Role overview
What you'll be stepping into
The retained graphic designer will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following key areas:
Brand management and visual identity development
Brand guardian: Act as the primary custodian of SHONA's visual brand identity, ensuring strict adherence to
established brand guidelines (logo usage, colour palettes, typography, and imagery style) across all internal
and external communications.
Brand guideline management: Maintain and evolve comprehensive brand guidelines, including usage policies
for all visual assets.
Logo and identity application: Create and manage applications of SHONA’s brand identity across various
touchpoints, including sub-brands, event branding, and corporate stationery.
Visual strategy & consultation: Provide expert advice and recommendations on visual trends, best practices,
and innovative design approaches to elevate SHONA’s brand perception and achieve strategic communication
goals.
Digital design
Digital marketing collateral: Create engaging visual assets for all digital marketing channels, including:
Social media: Graphics for posts, stories, advertisements, profile banners, and campaign-specific visuals
across platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Email marketing: Design visually appealing and conversion-focused templates for newsletters, promotional
emails, and automated campaigns.
Digital advertisements: Develop banner ads, display ads, and other digital ad creatives optimized for various
platforms and targeting objectives.
Animated and motion graphics: Develop compelling motion graphics for video content, social media,
presentations, and other digital platforms, enhancing visual storytelling and engagement.
Print and offline collateral design
Marketing and promotional materials: Design high-impact print materials, including brochures, flyers,
posters, banners, exhibition stands, and promotional signage.
Corporate and editorial design: Create professional layouts for business cards, letterheads, stationery,
reports, whitepapers, internal newsletters, and corporate presentations.
Merchandise and environmental graphics: Design visual representations for brand elements on brand
collateral materials (e.g., shirts, caps, promotional items) and for environmental graphics in office spaces or
at events (e.g., wall art and directional signage).
Print production management: Prepare accurate, print-ready files (selecting appropriate formats, ensuring
correct colour profiles, managing bleeds, and addressing technical requirements) and liaise with print
vendors to ensure high-quality production.
Content and information design
Infographics: Transform complex data, processes, or information into clear, concise, and visually engaging
infographics.
Data visualization: Design effective charts, graphs, and other visual representations of data for reports,
presentations, and marketing materials to aid comprehension and decision-making.
Collaborative work and project management
Communication and collaboration: Effectively communicate with the SHONA Group team (through the Brand
Manager) to understand design requirements, objectives, and project expectations, ensuring seamless
integration of design elements.
Feedback integration: Proactively solicit, interpret, and incorporate feedback, making necessary revisions to
achieve design alignment and meet project goals while maintaining design integrity.
Time management and prioritisation: Manage workload effectively to meet multiple project deadlines
simultaneously, prioritising tasks based on project urgency, business impact, and client requirements.
Provide timely deliverables in accordance with agreed-upon schedules.
Quality assurance: Deliver designs that consistently meet or exceed agreed-upon quality standards, ensuring
accuracy, creativity, and strategic alignment with SHONA Group's brand and objectives. Be responsive to
client feedback and incorporate revisions as necessary.
Technical proficiency and professional development
Software proficiency: Demonstrate advanced proficiency in industry-standard graphic design software,
including but not limited to Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects), Figma,
Sketch, or other relevant tools necessary for the completion of design tasks.
Continuous learning: Stay abreast of the latest industry trends, design software advancements, and
emerging visual communication technologies, continuously expanding skills and knowledge to deliver
cutting-edge and high-quality designs.
Qualifications and Experience
● Bachelor's degree or diploma in graphic design, visual communication, or a related field.
● Minimum 5 years' professional experience.
● Strong portfolio demonstrating branding, motion visuals, print, and digital design.
● Experience working with NGOs, development organisations or startups is an advantage.
● Experience designing for social media campaigns and reports.
● Excellent command of Adobe Creative Suite or equivalent.
Personal competencies
● Self-motivated and proactive working style
● Capacity to self-organise
● Attention to detail
● Listening and learning attitude
● Willingness to do the "legwork"
How to apply