Lead Designer
Code for Africa (CfA) is seeking a passionate Design Lead to join our civic Technology Lab (TechLab) and drive design innovations that make a real difference across Africa. The TechLab spearheads the design, development and maintenance of all digital services and infrastructure at CfA.
As the Design Lead within the TechLab, you will lead a talented design team in crafting digital experiences that are not only visually compelling but also instrumental in enhancing governance and civic participation across Africa. Collaborating with a team of engineers, analysts, and product managers, you will work on projects ranging from open data portals to investigative journalism tools, all aimed at empowering citizens with actionable information. Your expertise in human-centred design, combined with your strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and ability to navigate the cultural and social nuances of the continent, will enable you to create products that resonate deeply with diverse communities.
If you are a visionary designer with a talent for storytelling and eager to collaborate with like-minded professionals, we welcome you to join our mission to build a more informed and engaged Africa. The successful candidate will work as part of a multinational and multilingual team dedicated to leveraging technology for positive societal impact.
Required: minimum requirements include:
- Bachelor’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Information Design, Graphic Design or a related field.
- Five years of experience in UI/UX design with a focus on service design.
- At least one year of experience in a leadership role.
- Knowledge of service design principles, user research methodologies, and experience in applying them in designing web applications and digital platforms.
- Expertise in design tools such as Figma, Sketch, and no-code/low-code development platforms such as Webflow, and Retool.
- Proven experience leading cross-functional collaboration with technical teams, writers, developers, and product managers to strategise and implement innovative, user-centric solutions.
- Extensive experience collaborating with Engineering and Product teams to deliver engaging digital products.
- A compelling portfolio showcasing innovative design solutions and leadership impact.
Preferred: candidates who can demonstrate the following will have an advantage:
- Experience leading and building a high-performing design team.
- Experience conducting service design workshops and facilitating cross-functional service design processes.
- Robust data visualisation skills (including creating charts, graphs and maps).
Responsibilities: Your daily responsibilities will include:
- Drive and optimise the overall UI/UX design strategy for CfA’s digital products, ensuring seamless, high-quality interfaces and interactions across mobile and desktop platforms.
- Lead the strategic adoption and integration of no-code/low-code tools within CfA, streamlining design and development processes to enhance efficiency and scalability.
- Shape the Design team’s playbook, documenting advanced team structures, workflows, and best practices to enhance collaboration and design efficiency across departments.
- Lead the gathering and evaluation of user requirements, working closely with CfA’s product managers and stakeholders to inform design decisions, minimise iterations, and improve efficiency through thorough research and prototyping.
- Oversee the conceptualisation of design ideas through storyboards, process flows, and sitemaps, ensuring alignment with project goals and maintaining clarity in the design process.
- Direct the creation of graphic user interface elements, such as menus, footers, sidebars, tabs, and widgets, ensuring they enhance user experience and meet high-quality standards.
- Ensure timely delivery of projects, maintaining a focus on continuous improvement of the design and overall user experience across CfA’s products.
- Lead proactive design enhancements, collaborating with data and design teams to elevate the quality of tools and visual narratives.
Language and Location Requirements:
- Location: Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa or anywhere else in Africa
- Languages: English
- Preferred but not required: Amharic, Arabic, Hausa, French or Kiswahili.
What We Offer:
- This is a Remote position.
- A competitive salary, subject to experience, with opportunities for performance-based growth, both in terms of career path and public stature.
- Medical insurance cover, underwritten by a remote-first provider to ensure cover wherever you are.
- A dynamic workplace, with a transnational team, occasional international travel, and generous vacation benefits.
- Ongoing opportunities to learn new cutting-edge skills and techniques/technologies to future-proof yourself in a rapidly evolving industry.
- A chance to shine on a global stage, writing for international audiences and interacting with colleagues around the world.