UBONGO is Africa’s leading producer of kids’ edutainment. As a non-profit social enterprise, we create fun, localized, and multi-platform educational content that helps kids learn, and leverage their learning to change their lives. Ubongo reaches over 27 million kids across Africa through accessible technologies like TV, radio, and mobile phones. Our shows Ubongo Kids and Akili and Me currently air in 23 countries across Africa, in Swahili, English, French, Kinyarwanda, Kikuyu, Luo, Yoruba, Hausa, Chichewa, and Juba Arabic.

Job Position: We are looking for an experienced part-time graphic designer with excellent graphic design and illustration skills to join our multi-country Marketing and Communications Team. You will work collaboratively with our teams in Tanzania, South Africa, Uganda, Malawi, Kenya, Nigeria, and the US to create content pieces that help build awareness and generate demand for Ubongo’s products and services across Africa and globally. The ideal candidate must be excellent at communicating ideas visually that inspire, inform, and captivate our audience while in line with our brand’s identity, and embody our fun, child-like, innovative, and inspiring brand personality.

We’re looking for a dynamic, creative, and flexible Graphic Designer to support us in designing captivating and inspiring visuals for marketing purposes. You’ll work closely with our Creative Marketing Manager and Community Manager to come on board full of ideas, plans, and a vision of how to take our visual promotions to the next level.

We don’t just need a doer but a go-getter as well; you must be willing to be challenged and think critically and creatively. People who work at Ubongo are passionate about education, kids, and making a difference.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and design concepts, graphics, and layouts, including making decisions about fonts, images, readability, and readers’ needs with Ubongo brand consistency
• Determining size and arrangement of copy and illustrative material, as well as font style and size.
• Preparing rough drafts of material based on an agreed brief.
• Keeping the team up to date, listening to and acting on feedback, and explaining the rationale behind graphic design decisions.
• Reviewing final layouts and suggesting improvements if required.
• Keeping up to date with design and software trends.
• Liaising with external printers or production teams to ensure deadlines are met and material is printed or presented to the highest quality.
• Work directly with Creative Marketing Manager to develop visual concepts

REQUIREMENT:

KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, and QUALIFICATIONS ESSENTIALS:

• Broad knowledge of design principles and experience as a graphic designer with evidence of work.
• Excellent graphic design skills, with the ability to refine designs with illustration software in accordance with our brand.
• The ability to digitally illustrate drawings from scratch isn’t a requirement but definitely a BONUS.
• Great time management and skilled task juggler. There is a LOT going on at Ubongo, and your job is to keep up with the demands!
• Great written and oral communication skills in English and Kiswahili
• Tech-savvy and able to quickly figure out new software and systems. We use a huge range of different cloud-based programs to collaborate and streamline our work, including Slack, G Suite, Creative Cloud, Asana, and others.
• Good listening skills and can deal with ambiguity and are able to figure things out for yourself.
• The ability to work independently and to think on your feet.
• Experience creating content for a non-profit company and/or social cause is a plus!
• A love for kids! They’re why we do what we do. Our kids’ music and videos will become part of your life (and constantly stuck in your head).
• Persistence! We have a big goal and have to get things done with limited resources.
• Courage, and being willing to speak up for what’s right, when you see wrong, or when you think there might be a better way.
• ‘UTU’ (a Swahili word for humanity). This implies that you are honest, trustworthy, transparent, and conscientious.

PREFERRED:

• At least 3 years experience in visual content, graphic design, advertising, and/or creative-related field
• Educational Background required Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, visual communications, fine arts, or a related discipline
• Should be ready to start as soon as possible
• Advanced experience with Photoshop and Illustrator
• Experience with motion design and animation (not required but preferred)
• Experience with the social networking space, and digital and mobile formats
• Experience with concept creation, style frame creation, and storyboarding

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

Benefits:

• Phew! You made it through that. The good thing is that there are also perks, like a delicious healthy lunch at the office, flexible working hours, and working remotely and you get to watch cartoons at work.