GRAPHIC DESIGN ASSISTANT

Contract

This is a G-6 contract. This kind of contract is known as General Service and related categories. It is normally only for nationals. It usually requires 6 years of experience, depending on education. More about G-6 contracts.

Org. Setting and Reporting This position is in the Africa Section within the Strategic Communications Division of the Department of Global Communications (DGC). In line with its strategy, the Section is focused on providing factual, balanced, and timely content about Africa, taking advantage of the continent's evolving digital communications landscape for maximum reach. The incumbent will report to the Public Information Officer (Social Media).

Responsibilities Within limits of delegated authority, the Graphic Arts Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

• Participates in initial team meetings to discuss potential design projects, e.g., substantive content and campaign planning, communication objectives, and design options, technical specifications, costs, schedules/deadlines, etc.
• Independently undertakes original and creative design assignments to promote Africa Renewal content, campaigns, and priorities on social media and on the Web; conceptualizes and develops design proposals for review, which may include art and visual direction, mood boards and production of static, video and motion graphics assets, including through the use of images, illustration, icons and typography in formats such as GIFs, social videos, quote cards and abstract graphic images, GIFs, social videos, quote cards, motion graphics, photographic, illustrative or more abstract graphic solutions. Supports research and fact checking and transforms technical information into compelling social- and web-friendly creative concepts and copy for digital assets.
• Prepares templates and prototypes to uniformly integrate different graphic elements for final review. Adapts existing digital assets produced in Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere and/or After Effects, including re-formatting files for various social formats, adjusting designs for translated content, video subtitling and transforming art files into Canva templates.
• Organizes, updates, and maintains Trello boards for digital campaigns. This includes adding new and existing visual assets to boards with clear labels and instructions for use.
• Provides guidance and support throughout the project production process; coordinates and follows-up with all relevant parties and ensures that project in on schedule.

• Performs other related work as required.

  Competencies •Professionalism – Knowledge of standard industry production and printing processes, including desktop publishing, design and layout. Knowledge of internal UN printing practices and operations. Knowledge of photography, page layout and photograph sizing. Good graphic art skills and demonstrated ability to independently develop creative designs and produce high-quality graphic and illustrative material for social media and digital communication platforms. Ability to handle multiple design projects simultaneously. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. •Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. •Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.

  Education High school diploma or equivalent.

  Work Experience At least seven years of experience in creative content production, including desktop publishing, graphic design and layout, or related area is required.

  Experience producing content for social media and digital communication platforms using graphic/motion graphic design and photo editing software such as Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Premiere and/or After Effects, etc., required.

  Experience working for international organizations, design firm, advertising or in-house creative department desirable.

  Experience with Africa development context desirable.

  Please submit portfolio link demonstrating experience in design for digital platforms and campaigns.

  Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

  Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

  Special Notice The position is available through 31 December 2022. The appointment or assignment and renewal are subject to the availability of the post or funds, budgetary approval or extension of the mandate.

This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.

Passing the Global General Service Test (GGST) is a prerequisite for recruitment consideration in the General Services and related categories in the United Nations Secretariat. Applicants who have not passed the GGST at the time of application may be invited for the test after submitting an application. Having passed the Administrative Support Assessment Test [in English] at the United Nations headquarters, Economic Commission for Africa, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, United Nations Office at Geneva, United Nations Office at Vienna, International criminal tribunal for Rwanda or International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia may be accepted in lieu of the GGST.

United Nations Considerations According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.