At FourthCanvas, we help good businesses leverage strategy and design to become great brands that move people to action. That journey from good to great can be long and intense, requiring a foundation that can only be established by exceptional talent forged by obsession and committed to deep care for the work, as well as the people they do it with and for.
For 10 years, we have been on that mission, doing our known best per time to help good people: our team, our clients, do great things: excellent work, compelling brands. It has taken a long, growing list of amazing people over the years collaborating to push the boundaries of what’s possible.
As we push even further, we are looking for you — an experienced brand designer who stretches what’s possible, leads with discipline, executes with precision, and collaborates with respect.
Why join FourthCanvas?
At the beginning of our second decade, we are at an inflection point, where we are consolidating our learnings about the market we serve and what we truly stand for. It’s a decisive point on our journey and it comes with a fulfilling excitement our people are proud to be a part of.
Despite so much change around and within, a few things have remained the same since November 2015 — leadership that cares, shared values that inspire growth, and amazing people who hold nothing back, especially when it helps you.
Our culture is unusually stable for an agency. Much of our senior team has been here since 2017, carrying institutional memory that sharpens decisions and acquired wisdom that raises the bar for everyone. This ensures our team members do not only grow in craft, but also in the ability to manage people, situations and entire projects.
That stability and the reputation we’ve earned, has made us the first call for many of Nigeria’s leading startups, with growing demand beyond tech and beyond Nigeria. This means a rare opportunity to work with some of the most consequential organizations around.
And there’s the drive behind our work. We’re building an example of what world-class branding from Africa can look like, influencing the landscape with our work for clients, as well as publications and conversations that push business leaders toward greater intentionality. We’re committed to raising the bar for how African companies show up in the world — taking every opportunity to serve our clients’ goals while moving the wider ecosystem, and ultimately the economy, forward.
We will not hide that there is pressure, but we promise it’s the kind that builds you. When we have been trusted in uncharted waters, we’ve usually said yes, gone head-to-head with the challenge and delivered. That’s the FourthCanvas pattern: high stakes and high expectations, met through a disciplined, thorough process, by a team that shows up with heart.
From our humble beginnings in Akure to team members working from across 4 cities across the globe, ambition is our DNA — and we match it with Care. If you’re looking for a place that’s hungry, serious and committed to excellence, this is it.
The values that define us
Lead — with purpose
We Lead others, starting with ourselves as the example. We Lead ourselves with Care, showing up as our best selves, as we earn the trust of others. We pay attention to how we spend our time, what we consume, and the habits that shape us into people others can rely on.
We Lead others with exemplary behaviour, clear communication and diligent documentation, ensuring that they can collaborate with and without us. This helps to expand what’s possible beyond our viewpoints, in pursuit of the mission to help good people do great things.
We do not only think or talk about solutions, we lead with proactive action and reliable consistency that raises the standard for everyone. No one needs to chase us on our deadlines; where necessary, we do the chasing. Naming files right is the least we can do to aid collaboration. We go further, preparing guide videos, how-tos — whatever helps the most. We show up on time and focus on the task at hand, because among other reasons, we are setting an example, always.
Care — with intention
We Care about the work, the people we do it with, and the people we do it for.
We’re obsessed with the craft. We sweat the little stuff because we know that great work rises and falls on the details. From a painstakingly labelled file system to yet another revision of the paragraph, to taking the time to pick the perfect image for a mood-board, the difference counts. We know it does.
We Care to focus and make the most of the time we have because we Care about our responsibility to deliver. We don’t begin in the eleventh hour because we Care enough to make every minute count. Little things make big differences.
We push the boundaries of what’s possible because we Care for the craft, but also for the people. We go the extra mile for our clients because we Care about their goals. We respect and support our colleagues because nothing matters more than the people behind the work.
Our Care inspires us to Lead with purpose, and Stretch to match our ambitions.
Stretch — to match ambition
We Stretch the limits because we know good is not enough. We push the boundaries because we are eager to see what’s on the other side of our current best. Yesterday’s best is only the starting point for today’s work. We’ve seen the world’s finest brilliance today, but how do we set the new standards for tomorrow?
We Stretch the width of our ideation and the range of what our ideas can become. We extend our hours of focused deep work in pursuit of excellence, because anything short of excellence is a disservice to our potential. So we give everything to get as close as we can — every single time.
How far can our determination to Stretch go though, if we simply don’t know enough? That’s why we don’t just chase more hours of practice, we chase more learning. From courses to books, case studies, documentaries, and articles, we consume widely to stretch our minds and sharpen our taste.
Humanity only moves forward when people Stretch the status quo. And with how far we still have to go from our corner of the world, we take that responsibility seriously.
What will your role look like?
Primarily, your job will be to lead the visual identity component of our client branding projects, translating strategy into world-class identity systems through deep Care and inspiring leadership.
Work with the guidance of the Project Director and brand strategists to distill the client’s vision into clear creative direction, substantiated by mood-boards or similar tools.
Facilitate creative sprints and exercises: brainstorming, territory exploration, rapid prototyping, sketch exploration, refinement, and more.
Develop and refine visual identity assets and systems (logo/wordmark, typography, colour, layout, iconography, image/illustration direction) with scalability in mind.
Prepare and present work confidently and clearly — guiding stakeholders through choices, trade-offs, and the thinking behind the work.
Work day-to-day with the Project Manager to stay on track with deadlines and the overall timeline.
Mentor junior designers and collaborate with peers: delegate, coach, and review ongoing work to keep standards consistently high.
Ensure attention to detail, consistency, and Care across execution, file management, documentation and client handover.
When off client work, contribute to the agency’s brand needs: pitches/proposals, case studies, marketing assets, website/social templates, and raising internal standards.
We’re looking for something.
For someone.
We are looking for someone who truly Cares, about the work, the people and the bigger objectives of why we do what we do. This Care would typically show in the following qualities:
Eye for detail — You sweat the small stuff because you know it all comes down to the details, from preparation to creation, presentation, and more.
Proactive leadership — You do not only think or talk about ideas and possibilities, you are quick to do some research, sketch something, or make a prototype to try things out.
Process maturity — You understand how great work gets made, how the process guides creativity and when to look beyond it in the pursuit of magic.
Technical depth & proficiency — You have honed your technical ability over time and now you come with a deep, wide skillset that puts no limits on the execution of your ideas.
Effective communication and documentation — You're clear, intentional and responsive in all interactions. You document thoroughly as a tool for collaboration and shared growth, not a chore.
Growing, insatiable taste — You're always seeking and spotting the best work there is, yearning to find your own possible best, never settling, never fully satisfied.
Respect for the brilliance of others — You thrive in collaboration because you've seen the magic that comes from respecting other perspectives and staying open-minded.
Disciplined work-rate — You stretch your ideas, with hours of deep work committed to chasing excellence. Your consistent hard work inspires others to higher standards.
Kindness and decency — You are a kind, respectful and decent human being, carrying yourself with Care and others with grace.
What’s in this for you?
The ecosystem is maturing. Clients are asking better questions, and brands are recognizing the value of internal clarity and an intentional outlook. The work now demands as much depth as beauty. For you, we hope that means an opportunity to make real impact with your work, while continuing to grow as you collaborate with a team that brings a decade of experience and acquired taste.
A role in a maturing ecosystem. You work with some of the best client teams on the continent and contribute to defining projects you will be proud to be a part of.
Care as a culture. We sweat the details, give clear feedback, and show up with curiosity, creating the kind of environment that sharpens your craft fast and supports you to exceed expectations.
Projects that stretch you. You get to tackle challenges that push your skills, your thinking, and your creativity beyond comfort zones.
Real ownership and influence. Everyone gets to make decisions, be responsible for their work and have the space to contribute meaningfully.
Fair compensation. We are looking at a range of 900,000 to 1.5 Million Naira monthly for this role, depending on several factors in our evaluation of the final candidate.
Thoughtful perks. We have a small but growing list of curated benefits that support your craft, growth and overall well-being.We Care about you, and the great work you’ll do with us.
Applying for this role
The link below opens up a form that begins with the basics (name, email, etc), followed by 9 questions that provide some context about you. The form ends with a prompt to attach your portfolio.
We will prioritize applications that are submitted on or before Friday January 30, 2025.
You will receive an update on your application on or before Friday 13 February, 2025 and we will make our final choice of candidate latest by the end of February.
At some point in the application, we may request for contact information of your previous employer(s)/client(s) to do some background checks.
We will not be able to provide detailed feedback for applications that do not make it beyond the first screening. However, we will ensure to provide useful feedback for all applicants that make it to the interview stage.