Senior Brand Designer, Web & Digital

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Brand Designer, Web & Digital

Company: Cleo

Location: London, England, United Kingdom (Remote within UK & Spain)

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Creative & Media / Art & Design / Marketing

Date Posted: September 09, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (Remote-first with potential for office engagement)

🚀 Role Summary

• Elevate Cleo's brand presence across critical web and digital touchpoints, translating brand strategy into compelling visual narratives.

• Develop and maintain robust design systems, ensuring visual consistency and scalability across all digital platforms and campaigns.

• Drive intuitive and elegant user experiences through close collaboration on responsive website designs, landing pages, and digital campaign assets.

• Foster a culture of design excellence and continuous improvement within a fast-paced, high-growth technology environment.

• Partner with cross-functional teams to seamlessly bridge brand identity with product experiences, ensuring cohesive user journeys.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is titled "Senior Brand Designer, Web & Digital," the responsibilities heavily lean into UI/UX design, design systems, and product design integration. This suggests a hybrid role where brand aesthetics are paramount but must be executed with a strong understanding of user interface principles and digital product development lifecycles. The emphasis on "building structure as the team grows" and "high ownership" indicates a need for a proactive, self-starting individual who can contribute to evolving operational processes within the design function.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the visual design and execution for responsive website designs, landing pages, and digital campaign experiences, ensuring alignment with brand guidelines and user engagement goals.

• Develop, refine, and evolve modular design systems, UI components, and digital style guides to ensure cohesive and scalable branding across all digital assets.

• Translate brand concepts and user needs into intuitive digital experiences, considering visual design, UX, UI, accessibility, motion, content, and development implications.

• Generate strong, user-centric digital concepts rooted in brand strategy and informed by user behavior, effectively communicating design rationale.

• Collaborate closely with product designers, developers, and marketing stakeholders to present work, gather feedback, and ensure seamless implementation of digital design initiatives.

• Champion best practices in web and digital design, including accessibility standards, responsive design principles, and performance optimization.

• Contribute to the overall brand narrative by creating compelling visual content for social media, digital advertising, and other marketing initiatives.

• Act as a design lead, providing mentorship and elevating the design output of the broader creative team.

• Manage design projects from concept to completion, operating comfortably with ambiguity and taking ownership in a dynamic environment.

• Continuously iterate and improve design processes and outputs based on user feedback, performance data, and emerging design trends.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibility to "Operate comfortably with ambiguity, high ownership, and building structure as the team grows" points to a need for strategic thinking and process development, not just execution. This candidate will likely be instrumental in shaping how the design team operates and scales its impact.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong educational foundation in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, Interaction Design, or a related field is highly probable. A Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience is expected.

Experience: A minimum of 5 years of dedicated experience in web and digital design is required. This should include significant senior-level experience, either within an in-house role at a fast-paced, high-growth tech company or with hands-on experience at renowned creative agencies (e.g., Collins, Uncommon, JKR, Pentagram, or similar high-impact studios).

Required Skills:

• Expertise in Web & Digital Design: Proven ability to create visually compelling and user-centered designs for web, mobile, and digital platforms.

• Design Systems Development & Management: Proficiency in creating, implementing, and maintaining modular design systems, UI kits, and style guidelines.

• UI/UX Design Principles: Strong understanding of user interface design, user experience principles, and interaction design.

• Responsive & Adaptive Design: Deep knowledge of designing for various screen sizes and breakpoints across desktop and mobile devices.

• Creative Storytelling: Ability to translate brand narratives and user needs into engaging visual stories.

• Brand Identity & Visual Design: Strong grasp of brand principles and the ability to create cohesive visual assets that reinforce brand identity.

• Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams, including product, engineering, and marketing.

• Portfolio Excellence: A strong, curated portfolio showcasing a breadth of high-quality web and digital design projects, including branding, UI kits, and digital experiences.

• Proficiency in Design Tools: Mastery of industry-standard design and prototyping software (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite).

Preferred Skills:

• Motion Design: Familiarity with motion graphics and animation principles to enhance digital experiences.

• Accessibility Standards: Knowledge of WCAG guidelines and best practices for designing accessible digital products.

• Product Design Integration: Experience working closely with product designers and understanding product development lifecycles.

• Digital Campaign Design: Experience conceptualizing and executing design for digital marketing campaigns.

• Agency or High-Growth Tech Experience: Direct experience in environments known for rapid iteration and high design standards.

• Presentation Skills: Ability to articulate design rationale clearly and persuasively to various stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a "strong portfolio of web and digital design work that showcases your craft including branding, web systems/UI kits and digital experiences" is critical. Candidates should prepare to present case studies that highlight their process, problem-solving skills, and measurable impact on brand perception and user engagement. The mention of specific agencies suggests a preference for candidates who have worked in environments known for strategic branding and innovative digital execution.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate Craft & Quality: Showcase a diverse range of high-impact web and digital design projects, emphasizing visual polish, strategic thinking, and user-centricity.

• Design System Case Study: Include a detailed example of a design system or UI kit you've developed or significantly contributed to, illustrating its structure, components, and application.

• Brand Integration Examples: Present projects where you successfully applied and evolved brand identity across digital touchpoints, demonstrating consistency and strategic alignment.

• Digital Experience Showcase: Feature case studies of responsive websites, landing pages, or digital campaigns that highlight your ability to create engaging and intuitive user journeys.

• Problem/Solution Framing: For each project, clearly articulate the challenge, your process, the solutions implemented, and the resulting outcomes or learnings.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Be prepared to discuss your typical design process from brief to final delivery, including how you incorporate user research, stakeholder feedback, and iteration.

• System Implementation Strategy: Articulate your approach to developing and scaling design systems, including how you ensure adoption and maintain consistency.

• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Discuss how you measure the success of your digital designs, considering metrics related to user engagement, conversion rates, brand perception, and accessibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the emphasis on design systems and UI/UX, a portfolio that demonstrates a structured approach to design, with clear documentation of processes and outcomes, will be highly valued. Candidates should consider including process diagrams, user flow examples, and A/B testing results if applicable.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Senior Brand Designer, Web & Digital role in London, UK, with 5-10 years of experience in a high-growth tech company or top agency, the estimated salary range is approximately £60,000 - £85,000 per annum. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for senior design roles in major European tech hubs, considering the company's unicorn status and ARR.

Benefits:

• Meaningful Equity: Opportunity to own a stake in Cleo's growth.

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Includes health, dental, and vision insurance.

• Mental Health Support: Access to resources and services for well-being.

• Paid Sabbatical: A one-month paid sabbatical after four years of service.

• Learning & Development: Access to a platform for continuous skill enhancement and professional growth.

• Retirement Contributions: Pension or retirement contributions to support long-term financial planning.

• Location-Specific Leave: Entitlement to leave days tailored to local regulations and practices.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility expected for a remote and hybrid work arrangement. This may involve occasional adjustments to accommodate global team collaboration or project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on typical compensation for senior-level design roles in London's tech scene. Actual compensation will depend on the candidate's specific experience, portfolio, and negotiation. The benefits package is comprehensive and aligns with competitive offerings in the tech industry, particularly for a well-funded startup.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: FinTech / AI-powered Personal Finance. Cleo operates in the rapidly evolving financial technology sector, leveraging AI to provide a unique, conversational approach to personal finance management.

Company Size: Cleo is a unicorn company with over $300M in ARR, indicating significant scale and market traction. The Creative Studio itself comprises approximately 31 people, covering a range of disciplines from design to performance marketing.

Founded: While the founding year isn't explicitly stated, Cleo has achieved unicorn status and significant ARR, suggesting a company that has successfully scaled and established a strong market presence over several years.

Team Structure:

• Creative Studio: A ~31-person in-house team responsible for brand, visual identity, and storytelling. This includes Brand & Motion Designers, Project Coordinators, and Performance Marketing Managers.

• Reporting: The Senior Brand Designer will report to the Head of Design, working collaboratively within the broader Creative Studio.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Close partnerships are expected with Product Designers, Developers, and Performance Marketing Managers to ensure integrated brand and product experiences.

Methodology:

• AI-First Approach: Cleo's core product is an AI financial assistant, influencing its operational ethos towards data-driven insights and intelligent automation.

• Agile & Fast-Paced: The company emphasizes moving fast, telling the truth, and rewarding good work, indicative of a startup culture focused on rapid iteration and high performance.

• Brand as a Voice: Cleo's brand is characterized by its distinctive, conversational, and often humorous tone, which the Creative Studio is responsible for maintaining and evolving.

Company Website: https://web.meetcleo.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Cleo's unique brand voice ("talks back," "occasional roast") suggests a company culture that values personality, wit, and direct communication. The Creative Studio is central to this, and the Senior Brand Designer will play a key role in shaping how this voice is expressed visually across digital platforms.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a Senior level within the Creative Studio. It requires not only advanced design craft but also the ability to lead by example, contribute to design system development, and potentially influence team processes. The emphasis on "building structure" suggests an opportunity to grow into a more strategic or leadership role as the team expands.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Brand Designer reports to the Head of Design. This provides a clear line of mentorship and strategic direction, while also offering autonomy in executing design tasks and initiatives.

Operations Impact: The Senior Brand Designer's work will directly impact Cleo's brand perception, user acquisition, engagement, and retention. By creating compelling visual narratives and intuitive digital experiences, they will contribute to the company's mission of changing the world's relationship with money and supporting its significant ARR and user base.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Potential to grow into a Lead Designer or Art Director role as the Creative Studio expands.

• Strategic Design Influence: Opportunity to shape design processes, methodologies, and the evolution of Cleo's visual identity.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Exposure to product design, performance marketing, and AI technology within a fast-paced FinTech environment.

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in areas like design systems, responsive web design, or brand strategy execution.

• Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor junior designers and contribute to a positive team learning environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is ideal for a designer who thrives in a dynamic environment and seeks opportunities to not only execute but also to shape the design function. The "growth mindset" requirement is key, indicating that Cleo values individuals eager to learn and adapt.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Cleo operates on a remote-first hybrid model. While the role is largely remote, there may be opportunities for in-office collaboration or engagement, particularly in London. The company emphasizes flexibility and distributed work.

Office Location(s): The primary location mentioned is London, England. However, the role is open to candidates in Spain, indicating a geographically distributed team structure. Specific office locations are not detailed, but the company has a global presence.

Workspace Context:

• Remote-First Flexibility: The role offers the advantage of remote work, allowing for a flexible work-life balance.

• Collaborative Digital Environment: Expect to use digital tools for seamless collaboration, communication, and project management with a distributed team.

• Access to Tools & Technology: Cleo likely provides access to industry-standard design software and collaboration platforms to support remote work.

• Dynamic & Innovative Atmosphere: Working within a unicorn FinTech company means being part of a fast-paced, forward-thinking environment focused on innovation.

Work Schedule: The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week. The hybrid/remote nature allows for flexibility in structuring the workday, provided that collaboration with team members across different time zones is managed effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "remote-first" approach combined with potential for hybrid engagement suggests a need for strong self-discipline, proactive communication, and comfort with digital collaboration tools. Candidates should be prepared to manage their workflow independently while remaining connected to the team.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Application Review: Focus on resume and portfolio alignment with the role's requirements, particularly the emphasis on web/digital design, design systems, and brand execution.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: Expect to present your portfolio to the Head of Design and potentially other senior members of the Creative Studio. This will involve discussing your process, rationale, and impact on past projects, especially those related to web, digital, and brand systems.

• Skills-Based Exercise/Challenge: A practical design challenge may be given to assess your approach to problem-solving, conceptual thinking, and execution within a given timeframe. This could involve designing a specific digital asset or proposing improvements to an existing interface based on brand guidelines.

• Team & Culture Fit Interviews: Discussions with team members to assess collaboration style, cultural alignment with Cleo's values (e.g., original thinking, direct communication, comfort with ambiguity), and ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

• Final Interview: Likely with a senior leader to discuss overall fit, career aspirations, and strategic contributions.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Relevance: Select projects that specifically showcase your strengths in web design, digital experiences, design systems, and brand application. Prioritize quality over quantity.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your design process, key decisions, and the measurable outcomes or learnings. Use visuals effectively to support your narrative.

• Highlight Design Systems: If you have experience building or contributing to design systems, dedicate specific sections to showcase your work in this area, demonstrating its scalability and impact.

• Showcase Brand Application: Demonstrate how you translate brand strategy into visual design across digital touchpoints, emphasizing consistency and strategic thinking.

• Prepare for Technical Discussion: Be ready to discuss the tools you use, your understanding of UI/UX principles, accessibility, and responsive design best practices.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Cleo's Brand: Research Cleo's current brand identity, voice, and target audience. Prepare to apply this understanding to any design challenge.

• Focus on Process: For any given challenge, emphasize your thought process, how you'd approach research, ideation, and iteration, rather than just the final visual output.

• Demonstrate Adaptability: Be prepared to show how you'd adapt your design approach to the specific constraints and goals of the challenge, reflecting Cleo's fast-paced, high-ownership culture.

• Consider the AI Element: Think about how AI could influence or be integrated into the design solutions you propose, given Cleo's core product.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "original thinkers who challenge the status quo" and "comfort with ambiguity" suggests that interviews will likely probe your ability to think critically, propose innovative solutions, and adapt to evolving project requirements. Be prepared to discuss how you handle uncertainty and drive projects forward with minimal oversight.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable, industry standard for collaborative design), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).

• UI/UX Design: Tools for wireframing, user flow mapping, and prototyping.

• Motion Design (Potential): After Effects, Principle, or similar for creating animations and micro-interactions.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel (for understanding user behavior on web properties).

• Performance Tracking: Tools used by the Performance Marketing team to measure campaign effectiveness, which the designer may need to integrate with.

CRM & Automation: While not directly a designer's tool, understanding how design assets are utilized within marketing automation platforms or CRMs might be beneficial. Familiarity with CMS platforms (e.g., Webflow, Contentful) for web content implementation could also be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is almost a prerequisite for modern collaborative design roles, especially in fast-growing tech companies. Experience with design systems tools and potentially motion graphics software will be highly valued.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Originality & Challenge: A culture that encourages challenging the status quo and bringing fresh, original ideas.

• Directness & Transparency: Emphasis on telling the truth and fostering open communication.

• High Ownership & Accountability: Expectation that individuals take responsibility for their work and drive projects to completion.

• Data-Driven & User-Obsessed: Decisions are informed by user needs and data insights, even within creative roles.

• Efficiency & Speed: A fast-paced environment that values quick iteration and execution.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Seamless collaboration between brand, product, engineering, and marketing teams is essential.

• Feedback-Driven: An environment where constructive feedback is given and received openly to improve work.

• Agile & Iterative: Design processes are likely agile, with continuous feedback loops and iterative improvements.

• Proactive Communication: Essential for a remote-first team to ensure alignment and keep projects moving.

📝 Enhancement Note: Cleo's culture is described as one where "there's nowhere to hide from good work." This implies a high-performance environment that values tangible results and proactive contribution. Designers should be comfortable with direct feedback and rapid iteration.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Brand & Product: Effectively merging a strong, distinct brand identity with intuitive product UI/UX in a FinTech context.

• Rapid Growth Environment: Adapting to frequent changes, evolving priorities, and scaling design processes in a fast-growing company.

• Ambiguity & Structure Building: Operating effectively with inherent ambiguity and contributing to building structured processes as the team grows.

• Remote Collaboration: Maintaining strong creative synergy and communication within a distributed, remote-first team.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Systems: Opportunity to deepen expertise in building and managing complex, scalable design systems.

• FinTech Innovation: Exposure to cutting-edge AI technology and its application in personal finance.

• Cross-Functional Skill Development: Learning from product designers, performance marketers, and engineers.

• Brand Strategy Evolution: Playing a key role in shaping the visual identity of a successful unicorn brand.

• Leadership Potential: Opportunities to mentor, lead projects, and influence the direction of the design team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are common in high-growth tech environments but are framed as opportunities for growth and skill development within Cleo. The company actively promotes a "growth mindset," suggesting a supportive environment for learning and tackling complex problems.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance a strong brand identity with a complex user interface requirement. How did you approach it?" (Focus on process, compromise, and outcome).

• "How would you approach building or evolving a design system for a rapidly growing FinTech company like Cleo? What are the key considerations?" (Highlight methodology, scalability, and collaboration).

• "Imagine we need to design a new digital campaign to promote a feature related to saving money. Walk us through your conceptualization process, from brief to initial concepts." (Demonstrate creative thinking, user-centricity, and brand alignment). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Cleo's mission and brand voice? How do you see your design style contributing to it?" (Showcase research and cultural alignment).

• "Cleo is a fast-paced, high-ownership environment. Describe a situation where you had to operate with ambiguity and take initiative to drive a project forward." (Highlight proactivity and problem-solving).

• "How do you ensure your digital designs are both aesthetically compelling and highly functional, considering user experience and accessibility?" (Demonstrate holistic design approach). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio to clearly showcase your most relevant work first. Use case studies to tell compelling stories about your projects.

• Quantify Results: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the impact of your designs (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved user engagement, reduced bounce rates).

• Explain Your "Why": Clearly articulate your design rationale, the problem you were solving, and the decisions you made. This is crucial for demonstrating strategic thinking.

• Highlight Design Systems Work: Dedicate a specific section to your design system contributions, showing components, guidelines, and how they ensure consistency.

• Be Ready for Live Design: Be prepared for potential whiteboard exercises or live design critiques to assess your on-the-spot thinking and problem-solving skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: Expect interviewers to probe your understanding of Cleo's unique brand, its AI-driven product, and its high-performance culture. Demonstrating a proactive, strategic, and collaborative approach will be key to success.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Brand Designer, Web & Digital position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby HQ.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features your strongest web and digital design projects, with a clear emphasis on design systems, UI/UX, and brand application. Tailor any accompanying materials to highlight relevant experience.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your years of experience, specific responsibilities in web and digital design, and achievements in high-growth tech or agency environments. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Thoroughly research Cleo, its brand, its product, and its culture. Practice presenting your portfolio with a focus on process, rationale, and outcomes. Prepare answers for common interview questions related to design strategy, collaboration, and problem-solving.

• Company Research: Understand Cleo's mission to "change the world's relationship with money" and its distinctive AI-driven approach. Be ready to discuss how your design philosophy aligns with their values and business objectives.

⚠️ 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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