Application Guide

How to Apply for Lead Designer Corporate Communications

at Workiva

🏢 About Workiva

Workiva is a leader in ESG reporting, helping companies streamline climate impact and compliance. As a remote-first company, they offer flexibility while tackling high-stakes corporate communications. If you're passionate about making complex data visually compelling and driving sustainability, this is a unique opportunity.

About This Role

As Lead Designer for Corporate Communications, you'll own end-to-end design of executive materials like board decks, investor presentations, and annual reports. Your work directly shapes how Workiva communicates its mission and financial story, with the added responsibility of mentoring a design team and building scalable systems.

💡 A Day in the Life

Your morning might start with reviewing a board deck draft from a senior designer and providing feedback on data visualization. After lunch, you'll collaborate with the communications team on an email template system, then spend the afternoon building out a new component library in Figma. You'll end the day by mentoring a mid-level designer on their annual report layout, ensuring consistency across the team.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

Practice questions for this role

🎯 Who Workiva Is Looking For

  • A seasoned designer with 8+ years of experience, specializing in high-stakes corporate materials like board decks and annual reports.
  • Expert in Figma (component libraries, auto-layout) and Adobe Creative Suite, with a portfolio showing clean, data-driven visual storytelling.
  • A systems thinker who can build and maintain scalable design systems and template libraries for efficiency.
  • A mentor who enjoys elevating junior designers through constructive feedback and creative direction.

📝 Tips for Applying to Workiva

1

Tailor your portfolio to highlight executive-level presentations and annual reports; include before/after examples of simplifying complex data.

2

Showcase your Figma mastery by including a link to a component library or design system you've built.

3

In your resume, explicitly mention experience with ESG or sustainability reporting if you have it—it's a plus.

4

Write a brief cover letter that connects your design philosophy to Workiva's mission of transparent climate impact.

5

Research Workiva's current ESG reports and mention specific design improvements you'd make in your application.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Emphasize your experience designing for C-suite audiences and handling sensitive financial data.', 'Highlight your ability to translate complex narratives into clear visuals, using examples from your portfolio.', 'Show enthusiasm for mentoring and building scalable systems, as this role requires both.', "Mention your alignment with Workiva's mission in ESG and sustainability transparency."]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Review Workiva's latest annual report and ESG disclosures to understand their current visual style.
  • → Read about their platform and how it integrates ESG data—this context will help you design better.
  • → Check out their blog or news section for recent announcements to understand their tone and priorities.
  • → Look at their careers page for insights into company culture, especially remote work policies.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk me through your process for designing a high-stakes board deck from scratch.
2 How do you ensure consistency across a large library of templates while allowing for flexibility?
3 Describe a time you mentored a designer and helped them improve their work.
4 How would you approach simplifying a dense ESG report into a compelling visual story?
5 Tell us about a design system you built—what tools did you use and how did you scale it?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Don't submit a generic portfolio without executive-level work; this role is specifically for high-stakes materials.
  • Avoid ignoring the mentorship aspect—failing to show leadership experience can hurt your candidacy.
  • Don't overlook the need for Figma expertise; mention your proficiency with components and auto-layout explicitly.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Workiva!

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