Narrative and Brand Lead (Staff/Director)

About the Company Valon is building the AI-native operating system for regulated finance, starting with mortgage servicing. We're a Series C company backed by a16z, transforming industries that others have written off as too complex to innovate. Rather than build on top of broken legacy systems, we took a different approach: we built and operate our own mortgage servicing business managing $110+ billion in loans. This wasn't the end goal, it was how we deeply understood the complexity needed to build software that actually works in regulated industries. The results speak for themselves. We've transformed mortgage servicing from a 0% margin business into 60%+ margins while dramatically improving customer experience. Major enterprise contracts are now deploying across the industry. ValonOS is our unified platform that makes every process structured and programmable and it is perfectly positioned for the AI era. When everything flows through one system with rich data, AI agents don't just automate tasks, they continuously improve entire operations. Mortgage servicing is just the beginning of our vision to transform regulated industries and beyond. About the Role Valon is building something unusually real: durable business fundamentals, hard technical problems, and a trajectory that top talent would choose— once they can clearly see and defend the bet . Your job is to make that clarity inevitable. You’ll build and run Valon’s Narrative and External Brand Engine: a repeatable system that turns internal truth into external credibility, then distributes it through founder/company voice and trusted channels, so exceptional people across functions (engineering, product, design, recruiting, data/analytics, deployment/solutions, and more) feel confident choosing Valon. This is not “employer branding” in the traditional sense. It’s credible persuasion at scale, built for conversion, not vibes. What You'll Do Build the Reputation Engine (system > one-offs) Create Valon’s messaging spine: the simplest credible story that talent repeats Build a proof map (public vs private vs proxy proof) and a living proof bank (stories, artifacts, case studies, technical proof, “why I joined” narratives) Turn milestones into compounding credibility (not single announcements) Run founder + company voice with high taste Operate a weekly founder input loop (voice notes, meeting capture, interviews) Draft → review → publish with minimal founder time Ship high-signal content across: founder POV posts memo-style longform talent density stories (“why I joined”) technical/product deep dives (with internal partners) Build recruiting conversion assets (the “risk-kill” pack) Create and iterate offer-stage assets used directly in closing: “Why Valon” deck FAQ + objection handling proof appendix (metrics you can share, anonymized outcomes, architecture signals) role sell-sheets / pitch talk tracks Partner with recruiting/RecOps to instrument outcomes and iterate fast: decline reasons offer acceptance candidate perception before first call Distribution (in service of outcomes) Build a lightweight distribution map (who matters, where they pay attention, what earns trust) Drive earned/partner distribution when it clearly increases credibility with the audiences we hire from Keep focus on owned assets that move candidates already in-funnel , then amplify the best ones Over time: compounding credibility that helps fundraising This role is hiring-first, but the output naturally creates external proof and coherence that can later support investor conviction (without becoming “investor marketing” day one). Who You Are This role rewards first-principles operators, not “brand strategists who manage agencies.” You’re likely a fit if you: Can compress complexity into a credible narrative people repeat Write founder voice at a high bar (specific, opinionated, true—never hypey) Manufacture proof under constraints (can’t share everything, still make it feel real) Have distribution instincts and the discipline to prioritize what moves conversion Treat recruiting outcomes like product metrics (instrument → iterate) Ship weekly. You don’t need perfect conditions. Background-wise, we’re intentionally broad. You might come from: writing/editing with strong operating instincts chief of staff / comms-heavy operator roles recruiting leadership with exceptional persuasion + storytelling product / growth / deployment strategist profiles with a comms spike technical program/storytelling hybrids If your comfort zone is mostly “positioning workshops, brand decks, and agency management,” this won’t be a fit. Why You’ll Love Working Here You’ll build a real system that compounds (proof → narrative → content → distribution → conversion) You’ll work directly with founders/executives and make their time high-leverage You’ll have clear, measurable impact on one of the most important company constraints: hiring You’ll get to operate across the whole company—engineering, product, recruiting, leadership—turning real work into real credibility You’ll be early enough to shape Valon’s external identity for years Benefits Compensation: competitive salary with a meaningful stake in the company via equity, and 401k plan. NB: The base salary range reflects multiple levels. We assess level based on a combination of past experience and interview performance Health & well-being: we’ll invest in your physical and mental well-being with comprehensive medical, dental, & vision benefits Commuter benefits: We offer pre-tax deductions for public transportation, rideshare services, and parking expenses to make your commute more affordable and convenient Grow together: Company wide orientation for you to successfully onboard and other learning & development opportunities including regular review cycles that feature 360 degree feedback Play together: quarterly budgets for team and company outings. Use it for team swag, cooking classes, or team dinners! Generous time off: flexible paid time off, sick days, and 11 company holidays Baby bonding time!: 12 weeks off for both birthing and non-birthing parents - fully paid so you can focus your energy on your newest addition Throughout the interview process, please remember that emails will only be from valon.com email addresses. We will never ask for any personally identifiable information during the interview process itself. Please reach out to [email protected] if you have any requests to verify the authenticity of an outreach. Valon is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. Valon makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.