Consultancy: Graphic Design, Layout and Data Visualization Consultant

Contract

This is a National Consultant contract. More about National Consultant contracts.

Background

Grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, UN Women works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

To fulfil its mandate, the organization and offices work on various aspects of development with the aim of either drawing attention by providing evidence on the existence of a gender gap or directly implementing interventions geared towards closing the gender gap among other sectors, also in gender statistics.

Making Every Woman and Girl Count (Women Count) is UN Women’s gender data programme aimed at supporting countries in their efforts to generate data to inform policies and monitor the implementation of the gender equality-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other national policy priorities. The overall objective of the programme is to affect a radical shift in the production, availability, accessibility and use of quality data and statistics on key aspects of gender equality and women’s empowerment through three interlinked areas of work:

1. Building a supportive policy and institutional environment for the localization and effective monitoring of the SDGs;
2. Increasing the quality, comparability, and regularity of gender statistics to address national data gaps and meet reporting commitments under the SDGs; and
3. Ensuring that gender statistics are accessible to users in governments, civil society, academia, and the private sector, to strengthen their policy and interventions.

UN Women in East and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESA-RO) continues to be committed to bridge the gender data and analysis gaps as part of the UN’s ‘Leave No One Behind’ Agenda 2030 commitment and collaborate closely with other UN Agencies to advance the agenda of Gender Equality and Women Economic empowerment across all areas of work of the United Nations, regional entities, national governments, and other entities.

Background:

Women Count has a strong presence in the East Africa region, with the regional project for East and Southern Africa (ESA), and pathfinder projects underway in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. One of the outcomes of the Women Count project has been a significant increase in the availability of gender specific data across ESA. Under the current Phase II of the programme, over and above the focus on supporting the development of a conducive environment (legal and policy framework for Gender statistics) and production of quality and reliable data, Women Count has a strong focus on promoting the uptake and use of gender data as one of its key outcome areas.

Given this elevated focus on Outcome 3 on promoting the uptake and use of gender statistics, and with strong results emerging from programme implementation in pathfinder and other countries in the region, it is more critical than ever to capture, package, and share results with key stakeholders as part of the reporting and communication process and disseminate them to industry stakeholders and the general public in a variety of appropriate and effective formats and using diverse platforms.

By creatively packaging results and information from the programme and supporting dissemination to various key publics, the Graphic Design, Gender Data Visualization, and Layout Consultant will contribute to achieving the three programme objectives stated above, and, more directly, Outcome 3.

Objectives of the assignment:

Provide advanced graphic design, layout, and gender data visualization services for a variety of gender statistics information, communication, and knowledge products.

Scope of Work:

UN Women is seeking to hire a seasoned consultant to provide expertise in graphic design, layout, and gender data visualization for a variety of products. The consultancy thus aims to:

1. Provide expertise in repackaging new and existing evidence to help position and market UN Women as a thought leader in creating and disseminating quality knowledge on gender issues in the region;
2. Expertly apply creative graphic elements and tools to support effective visual communication and the aesthetic expression of concepts and ideas and to render evidence-based information into user-friendly formats to influence understanding of gender issues and uptake and use of gender data and statistics;
3. Apply specialized graphic design, layout, and data visualization expertise from a broad base of development communication experience to meaningfully contribute to recent and ongoing gender data and statistics communication initiatives in the region.
4. Support capacity-building in data visualization and gender data product design where needed as part of broader departmental trainings on communicating gender data and statistics

Specifically, the consultancy will serve to provide cutting-edge expertise for a raft of communication and knowledge products on gender statistics from the region. As such, activities envisaged under this consultancy include:

1. Assisting in conceptualizing innovative approaches to promote the uptake and use of gender data and statistics from a design and data visualization perspective and as part of overall support to the communication of gender data and statistics, strengthening the Women Count brand, and, by extension, UN Women’s position as an industry thought leader in gender data and statistics;
2. Support the conceptualization and development of creative gender data and statistics products including customized templates, event and training materials, social media visuals, fliers and brochures, and related materials to deliver a clean and modern finish while maintaining both an authentic look and feel relatable to the region and integrity with regard to appropriate gender messaging;
3. Conceptualize and develop compelling infographics, illustrations and other visuals and graphics for diverse media including online, print, and social media platforms;
4. Conceptualize new designs and layouts for partner-led country reports and related products while showcasing partners’ visual identity and appropriately applying UN Women and Women Count visual identity;
5. Design and layout of reports and other long-form products while ensuring attention to detail, consistent application of styles, and advising on overall optimal presentation of contents, including graphical elements, while strictly adhering to Women Count templates, visual identity, and overall brand guidelines where applicable;
6. Assist in conceptualizing, designing and developing non-typical gender data and statistics visualization products such as audio-visual materials, interactive toolkits, web pages, and high-level events from a graphic design and design technology perspective.
7. Contribute to building capacity of stakeholders in gender data visualization and design of related communication products

The Graphic Design, Layout, and Gender Data Visualization Consultant will report directly to the UN Women ESA-RO Statistics Specialist and work closely with the ESA-RO Gender Statistics Communications Specialist with some functional reporting to Programme Specialist Gender Statistics in countries in the region as needed. The ESA-RO Statistics Specialist, Gender Statistics Communications Specialist, and respective Programme Specialists for Gender Statistics in the country offices will provide feedback and technical support as needed.

Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development of innovative and creative visualization and other data and information presentation approaches while working closely with the UN Women ESA-RO Reporting and Communications Specialist;
• Co-conceptualize and develop innovative approaches to promote uptake and use of gender data and statistics using a design and data visualization lens;
• Develop and deliver world-class gender data and statistics products including infographics, partner-led country reports, high-level and other events, long-form products, and non-typical gender data and statistics visualization products;

Deliverables:

• Innovative and creative gender data and statistics products including data sheets, e-posters, and PowerPoint presentations listed above as a result of contributions to the conceptualization of innovative approaches to promote the uptake and use of gender data in the region;
• Compelling infographics concepts and designs, delivered to completion in a variety of formats;
• Creative social media graphics delivered for use of a variety of channels in the region;
• Standalone and other designs and layouts for partner-led country reports and related products;
• Well-designed, laid-out reports and other long-form products for the Women Count stable of set products;
• Well-appointed non-typical gender data and statistics visualization products including audio-visual materials (including animations), interactive toolkits, web pages, and events as a result of contributions to the conceptualization, design, and development of related processes;
• Other graphic design, layout, and data visualization products as needed.

Competencies

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women's Core Values and Competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment/application-process#_Values

Functional competencies:

• Expertise in graphic design, layout, and data visualization including conceptualizing and developing infographics with demonstrated experience in making Gender data accessible to specialized as well as general audiences;
• Strong verbal and written communication skills to effectively articulate and secure buy-in for creative approaches to conceptualizing and developing gender data and statistics products;
• Good understanding of new and emerging technologies and digital platforms for both conventional and contemporary information and knowledge products;
• High attention to detail and an eye for aesthetics to give products a modern and appealing look and feel. This includes the ability to identify opportunities for improving the type and presentation of content for diverse data and statistics products for an added layer of innovation and quality assurance;
• Creative flair and originality balanced with the ability to synthesize and accurately execute client briefs in close consultation with multiple internal and external stakeholders;
• Ability to multitask under pressure while proactively communicating progress and any emerging constraints and maintaining a high level of responsiveness;
• High level of leadership skills, initiative, and ability to work independently, often within tight timelines, to meet strict deadlines.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Bachelors Degree in Graphic Design, Multi-Media Design, Animation, Fine Arts, or related field;

Experience:

• 5 years’ experience in creative graphic design and visualization at least three of which should be in the field of international development with international or regional NGOs;
• Experience conceptualizing, leading, and executing design and visualization for large, medium, and small-scale projects. Demonstrated expertise in developing long-form layouts and extensive knowledge of visual hierarchies;
• Experience in developing conventional and new media such as infographics, illustrations, interactive toolkits, animations, and end-to-end publishing for diverse information and knowledge products;
• Experience conceptualizing visual and graphics content in the field gender statistics, women’s empowerment, and gender equality is highly desirable;
• Regional experience working with multiple stakeholders including government agencies;
• Regional experience in delivering training/building capacity of stakeholders, including public sector actors and national statistical offices (NSOs)in data visualization and gender data product design;
• Substantial experience working with UN and related agencies is highly desirable.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Kiswahili is desirable.
• Working knowledge of another official UN language will be an asset.

All applications must include (as an attachment) a completed UN Women Personal History form (P-11) which can be downloaded from https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2022-07/UN-Women-P11-Personal-History-Form-en.doc

Please note that the system will only allow one attachment and candidates are required to include in the P-11 form links for their previously published reports and articles completed within the last two years. Applications without the completed and signed UN Women P-11 form will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.

Notes:

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women's policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

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