Senior Brand Designer

Hello, we’re Instrumentl.

We’re a mission-driven startup helping the nonprofit sector to drive impact, and we’re well on our way to becoming the #1 most-loved grant discovery and management tool. To help us get there, we’re hiring a hands-on Senior Brand Designer who will take the lead in evolving Instrumentl’s brand and marketing design as we grow.

About us:

Instrumentl is a hypergrowth YC-backed startup with over 5,000 nonprofit clients, from local homeless shelters to larger organizations like the San Diego Zoo and the University of Alaska. We are building the future of fundraising automation, helping nonprofits to discover, track, and manage grants efficiently through our SaaS platform.

Our charts are dramatically up-and-to-the-right 📈 — we’re cash flow positive and doubling year-over-year, with customers who love us (NPS is 65+ and Ellis PMF survey is 60+). Join us on this rocket ship!

About the role:

As the first Senior Brand Designer at Instrumentl, you’ll have tremendous influence over the creative expression of our brand across every customer touchpoint. You'll join the team at a pivotal moment of transformation, spearheading a major rebranding initiative in partnership with our company leaders.

You’ll be both a strategic thinker and a creative doer: you’ll define our visual direction, concept ideas that tell our story with impact, and bring those ideas to life with thoughtful, high-quality design execution.

You'll build relationships across the Instrumentl team, working closely with colleagues in Product and Growth to conceptualize and execute on innovative marketing campaigns. Our ideal teammate is someone who thinks strategically, thrives in collaborative environments, and takes every opportunity to improve existing processes.

Get to know us at instrumentl.com/about! We can’t wait to meet you.

The Instrumentl team is fully distributed (though if you’d like to work from our Oakland office, we would love to see you there). For this position, we are looking for significant overlap with the Pacific time zone - as a close-knit team, we want to have (virtual) face time with you, watch your cat roam in the background, and take polaroids together in FigJam.

• Develop creative that drives measurable business impact - from engagement and conversion to brand awareness - while evolving Instrumentl’s visual brand identity across all marketing channels (web, social, content, events, email).
• Design marketing assets, including landing pages, ad campaigns, sales and event collateral, and more.
• Partner directly with Marketing, Product, and Design leadership to shape campaign strategy, liaise with external agencies, and create brand moments that support company goals.
• Lead creative concepting and storytelling to elevate brand perception and engagement.
• Translate marketing strategies and product launches into visually compelling creative concepts.
• Source, brief, and direct freelancers and specialist creative vendors (illustrators, motion designers, photographers, etc.) to deliver creatively aligned, high-quality work.
• Maintain and evolve brand guidelines and design systems for marketing use.

• 6+ years of hands-on experience in brand and marketing design: ideally, you've held in-house design roles at B2B SaaS/tech companies, and have supplementary experience in driving motion design or video work (e.g., through freelance support).
• A solid portfolio: your projects reflect both conceptual and executional excellence in design, with business results to back it up.
• Versatility: you're comfortable working across multiple creative formats, including web, digital ads, content marketing, and social media.
• Creative project management: you have experience managing creative projects end-to-end and providing thoughtful feedback to external partners.
• Fast, reliable execution: you have a track record of successfully balancing speed and craft.
• Excellent communication skills: you're able to translate ideas effectively, and love working across teams to bring concepts to life.
• Growth mindset: you’re a self-motivated learner, and you welcome the chance to exchange constructive feedback with colleagues.
• Passion: you’re excited about Instrumentl’s mission to propel nonprofits into a bigger, brighter future!

• Mentorship: you mentor junior designers and contribute to the growth of the Design team.
• Sector expertise: you’re knowledgeable about nonprofits, grant management, university prospecting, or any other relevant fields that intersect with Instrumentl.
• Coding: you have some proficiency in HTML and CSS/Sass.

• Salary ranges are based on market data, relative to our size, industry, and stage of growth. Salary is one part of total compensation, which also includes equity, perks, and competitive benefits. 
• For US-based candidates, our target salary band is $135,000-$160,000/year + equity. Salary decisions will be based on multiple factors including geographic location, qualifications for the role, skillset, proficiency, and experience level. 
• 100% covered health, dental, and vision insurance for employees, 50% for dependents
• Generous PTO policy, including parental leave
• 401(k)
• Company laptop + stipend to set up your home workstation
• Company retreats for in-person time with your colleagues
• Work with awesome nonprofits around the US. We partner with incredible organizations doing meaningful work, and you get to help power their success.

Why join Instrumentl?

Instrumentl is evolving rapidly. You’ll always have new challenges and opportunities to grow in your role - you won’t be bored! You’ll be an early member of our small but mighty team, playing a huge part in shaping our culture for the years and teammates to come.

At Instrumentl:

- We’re customer-focused. We routinely seek feedback from our customers to improve the Instrumentl experience for everyone. Our first company value is "The customer is the hero" and we mean it. 

- We love to experiment. We are constantly generating new concepts and iterating to see what works - ideation and experimentation are essential here. "Bend the curve" is another key company value.

- We appreciate authenticity. We have a diverse range of life experiences, and we encourage open, clear communication with each other about the things that matter most to us.

- We’re approachable and collaborative. Everyone has a voice, and we’re all building Instrumentl together.

- We kick it every day with some of the nicest people in the world. No joke, our customers are often on the front lines educating kids, saving endangered species, and restoring watersheds. In helping them take advantage of Instrumentl’s technology, you’re helping them move the world forward.

Ready to apply?

Using the Apply button, please submit your responses to the prompts below:

1. Share some highlights from your design career, particularly in B2B projects.

2. Reflecting on your past experiences, what unique skills or qualities do you bring to the table? What would your past managers and colleagues say that you do exceptionally well compared to others? 

3. Please include a link to your portfolio, ideally with case studies that explain your process and design decisions. Don’t forget the portfolio password!

Along with your responses, please include a copy of your CV/resume. 

At Instrumentl, we pride ourselves on building a diverse team from the ground up. Every role is an opportunity to teach, learn, and create some of your best work - if you’re excited to grow along with us, we encourage you to apply!