Head of Brand & Storytelling

The Role

Kaizen has built something real

40M residents, 50+ agencies, 17 states

and most people have never heard of us. That changes now - we're at the point where our brand needs to do serious work: recruit mission-driven talent, win federal contracts, build credibility with investors, and make Kaizen a name that people in government, tech, and public life actually know. This is not a production role, it's a builder role

the person who figures out what Kaizen's brand should be and then makes it happen across every channel. You'll own editorial content, short films, the website, social presence, executive storytelling, and the long game of making this company iconic. You'll work directly with our co-founders, and you'll have the latitude to move fast and make big calls.
Location

This is a hybrid role based out of our New York City HQ. Candidates must reside in New York or be able to commute to New York City to work out of our office at least three times a week (Tuesdays - Thursdays).
What You'll Do

Define and execute Kaizen's external brand strategy

what we stand for, how we show up, and how we build recognition across government, tech, and the public

Own the content engine: editorial (LinkedIn, Substack, written longform), short films, YouTube, podcasts, and anything else that puts Kaizen on the map

Write and produce executive communications that travel

board updates, investor narratives, op-eds, media appearances

Build toward long-term brand goals and treat distribution as part of the creative work, not an afterthought

Partner with sales and proposals on assets that win contracts: case studies, one-pagers, pitch materials

Quarterback external vendors and contractors

PR firms, video production, freelancers

and direct their output without being dependent on them

What You'll Bring

610 years building brand and content at a company where the brand actually mattered

not maintaining it, building it

A portfolio that shows range and point of view: editorial content, brand systems, video storytelling, executive comms

and evidence that your work traveled beyond its original channel (a portfolio link is required as part of your application)

Sharp instincts for narrative and positioning

you think about why something should exist before you make it

Comfort operating as a one-person function to start, with proven ability to build and scale a team of contractors and FTEs

AI-native workflow: you use tools to scale your output and stay ahead of what's possible

Strong writing skills

good enough to ghost-write for executives and produce editorial content that earns an audience on its own

Strong Candidates May Also

Have built a brand function from scratch at an early-stage company

before there was a playbook

Have experience in govtech, defense tech, or any sector where the buyer is skeptical and the mission is serious

Have grown an audience on their own

a newsletter, a channel, a following

and understand distribution from the inside

Don't Apply If

Your portfolio is mostly B2C ad campaigns, short-form social videos, or content built for large production teams

You need a detailed creative brief, a structured process, or a large team of full-time staff underneath you to do your best work

You think brand is a support function that executes what sales or product asks for

You're not energized by the idea of making Kaizen a name that people recognize, and what technology for the public sector should look like

What Kaizen Offers

Health & Insurance
100% coverage across the board: medical through Oxford/United (Gold and Platinum PPO plans), dental through Guardian PPO, and vision through Beam

all fully covered for employees, with 100% coverage for dependents.

$100,000 in fully paid life insurance. FSA and Dependent Care FSA.

One Medical membership, on us

same-day primary care, 24/7 virtual visits, and offices all over the city.

Fertility and family-building support through Carrot.

401(k) through Guideline, with a 2% company match.

Family & Time Off
16 weeks of fully paid parental leave for birthing parents. 10 weeks fully paid for non-birthing parents.

Unlimited PTO, with a two-week minimum (we mean it when we say take time off!)

Closed for all federal holidays.

Company-wide winter break the week of Christmas.

Company offsites throughout the year.

Office & Remote Setup
Up to $750 one-time home office or desk setup stipend for NYC-based employees. $500 for remote employees.

$50/month commuter benefit (company contribution).

Expensed lunch while in the office.

Company-provided laptop of your choice.

Wellness
Fully covered gym membership at Grindhouse

right across the street from our office at 47 W 17th St (and in Williamsburg). A $225/month value, on us. For remote employees, $100/month dedicated to gym or physical fitness reimbursement.

Stipends
$100/month utility stipend.

$500/year professional development.

$250/year recreation.

$300/quarter pet care stipend.