). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

  • Structure for Impact: Start with a brief overview of Vega and the role, then dive into 2-3 of your most relevant projects. For each, clearly state the objective, your role, the process, key design decisions, and the outcome/impact.

  • Focus on Systems: Emphasize how you built and managed brand systems (typography, color, layout, etc.) and how they were applied consistently across various touchpoints.

  • Quantify When Possible: If you have metrics on how your design work improved engagement, conversion, or brand recognition, present them.

  • Showcase Guidelines: Dedicate a slide or two to examples of brand guidelines or design system documentation you've created.

  • Engage and Discuss: Be prepared for Q&A throughout and at the end. Frame your answers around Vega's context.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, a systematic approach to brand building, and excellent communication skills, all within the context of a high-growth B2B SaaS company in the cybersecurity sector.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Brand Designer position:

  • Submit your application through the provided link on Comeet.

  • Tailor your resume: Highlight experience in brand identity, system design, typography, Figma, Adobe Suite, and any relevant industry experience (B2B SaaS, cybersecurity). Use keywords from the job description.

  • Prepare your portfolio: Curate 2-3 strong brand identity projects that showcase your strategic process, system development, and execution across multiple touchpoints. Ensure it's easily accessible (e.g., a dedicated website or PDF).

  • Research Vega: Thoroughly explore Vega's website, product, and any existing brand materials. Understand their mission, target audience, and current visual identity.

  • Practice your presentation: Rehearse walking through your portfolio case studies, focusing on storytelling, strategic rationale, and measurable impact. Be ready to discuss how you'd approach Vega's brand.

⚠️ 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.


Application Requirements

Candidates need 5+ years of brand design experience with a proven track record of owning identity systems from strategy to execution. Proficiency in Figma and Adobe Suite, along with strong typography skills and visual judgment, is required.