Graphic Designer Expert - Individual Contractor at The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability. The mission of UNIDO, as described in the Lima Declaration adopted at the fifteenth session of the UNIDO General Conference in 2013 as well as the Abu Dhabi Declaration adopted at the eighteenth session of UNIDO General Conference in 2019, is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) in Member States. The relevance of ISID as an integrated approach to all three pillars of sustainable development is recognized by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will frame United Nations and country efforts towards sustainable development.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Graphic Designer Expert - Individual Contractor

Requisition ID:  275582
Location: Abuja (FCT)
Category and Level: Consultants, CON
Department / Office: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Job Summary 
Result of Service:

• The ultimate result of the service is a comprehensive, professionally designed suite of advocacy, outreach, and organizational publications that significantly enhances UNODC CONGA's communication effectiveness, brand consistency, and donor visibility. Specifically, the Individual Contractor shall deliver:
• (a) five fully designed Strategic Dialogue white papers in both print-ready and web-optimized formats, accompanied by a matching website header for the Strategic Dialogue microsite;
• (b) a quarterly newsletter for March, laid out in PDF and email-ready formats;
• (c) complete branded materials for the Country Programme launch, including two backdrops and one roll-up banner; (
• d) two roll-up banners for the TOC project;
• (e) a professionally laid-out Nigeria TOC Strategy document and accompanying Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs);
• (f) a creatively designed concertina fold-out aidémoire derived from a 12-page (three-card, four-sided) SGBV reference document, featuring updated layout and improved user navigation;
• (g) five refreshed and updated posters with harmonized visual identity;
• (h) a comprehensively redesigned and harmonized 50-page Crime Scene Investigation manual, with updated layout, typography, and visual elements; and (i) a concise, user-friendly quick-reference aide-mémoire derived from the CSI manual, professionally designed to maintain visual consistency with the updated manual.
• All deliverables shall strictly adhere to UNODC branding guidelines and any applicable donor visibility requirements.
• The ultimate outcome is a coherent, professional, and engaging visual identity across all CONGA publications and outreach materials, resulting in improved readability, stronger user engagement, enhanced stakeholder trust, and more effective communication of UNODC's mandate in Nigeria.

Duties and Responsibilities

• UNODC Country Office for Nigeria (CONGA) contributes to peace and security, human rights and development by making Nigeria safer from drugs, crime, corruption and terrorism by working for and with the Nigerian government and people to promote justice, the rule of law, and to build resilient societies.
• The main objective of the assignment is for the Individual Contractor to support the office communication efforts across print, digital, and offline platforms.
• The individual contractor will be responsible for conceptualizing, designing, and producing high-quality visual materials that align with UNODC and donor visibility requirements.
• The incumbent should understand communication and branding concepts and have good ICT skills.
• Creativity and a keen eye for detail are key to this position. Specific tasks to be performed by the Individual Contractor: Under the direct supervision of the UNODC CONGA Communications Officer, the Individual Contractor shall produce the following deliverables.
• All deliverables must strictly adhere to UNODC branding guidelines and any applicable donor visibility requirements (e.g., European Union, Global Fund, GIZ, etc.). The individual contractor will undertake the following outputs/deliverables in consultation with the UNODC Country Office, Nigeria
• Output 1: Digital & Social Media Visual Assets The Individual Contractor shall produce a minimum of ten unique, high-resolution, web-optimized graphic assets per month. These include, but are not limited to, social media cards for X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and Facebook, Instagram stories, quote graphics, event teasers, and campaign banners. All assets shall be delivered in .PNG, .JPG, and source (.PSD/.AI or .AFPHOTO) file formats. Acceptance criteria require approval by the Communications Officer, full compliance with UNODC brand guidelines, and verified correct placement of donor logos where applicable. Output 2: Print & Event Collateral The Individual Contractor shall produce print-ready files for various event-related materials as requested, including roll-up banners, flyers, posters, brochures, event programs, name tags, and promotional merchandise such as t-shirts, notebooks, pens, and lanyards. Each deliverable shall include complete technical specifications for external printers, including bleed, CMYK color profile, and resolution requirements. Acceptance is confirmed when the files are successfully accepted by an external printing vendor without production errors.
• Output 3: Report & Knowledge Product Layout The Individual Contractor shall provide complete layout and design services for up to two major institutional reports per contract period (estimated at one per quarter). Such reports may include the CONGA Annual Report, a thematic study, or a donor progress report. Services shall include cover design, internal page layout, data visualization through infographics and charts, and graphic design for executive summaries. Acceptance requires written approval by the Communications Officer and Senior Management, as well as verification that all data visualizations are factually accurate as provided by the programme team.
• Output 4: Newsletter & Periodic Publications The Individual Contractor shall design and layout a quarterly e-newsletter, delivering four issues per contract period. Each issue shall be produced in PDF format as well as email-ready HTML or image format, featuring programme highlights, human-interest stories, key statistics, and donor acknowledgements as applicable. Acceptance requires approval by the Communications Officer and demonstrable consistency with the branding of previous issues.
• Output 5: Brand Archive & Quality Assurance Throughout the contract period, the Individual Contractor shall maintain a version-controlled digital archive of all materials on the CONGA-designated platform (OneDrive, SharePoint, or office server). The archive shall contain three versions of each asset: print-ready files, web-optimized files, and source/editable files. Additionally, the Contractor shall produce a simple style guide cheat sheet for CONGA staff reference. On a monthly basis, the Contractor shall submit a Quality Assurance log confirming that brand compliance checks have been performed on all outgoing materials. Acceptance requires the archive structure to be verified by the Communications Officer and each monthly QA log to be signed off.
• Output 6: Presentation & Training Decks The Individual Contractor shall redesign and format up to three PowerPoint presentations per month to UNODC visual standards. Services shall include creation or modification of slide masters, consistent iconography, chart formatting, and optimized photo placement. Where required, presentations shall also be converted to PDF format for offline distribution. Acceptance requires approval by the Communications Officer, with no orphaned slides, broken formatting, or off-brand color usage.
• Output 7: Short-form Multimedia Assets If the Individual Contractor possesses video or motion graphics skills, they may be requested to create animated GIFs or short video clips of fifteen to thirty seconds duration for social media advocacy campaigns. Such assets shall be produced using provided footage, still images, or approved stock resources, and delivered in .MP4 and .GIF formats. Acceptance requires approval by the Communications Officer and compliance with file size limits for each target platform.
• This output is not mandatory for contract fulfillment but will be considered an advantage during evaluation.

Qualifications / Special Skills

• Education - A first-level university degree (Bachelor's degree or equivalent) in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Digital Media, or a closely related field is required.
• An advanced diploma or higher qualification in the above fields is considered an asset.
• In the absence of a university degree, an advanced diploma in Graphic Design combined with additional relevant experience may be accepted.
• Work Experience Required: minimum of five (05) years of progressively responsible experience in graphic design, digital media communications, or a related visual content creation role.
• Proven proficiency in layout design, typesetting, and typography, with demonstrated ability to select appropriate fonts and create well-structured, readable, and visually balanced designs.
• Strong attention to detail, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and brand compliance across all designed materials.
• Expert-level proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Acrobat Pro. - Solid understanding of printing processes and document production, including knowledge of different printing formats (e.g., digital, offset), color profiles (CMYK/RGB), bleed requirements, and file preparation for external vendors.
• Proven experience in sourcing licensed and open-source visual assets (including icons, illustrations, and stock photography) and ensuring their appropriate, legal, and compliant use across all design outputs.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to receive feedback, collaborate with a communications team, and explain design decisions to non-technical staff.
• Demonstrated experience working with the United Nations system, a UN agency, or another international organization, including familiarity with UN branding and visibility guidelines. Desirable:
• Prior experience in branding, knowledge management, or the development of communications products specifically related to crime prevention, rule of law, justice sector reform, or counter-terrorism.
• Experience creating accessible design products (e.g., for persons with disabilities), including knowledge of contrast ratios, readable fonts, and alternative text formatting.
• Basic motion graphics or video editing skills (e.g., Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro) are an added advantage.

Language:

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English is required for this consultancy.
• The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).

Application Closing Date
21st April, 2026.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online