All Across Africa Jobs 2018

All Across Africa is an international benefit corporation with headquarters in San Diego, California and offices in Bujumbura, Burundi, Kigali, Rwanda, Kampala, Uganda, Bolgatanga, Ghana.  This position will be specifically working out of the Bolgatanga, Ghana office. The position will be hands on and directly working to forecast, make patterns, research trends and designs for over 10 different lines of product, as well as build and maintain operationally effective systems of production with thousands of rural artisans.

Job Description

Job Title: Product Designer

This role will be supporting the work of AAA’s executive leadership team. A successful candidate will have the opportunity to see their designs make their way to market in thousands of households and impact hundreds of livelihoods. It is a great opportunity to gain significant experience and exposure to building production systems in limited resource environments, all the while maintaining excellent design standards and having the chance to be creative with color, material, and process!

Do you want to put your design education and talent to good use and travel while doing it?  If you have a design talent and a drive to make a difference, this job is for you!

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Create and design new product lines for upcoming year and seasons with the direction of the creative director
• Develop spec packs with teams, complete with product pricing, components and order information
• Design and invent new ways to differentiate product lines each season
• Research, sketch and develop physical samples of new designs made from African material.
• Research history of Bolgatanga weaving skills and understand their weaving history, cultural designs, and significance of handcrafted product
• Suggest new trending colors, functions, textures and designs to incorporate in each seasons design for baskets and other woven products
• Significantly improve and increase productive capacity and efficiency by creating step-by-step training materials for staff and artisans, quality control documents and checklists, and suggesting creative process improvements on sourcing and utilizing materials
• Create and design new product lines for upcoming year and seasons with the direction of the executive leadership
• Develop spec packs complete with product pricing, components and order information
• Create order documents, organizing and indexing all designed product
• Establish ways to differentiate product line from competitors
• Research and sketch new designs made from African materials
• Brainstorm on new product lines and opportunities for new market introductions and future buyer meetings
• Support package design for product
• Create samples for market prospects 3-6 months prior to training programs (when possible)
• Prototype execution: being hands-on is a must!

• Write status reports to COO, Creative Director and Senior Designer on a weekly basis
• Sending images / comments of design samples to U.S. Team on a weekly basis
• Attend meetings via Skype with U.S Team on a weekly basis

ABOUT All Across Africa:

All Across Africa creates market-driven employment opportunities to improve and empower the lives of rural and poor people across Africa. We bring the best of business practices through market development, training, and teaching to producers in Africa. Our business model reaches deep into rural villages in the developing world and provides jobs that restore dignity and promote self-sufficiency. We work with over 3,200 artisans in Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, and Ghana who produce handcrafted home decor items of superior quality and design, and we connect these artisans to our developed external markets.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Education or experience with a specific focus on design: textile design, color theory and/or product development-Must have experience designing and developing products from beginning concepts to end production
• Effective organization and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and work in high-pressure situations
• Must be able to sketch, use Adobe design tools and communicate clearly and effectively
• Must have a proven ability to demonstrate patience, flexibility, energy, independence, quality-control procedures and self-motivation

Compensation

• Salary – Depends on Experience.
• Company house in Bolga for your stay.
• All work related travel expenses will be paid for.
• Lunch will be provided on work days

Instructions for Applying

• Email Portfolio in pdf formal or through a link
• Subject of Email – Ghana Designer Role
• CV & cover letter – Must be in pdf format