Brand Strategy Design Lead

IDEO.org is a nonprofit design studio on a mission to design a more just and inclusive world. Our work is rooted in shifting social systems toward a more just future. We partner with communities, nonprofit organizations, foundations, and governments to co-create solutions focused on health equity, early learning and care, social services, and economic justice.

Over the past 10 years, our work has expanded beyond traditional service and product design in the social sector, and we are now regularly working hand-in-hand with communities and local organizations to design interventions in service of more equitable outcomes. Some examples include launching an incubator in Kenya for girl-led solutions to reproductive health, working with communities in Southern Dallas to improve access to quality health care, and working with refugee, immigrant, and migrant communities in the US to ensure everyone has access to reliable information about COVID-19.

We’re looking for a Brand Strategy Design Lead to join our San Francisco studio to craft narratives, brands, and strategies that shift policy, behavior, culture, and public perception. IDEO.org’s work is often expressed across mediums; combining vision & brand development, community building, digital tool creation, service delivery, and environments design. Past examples include building an awareness campaign to support an advocacy partner, co-designing a digital storytelling experience to communicate a new future vision, and developing a brand strategy to enable an organization to catalyze momentum for a movement. 

• Weave together different aspects (vision, brand story, visual elements, physical environment, service) into a cohesive narrative that connects to measurable impact.
• Build stories that combine human experiences, facts, and emotions together into compelling narratives that change perceptions.
• Develop deliverables such as compelling stories, visualizations, written narratives, experiential exhibits, or strategic positioning documents.

• Background in strategic brand development, pulling from experience in brand development, visual and written storytelling, or the design of campaigns associated with social movements.
• 5+ years of practical experience – we are open to candidates from a variety of backgrounds, we value and honor experiences developed in many ways, not just those developed through specific degree programs or conferred by credentials.
• Passion for human-centered design and social justice, and inspired by the opportunity to advance approaches that center the voices of people from oppressed and historically marginalized communities in the design process.
• Adept as a strategic thinker and decision-maker, navigating complex systems to make connections between needs, constraints, opportunities, and the intended impact.
• An inclusive leader of multidisciplinary projects and teams with both internal and external stakeholders working toward a collective creative vision.
• Foundational experience with design processes is ideal. These methods include: co-design, human-centered design, participatory design, design justice, liberatory design, and or other equity-centered design methodologies.
• Willing and able to travel within the U.S. ~15% of the time.

Examples of skills and experiences that have made others in this role successful:

• Experience as a designer in-house at a social-impact or mission-driven organization
• Experience working as a brand, campaign, or communications strategist
• Experience as a strategy consultant who has navigated political, cultural, and social systems in their work
• Experience building and implementing internal or external strategy at a foundation, government entity, or community-based organization

We’re looking for a blend of strategic thinking and design craft, and this is not an exhaustive list, so if you see your skills and interests reflected in this job description, please err on the side of applying!

IDEO.org values pay transparency to enable jobseekers to make informed and empowered choices with their time and effort. The salary range associated with a Design Lead is $100,000 - $115,000, with participation in our benefits, including medical, dental, vision, 4% 401k match, $300 annual caregiver benefit, generous vacation policy, 16 paid holidays a year, and a 5-week paid Sabbatical after 5 years of service.

Wondering where you might land within this range? The exact salary for a role will ultimately depend on many factors, including; peer data within our organization, level of specialization required in the role, a candidate’s level of direct and relevant experience, among others. During your interview process, your Recruiter will discuss level and salary with you, to help you better understand how we make equitable pay and level decisions at IDEO.org.

If you see yourself and your skillset in any of the above, please apply. Studies tell us that the confidence gap and imposter syndrome can prevent women and people of color from applying unless they meet every single qualification. Your experience doesn’t perfectly match the job description? Apply anyway. You just might be a great candidate for this role or others. 

In order to be considered for the role, please submit a resume, a cover letter sharing more about your interest in IDEO.org and in the role, and complete the required application questions. We look forward to learning more about you!

• A diverse and multidisciplinary team that is passionate about advancing our mission to design a more just and inclusive world. Over 70% of IDEO.org’s global staff identify as people of color and over 75% identify as women
• A community of creative thought partners across San Francisco, New York, and Nairobi 
• A team of collaborators focused on advancing the practices of co-design and designing for equity
• A talent team committed to supporting the development of our community
• A culture of regular learning and inspiration to collectively develop ourselves and our work

At IDEO.org, our mission is to design a more just and inclusive world, and that means centering equity, justice, and belonging in everything we do. We strive to bring together diverse perspectives and lived experiences to create a culture where joy, care, and full self-expression can thrive. This means creating conditions for people of every race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, socio-economic status, physical ability or attribute, religion, national origin, or political belief can thrive. This includes our employees, candidates, and the partners and communities we work with. We hold ourselves accountable to providing equitable access to resources and disrupting systems of oppression both within our organization and among the communities we serve. 

This includes the following commitments:

• Fostering unconditional belonging for all staff
• Evolving processes and practices to shift power 
• Translating our values around equity and justice into structural and operational change
• Engaging in continuous and collective collective reckoning on an ongoing basis