Job Description

In a nutshell

IDEO in Munich is looking for a Strategic Writer / Storytelling Design Lead who can collaborate with teams to bring strategy, stories & service experiences to life. The ideal candidate has broad experience in brand strategy, writing and visual storytelling.

Why is this role important for IDEO’s work?

The output of almost every IDEO project is — in one way or another — a vision of a future that does not yet exist. The narrative instincts and strategic clarity essential to this role will ensure that the vision delivered through our work is clear, compelling, and aligned with genuine human needs as well as our clients’ goals. Your strategic, sharp & thoughtful writing – no matter if on a strategic document a vision storyboard, brand manifestos, purpose statements, briefs, handbooks, guidance documents is one of the key drivers that will inspire clients to embrace the future we envision and deepen the impact of our work.

At IDEO, you work on dedicated design teams. Writing, narrative discovery, and storytelling are not surface or superficial elements but rather core components of the design process, which show up in the course of developing initial concepts, building discussion guides for research, synthesizing insights, framing opportunities and creating project deliverables that bring a new vision to life. You’ll also act as a translator, working across multidisciplinary teams to establish a common language: From insight to concept, concept to reality, team to client, strategy to action, and from the language of design thinking to business and back. As a leader of projects and content you also have the opportunity to guide teams, mentor more junior designers, as well as inspiring our clients and our studio.

Once here you will:

• Use the design thinking process to lead teams of multidisciplinary designers to solve large challenges across a variety of industries. At its most basic this includes research, synthesis, prototyping and concept development, but is revised and evolved to deliver the most value and impact for our clients.
• Be a member of a discipline comprised of visual and written content designers who are able to identify and shape design problems and opportunities, and work through complex systems to design appropriate creative solutions across a variety of media and contexts.
• Lead the storytelling and create compelling visual narratives of our work, clearly communicating what we have made, how it was produced and where it should go.
• Develop brand strategies to guide the experience a user has with a company, product or service, and lead the creation of the brand identity to express a brand across all touchpoints with users.
• Create prototypes of different levels of fidelity to help teams determine the design direction.
• Lead projects teams and contribute towards long term client relationships. Responsible for project budget, administration, and contractors.
• Lead client teams across all design project phases, including how the work can be taken to market.
• Help clients empathise with users by creating deliverables that tell compelling stories.
• Support and mentor junior design talent across the studio.

What does IDEO offer you?

Ask anyone in IDEO Munich why they like working here, and they will say it’s our people and the diversity of projects. It’s a place where you can solve complex challenges for our clients or the organisation, alongside thoughtful, intelligent individuals who lead with curiosity, empathy, and optimism.

We certainly work hard, but we also intentionally focus on our culture to design events where we pause, create, and connect.

We encourage our community to bring their whole selves to work and respect the need for work-life balance. IDEO provides you support and development throughout your time here, while allowing for autonomy in both the design process and in your career.

Some previous projects to check out:

• Building the Future of Electric Mobility Helping a serial entrepreneur from Munich – to turn his idea of an EV charging station from a sketched product idea into a scalable business platform.
• Society of Grownups: Together with Mass Mutual we created a sort of master’s program for adulthood, where the curriculum covers everything from investing in a 401K to managing a budget to picking good, cheap wine. IDEO helped build the new venture from the ground up—designing a brand identity, a digital platform with some of the most sophisticated financial planning tools in the industry, and a hip brick-and-mortar locale.
• Growing an American Brand in China : How an outdoor retail company found a new Asian audience through digital and brick-and-mortar shops.
• Empowering Women to Prevent HIV : How experience design can reduce stigma and boost prevention.
• A Digital Identity for the Royal Academy of Art : Create a digital strategy to help patrons explore the Royal Academy’s vast resources.
• Designing the Future of Kitchen : Help IKEA envision how people's behaviours will shape the design of the future kitchen.

Relevant experience and mindset:

• A strong portfolio of communication design experience across a variety of applications and media.
• A track record of leading teams, working with multidisciplinary teams and senior level clients.
• Ability to tackle a diverse and complex set of design challenges and recognize patterns to help develop creative and strategic solutions.
• Experience establishing a brand identity, from understanding strategy to creative interpretation and execution; designing visual identities, defining brand architectures and building clear and useful guidelines for implementation.
• Strong information and visualization design skills including typography and layout, and a passion for visual design across a breadth of media.
• The ability to in crafting compelling narratives utilising print, film and digital mediums.
• Exceptional communication and writing skills.
• Passion for learning and experimenting with new methods to deliver design solutions.
• Bachelor’s degree or higher, in graphic design, communications design, or an equivalent degree.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite.

Application instructions:

To apply, please submit your CV, cover letter, and your portfolio. Your portfolio should include at least 4 examples of work-related projects. In particular, please highlight your contribution in the process of developing the design or project.

Deadline is Friday 18th October 2019.

Equal Opportunity Employer

IDEO is an equal opportunity employer; applicants are considered for all roles without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, citizenship status, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, marital, parental, veteran or military status, unfavorable military discharge, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state or local law.