Strategic Designer at ReBoot

Summary

• Reboot works with change agents who care about creating a better future-within governments, foundations, international organizations, media, and civil society groups.
• We are seeking a talented Strategic Designer based in Abuja, Nigeria to bring their passion and ideas to advance Reboot’s projects and programs on the continent.
• The Strategic Designer is fluent in both human-centered design and public sector innovation. You bring a diverse toolkit of design skills that can be applied across the sectors where Reboot works, including open government, media development, and civic participation. You think visually and can translate research and ideas into compelling frameworks and products.
• You are equally comfortable meeting government officials in the capital or working with residents on the street. You are enterprising and have the chops to become a star all on your own, but you value being part of a multidisciplinary team. This is a full-time, permanent staff position based in our Abuja office, with the expectation of significant travel in Nigeria and internationally.
• This is a full-time, permanent staff position based in our Abuja office, with the expectation of significant travel in Nigeria and internationally.

Responsibilities
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Project Management (80%):

• Execute design research to understand user, stakeholder, and client needs. Lead cross-disciplinary, multinational teams in synthesizing insights and translating into policy recommendations, service designs, or relevant design products;
• Lead system and service design concepting through rapid prototyping (including wireframe development), intensive user-testing, and collaborative review processes;
• Design analytical frameworks such as user personas, user experience journeys, and system maps;
• Liaise with project partners, co-creating with government, civil society organizations, and communities;
• Collaborate with the project team, potentially managing subject matter experts and technical contributors;
• Contribute to project planning to ensure that design approaches are well-integrated into broader goals.
• Lead design of communications outputs for diverse audiences in Nigeria and similar contexts, with a focus on developing content and manage the production in multiple mediums including print, video, comics, etc.

Knowledge Management & Process Innovation (10%):

• Develop agile, efficient, and impactful internal processes;
• Integrate lessons from industry standards and client engagements across our work;
• Support frequent knowledge transfer between programmatic team members and across the organization.

Communications and Business Development (10%):

• Build and cultivate partnerships around new opportunities. Educate clients and partners on Reboot’s approach;
• Support our advocacy work by publishing articles and blog posts and speaking at or attending events;
• Develop technical and financial proposals for opportunities that align with your expertise and background.

Professional and Personal Attributes

• Formal training in design, research, ethnography, development, or other related fields preferred
• At least three years (preferably 5+) of relevant professional experience as a designer working on social and/or civic issues;
• Fluency and experience in human-centered design, participatory design, and design strategy for social impact contexts;
• Experience applying a range of design tools, exercises, and methods. Strong proficiency in visual design and Adobe Creative Suite tools required.
• Capability to translate design activities for appropriate contexts, purposes, programs, and audiences;
• Understanding of multiple issues relevant to Reboot's work, such as international development, open government, media development, institutional innovation, and civic participation;
• International work experience and ability to operate effectively in unfamiliar cultural contexts and poor infrastructure environments in West and East Africa preferred;
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English. Fluency in additional languages preferred, in particular, Hausa, French, and Arabic.
• Comfort with public speaking and workshop facilitation; poised in client communications and project management;
• Ability to work under tight time constraints, multitask with ease, and adjust plans in the face of changing priorities;
• Appreciation of complexity. Comfort with ambiguity. Sense of humor. Fan of diversity.