Freelance Graphic Designer (Programmatic/Adtech)
Picnic Media Limited
Full_time
Job Title: Freelance Graphic Designer (Programmatic/Adtech)
Company: Picnic Media Limited
Location: London, England, United Kingdom
Job Type: Contract (Freelance)
Category: Creative & Media / Art & Design / Marketing Operations
Date Posted: 2026-02-09
Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)
Remote Status: Fully Remote
- Provide ongoing graphic design support for programmatic and adtech-focused marketing collateral.
- Develop new concepts and layouts for social media graphics, brand assets, and sales decks.
- Ensure consistent application of brand guidelines across all design outputs.
- Collaborate on project-based work with clear briefs and defined scopes.
- Deliver editable source files, with a preference for Canva for reusability.
📝 Enhancement Note
This role is specifically for a freelance graphic designer with a focus on the Adtech and Programmatic advertising industry, requiring a blend of creative design skills and an understanding of B2B marketing within this niche. The emphasis on Canva for reusability indicates a need for efficient asset management and potential for self-service by internal teams.
📈 Primary Responsibilities
- Design and create engaging social media graphics and carousels, primarily for LinkedIn and email marketing campaigns.
- Develop compelling brand assets, including logos, visual elements, and infographics that communicate complex adtech concepts clearly.
- Provide occasional design support for sales presentations, product decks, and case studies to enhance their visual appeal and impact.
- Create one-pagers, brochures, and other marketing collateral to support sales and product marketing initiatives.
- Interpret project briefs accurately and translate them into creative design solutions that align with Picnic Media's brand identity and objectives.
- Manage multiple small projects concurrently, adhering to agreed-upon timelines and deliverables.
- Prepare and deliver finalized design assets in editable source file formats, prioritizing Canva for ease of reuse and modification.
📝 Enhancement Note
The responsibilities are heavily geared towards supporting B2B marketing and sales enablement within the Adtech space. The need for "occasional support with decks" and "one-pagers and product/marketing collateral" highlights the role's direct contribution to business development and client communication efforts.
🎓 Skills & Qualifications
Education: No specific educational requirements are listed, but a strong portfolio demonstrating design proficiency is paramount.
Experience: Mid-level experience (2-5 years) in graphic design, with a proven track record of creating brand assets and marketing collateral.
Required Skills
- Strong graphic design experience with a portfolio showcasing a range of creative work.
- Proficiency in creating new concepts and layouts from scratch.
- Expert-level command of Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).
- Proficiency with Canva for asset creation and modification.
- Demonstrated ability to work with and consistently apply clear brand guidelines.
- Excellent attention to detail, with strong typography and clean layout instincts.
Preferred Skills
- Prior experience working with B2B, SaaS, or Adtech brands.
- Familiarity with the programmatic advertising ecosystem and its visual communication needs.
- Understanding of digital marketing best practices for visual content.
📝 Enhancement Note
The emphasis on "mid-level" suggests the company is looking for someone who can work independently with minimal supervision but may not require extensive strategic input. The explicit mention of Canva as a preferred delivery format implies a need for adaptability and a focus on practical, repeatable design solutions.
- A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a diverse range of design projects, including examples of social media graphics, brand identity work, and marketing collateral.
- Specific examples of B2B or Adtech-related design work, if available, to demonstrate industry understanding.
- Demonstrations of how brand guidelines were applied consistently across different projects.
- Evidence of conceptual thinking and creative problem-solving through design.
Process Documentation
- The ability to work from clear briefs and defined scopes, demonstrating efficient project execution.
- Experience in delivering editable source files, with a strong preference for Canva, indicating a process for asset handoff and internal usability.
- A clear, project-based pricing structure (per-project or daily rate) demonstrating a professional approach to freelance engagement.
📝 Enhancement Note
The portfolio is the primary evaluation tool. The requirement for editable source files, particularly in Canva, indicates a preference for a process that allows the company to easily update and reuse assets, highlighting a need for efficiency and maintainability in the design workflow.
Salary Range: As this is a freelance, project-based role, compensation will be negotiated on a per-project or daily rate basis. Based on industry standards for mid-level freelance graphic designers in London and the Adtech sector, a typical project rate could range from £300 - £700, depending on the scope and complexity. Daily rates might range from £250 - £450.
- Flexibility: Fully remote work with flexible working hours, allowing for work-life balance.
- Project Variety: Exposure to diverse design projects within the dynamic Adtech industry.
- Independent Contractor Status: Opportunity to operate as an independent freelancer.
- Potential for Ongoing Work: Possibility of a long-term freelance relationship based on performance and fit.
Working Hours: Flexible, project-based hours. The role requires availability to complete assigned projects within agreed timelines, typically involving a few small projects per month.
📝 Enhancement Note
The compensation is structured as a freelance contract, meaning standard employee benefits (health insurance, paid time off, etc.) are not typically included. The provided salary range is an estimate based on typical freelance rates for this level of experience and location, and the explicit request for a "per-project or day rate" in the application process confirms this structure.
Industry: Programmatic Advertising / Adtech / Media Technology. Picnic Media operates in a fast-paced, data-driven sector focused on improving the efficiency and quality of digital advertising.Company Size: Small to Medium-sized (LinkedIn data suggests <50 employees). This implies a lean, agile team where individual contributions have a significant impact.Founded: Picnic Media Limited was founded in 2021. This suggests a relatively young company with a startup culture, likely emphasizing innovation, rapid iteration, and a collaborative environment.
Team Structure
- The design role will likely report to a Marketing Manager, Head of Marketing, or a Creative Lead.
- Collaboration will be cross-functional, involving marketing, sales, and product teams.
- As a freelance role, integration into the core team structure will be project-specific.
Methodology
- Data-driven decision-making is central to Adtech; design work should support clear communication of data and quality signals.
- Emphasis on clear communication and defined project scopes for efficient freelance collaboration.
- Iterative design processes are common, especially in startup environments, allowing for feedback and refinement.
📝 Enhancement Note
The company's focus on "media quality and curation in programmatic advertising" means design assets should convey professionalism, data integrity, and technological sophistication. The startup environment suggests a culture that values proactivity, adaptability, and clear communication.
Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-level freelance contributor. While not a permanent position with a defined career ladder, it offers significant opportunities for skill development and portfolio enhancement within the specialized Adtech domain.Reporting Structure: The freelance designer will receive project briefs and feedback from a designated point person within the marketing or product team, likely a manager or team lead.Operations Impact: The graphic designer's work directly impacts the company's external communication, sales enablement, and brand perception. High-quality design assets can enhance the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, sales pitches, and product explanations, contributing to lead generation and client acquisition in the Adtech space.
- Specialization: Develop deep expertise in designing for the Adtech and B2B SaaS sectors, a valuable niche.
- Portfolio Expansion: Build a robust portfolio with real-world projects for a growing company in a cutting-edge industry.
- Client Relationship: Potentially establish a long-term, ongoing freelance relationship with Picnic Media, leading to consistent income and deeper project involvement.
- Skill Enhancement: Gain experience with specific tools and workflows preferred by Adtech companies (e.g., Canva for asset reuse).
📝 Enhancement Note
While this is a freelance contract, the "growth" aspect lies in the professional development and portfolio building opportunities. The role allows for specialization in a high-demand B2B niche, which can command higher freelance rates and open doors to further specialized opportunities.
Office Type: Fully remote. This role operates entirely outside of a traditional office environment.Office Location(s): While the company is based in London, the role is remote and can be performed from anywhere, with the primary implication being adherence to the UK's freelance contractor status and tax regulations if based there.
Workspace Context
- Autonomy: The designer will have significant autonomy over their workspace and daily schedule, provided project deadlines are met.
- Digital Collaboration: Reliance on digital communication tools (email, Slack, video conferencing) for briefs, feedback, and file sharing.
- Tool Integration: Primarily working with Adobe Creative Suite and Canva, with potential for collaboration via cloud storage and project management tools.
Work Schedule: Flexible. The company expects a certain number of projects to be completed monthly, allowing the freelancer to structure their work around their availability. This necessitates strong self-management and time-blocking skills.
📝 Enhancement Note
The fully remote aspect emphasizes the need for strong self-discipline, excellent communication skills, and proficiency with digital collaboration tools. The flexibility is a key benefit, but it requires the freelancer to be proactive in managing their workload and deadlines.
Interview Process
- Initial Application: Submit an introduction, portfolio, rate, and availability.
- Paid Test Project: A crucial step to assess design skills, adherence to brand guidelines, and communication style. This project will have a clear brief and scope.
- Feedback & Decision: Based on the test project, Picnic Media will decide on moving forward with an ongoing freelance relationship.
- Tailor: Ensure your portfolio prominently features work relevant to B2B, SaaS, or Adtech, if possible. Highlight social media graphics, brand assets, and collateral similar to the project examples listed.
- Clarity: Showcase strong typography, clean layouts, and a clear understanding of brand consistency.
- Process: Briefly explain your design process for key projects, emphasizing how you approached briefs and achieved objectives.
- Canva Proficiency: If you have strong Canva skills, mention them and perhaps include a relevant example, as this is a preferred delivery format.
- Professionalism: Present your portfolio in a clean, organized, and easily navigable format.
- Test Project Focus: The paid test project is the primary challenge. Treat it as a high-stakes interview.
- Brand Immersion: Thoroughly review Picnic Media's website and any available brand guidelines before starting the test project. Understand their current visual identity.
- Brief Interpretation: Pay close attention to the brief's requirements, scope, and desired outcomes. Ask clarifying questions if needed.
- Timeliness: Deliver the test project on or before the agreed-upon deadline.
📝 Enhancement Note
The "paid test project" is a critical gate. It's not just about demonstrating creative skill but also about evaluating a freelancer's ability to follow instructions, work within constraints, and deliver professional results in a timely manner, mirroring the expectations for ongoing freelance work.
Primary Tools
- Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign are essential for core design work and creating original assets.
- Canva: A key tool for creating editable templates and assets for easier reuse. Proficiency here is highly valued.
Analytics & Reporting: Not directly applicable to this design role, but understanding how design impacts engagement metrics (e.g., social media engagement, click-through rates on collateral) is beneficial.
CRM & Automation: Not directly applicable, but familiarity with how design assets are used within marketing automation platforms or CRM systems (e.g., email templates) is a plus.
📝 Enhancement Note
The explicit mention of both Adobe Creative Suite and Canva indicates a need for versatility. The company values professional-grade design capabilities from Adobe, but also prioritizes the efficiency and accessibility of Canva for ongoing use and potential team self-service.
Operations Values
- Quality: Commitment to high-quality design that represents the brand professionally.
- Efficiency: Ability to deliver projects within scope and on time, with an emphasis on reusable assets.
- Collaboration: Openness to feedback and clear communication with project stakeholders.
- Adaptability: Willingness to work within brand guidelines and adapt to evolving project needs in a fast-paced industry.
- Professionalism: Maintaining a professional approach to project management, communication, and delivery.
- Project-Based: Interaction will primarily be focused on specific design projects.
- Remote Communication: Reliance on digital channels for all communication and feedback.
- Clear Briefs: Expectation of well-defined project scopes to facilitate efficient collaboration.
📝 Enhancement Note
The company's culture, typical of a startup in the Adtech sector, likely values agility, clear objectives, and effective remote collaboration. As a freelancer, demonstrating these traits will be key to a successful engagement.
- Adtech Niche Understanding: Gaining a quick grasp of the Adtech landscape and its terminology to create relevant and effective designs.
- Balancing Creativity with Constraints: Effectively applying brand guidelines while still producing innovative and engaging visuals.
- Remote Project Management: Managing workload and communication effectively without direct in-person oversight.
- Variable Workload: Adapting to a project-based workload that may fluctuate monthly.
- Industry Exposure: Deepen understanding of the programmatic advertising and Adtech industries.
- Workflow Optimization: Enhance skills in using tools like Canva for efficient asset creation and management.
- Client Relationship Building: Gain experience working with a growing company and potentially secure ongoing freelance work.
📝 Enhancement Note
The primary challenge will be translating creative skills into a specific industry context. The growth comes from becoming proficient in this niche, which can command higher freelance rates and open doors to further specialized opportunities.
Strategy Questions
- Portfolio Walkthrough: Be prepared to discuss 2-3 key projects from your portfolio, explaining the brief, your creative process, the tools used, and the outcome. Focus on projects that demonstrate versatility and adherence to brand guidelines.
- Brand Application: How would you approach designing for a brand in the Adtech space like Picnic Media? What elements would you consider?
- Tool Proficiency: Discuss your experience with Adobe Creative Suite and Canva. How do you leverage each tool for different types of projects?
Company & Culture Questions
- Industry Familiarity: What interests you about the Adtech/programmatic advertising industry?
- Freelance Experience: Describe your experience working as a freelance designer. How do you manage client relationships and project timelines?
- Working Style: How do you ensure clear communication and timely delivery when working remotely on project-based assignments?
- Highlight Relevance: Prioritize showcasing work that aligns with Picnic Media's needs: social media graphics, brand assets, infographics, and collateral.
- Demonstrate Process: For each featured project, briefly explain your thought process, design decisions, and how you met the brief's objectives.
- Showcase Brand Adherence: Include examples where you've successfully worked within strict brand guidelines.
- Canva Examples: If you have strong Canva work, prepare to discuss it, especially if it shows adaptability and reusability.
- Professional Delivery: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, easy to navigate, and professionally presented.
📝 Enhancement Note
The interview process heavily relies on the portfolio and a test project. Prepare to articulate your design thinking, demonstrate practical skills with key software, and show you can effectively translate business needs into strong visual communication within the Adtech context.
To apply for this freelance graphic design position:
- Submit your application through the provided link on Workable.
- Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features relevant examples of social media graphics, brand assets, and marketing collateral. If possible, include B2B or Adtech-specific work.
- Resume/Introduction Optimization: Tailor your introductory statement to highlight your freelance experience, proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite and Canva, and any relevant Adtech/SaaS industry exposure. Clearly state your availability and your preferred rate structure (per-project or daily).
- Test Project Readiness: Be prepared to dedicate time to a paid test project, which will be the primary evaluation of your skills and fit. Treat this as a crucial interview stage.
- Company Research: Thoroughly review Picnic Media's website (picnic.io) to understand their brand, mission, and the nature of their work in Adtech. This will help you tailor your application and excel in the test project.
⚠️ Important Notice
This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. All details, particularly regarding compensation and specific project expectations, should be verified directly with Picnic Media Limited during the application and interview process.
Application Requirements
Candidates should have strong graphic design experience and be proficient with Adobe Creative Suite and Canva. Attention to detail and the ability to work with brand guidelines are essential.