UN Women: Graphic Designer, Home-based, Turkiye, National Consultant

Background:

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, 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. 

In Türkiye, in line with its global Strategic Plan 2022-2025 and Country Strategic Note (2022-2025), and the overall UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Turkey (UNSDCF) (2021-2025), UN Women works towards the overarching goal of “Women and girls including those at greatest risk of being left behind fully exercise their human rights, enjoy a life free from violence and discrimination, and lead, influence and benefit from sustainable and inclusive socioeconomic development towards the advancement of gender equality in Turkey”. UN Women works in four thematic areas: (i) governance and participation in public life; (ii) women’s economic empowerment; (iii) ending violence against women and girls; and (iv) women, peace and security, humanitarian action and disaster risk reduction. In line with its coordination mandate, UN Women promotes coordination and coherence across the UN system to enhance accountability and results for gender equality and women’s empowerment, including through joint programmatic and advocacy actions and initiatives, standardized tools and guidance and services to strengthen the relevant capacities of the UN system.

Towards these goals, UN Women Türkiye has actively been implementing programmes and projects since 2012 that aim to advance gender equality, improve women’s access to opportunities, rights and services in political, social, and economic life and combat gender stereotypes, discrimination, and violence, as required by international and national legal and policy commitments. UN Women Türkiye collaborates with numerous partners – central and local level government authorities, civil society organizations, including women’s organizations and platforms, opinion-makers and activists from different sectors, academia, private sector companies, media, development partners and other UN agencies. It commits itself to the Leaving No One Behind principle, by supporting targeted actions to remove the obstacles that marginalized and vulnerable groups of women face in accessing their rights and to promote them as agents of change. 

As part of the programmes and in the context of its global Communications and Public Advocacy Strategy, UN Women Türkiye carries out a variety of targeted communications, visibility, publicity, knowledge sharing, and advocacy interventions that aim to advance the implementation of its goals. In this respect, UN Women Türkiye is producing different types of communications and advocacy campaigns as well as knowledge and visibility materials for digital and conventional media platforms. 

In view of responding to the needs of the office for the above-mentioned purposes UN Women Türkiye Office seeks to work with a consultant for providing timely and quality graphic design services.

Description of Responsibilities /Scope of Work

Under the direct supervision of the Communications Analyst and in close coordination with the wider Communications Team, the Graphic Design Consultant will:

• Create layout templates and provide printing guidance for printed communication materials (such as factsheets, info sheets, booklets, posters, flyers, brochures, etc.).
• Design and illustrate specific documents, graphics, and visual elements.
• Develop digital design products, including digital brochures, and online reports, optimized for web and mobile viewing.
• Create visually engaging social media content, including static posts, carousels, stories, and short vertical videos, aligned with the organization's branding and messaging.
• Design and produce animated graphics and motion design elements for use across digital platforms, enhancing visual storytelling.
• Generate infographics and data visualizations to effectively communicate complex information in an accessible and visually appealing manner.
• Ensure all digital and print designs are optimized for accessibility and inclusivity, following best practices for readability and usability.
• Adapt and repurpose existing materials for different formats and platforms, ensuring consistency and coherence across all communication channels.

Payments shall be made upon request, based on the provision timesheets and supporting deliverables approved by the UN Women Communications Analyst, who shall confirm Consultants’ tasks are completed and eligible for payment.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy. No travel outside of duty stations is foreseen. If there will be any need to travel outside of consultant’s city of residence, UN Women Türkiye CO will organize the travel of the consultant and cover the expenses in line with the UN Women’s travel rules and policies.    

Mandatory Training Courses

The Consultants shall complete all the mandatory and other required UN training courses and modules on time. The certificates shall be submitted to the supervisor.

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

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 Values and Competencies Framework: 

Functional Competencies:

• Demonstrated experience in creating visual content that promotes gender equality and women’s empowerment. 
• Knowledge of gender-sensitive communication practices
• Familiarity with institutional workflows, communication standards, and branding guidelines 
• Proven ability to translate complex ideas, data, or narratives into visually compelling materials.
• Strong visual storytelling skills, attention to detail, and an advanced sense of aesthetics 
• Ability to adapt design approaches to diverse thematic areas and shifting project needs.
• Willingness to embrace new challenges and apply creative thinking to varied subject matter.
• Advanced proficiency in industry-standard design software (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite). Awareness of emerging trends and tools in digital design and commitment to continuous learning and innovation. 
• Commitment to ethical standards in visual representation, with particular attention to dignity, privacy, and sensitivity towards vulnerable populations. 
• Ability to demonstrate cultural awareness in global and local contexts. 
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams. 
• Experience collaborating with designers, content creators, social media managers, and program staff to achieve shared objectives. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to explain visual concepts to non-designers and contribute meaningfully to planning and feedback processes. 
• Demonstrated experience in creating visual content that promotes gender equality and women’s empowerment. 
• Knowledge of gender-sensitive communication practices
• Familiarity with institutional workflows, communication standards, and branding guidelines 
• Proven ability to translate complex ideas, data, or narratives into visually compelling materials.
• Strong visual storytelling skills, attention to detail, and an advanced sense of aesthetics 
• Ability to adapt design approaches to diverse thematic areas and shifting project needs.
• Willingness to embrace new challenges and apply creative thinking to varied subject matter.
• Advanced proficiency in industry-standard design software (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite). Awareness of emerging trends and tools in digital design and commitment to continuous learning and innovation. 
• Commitment to ethical standards in visual representation, with particular attention to dignity, privacy, and sensitivity towards vulnerable populations. 
• Ability to demonstrate cultural awareness in global and local contexts. 
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams. 
• Experience collaborating with designers, content creators, social media managers, and program staff to achieve shared objectives. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to explain visual concepts to non-designers and contribute meaningfully to planning and feedback processes. 

Required Qualifications

Education and Certification:

• Advanced (Masters) degree or certification in graphic design, animation, or a related specialty is required
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. 

Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years of professional experience in the field of graphic design is required, with a minimum of 3 years specific experience as an illustrator or graphic designer.
• Proven track record of experience and creativity in designing visual communication assets is required (candidates should submit their portfolios when applying). 
• At least 3 years of experience using Adobe Suite/CC, including Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, After Effects, and Premiere Pro, is required.
• Experience with development or gender equality communications is desirable

Languages:

• Fluency in Turkish and professional proficiency in English is required.

Statements :

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.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.