Inclusive Design Research Officer

Sightsavers implements projects in over 30 countries in Africa and South Asia working to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote the rights of people with disabilities.

Title: Inclusive Design Research Officer

Location: Haywards Heath – Hybrid working   

Contract: 12-month fixed term contract

Salary: £28,682 to £33,743 depending on experience

Responsibilities 

• Design Research: Conduct research on local cultural contexts, using resources like the Sightsavers image and design libraries, and validate findings with local teams.
• Desk Reviews: Review existing interventions and resources, gathering performance data and liaising with programme teams and colleagues.
• User Testing: Organise user testing sessions, plan and schedule activities, and create summary reports of feedback.
• Media Research: Research local media penetration to understand the landscape for effective communication with target audiences.
• Meeting Administration: Support meeting administration by taking notes and capturing outcomes to inform design research.
• Design Training: Assist in planning and coordinating inclusive design training sessions, preparing materials, and providing support.
• Supplier Mapping: Identify local production suppliers and creative agencies, and research sources for copywriting and translation of project materials.

This is a highly varied and involved role and the above is not an exhaustive list of duties or required professional skills. Please see the Job Description for full details.

Jobholder Requirements

Essential Skills:

• Demonstrable professional experience in design research, working with communications, service, or product designers.
• Excellent organisational and research skills.
• Ability to own your sphere of work and adopt a flexible, collaborative approach.
• Demonstrable sensitivity working cross-culturally and with different demographic groups.
• Excellent interpersonal skills: able to listen carefully, ask the right questions at the right time, and empathise and understand.
• Comfortable working to deadlines on multiple projects.
• A belief in the power of design and international development to make the world a better place.
• Understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity for disabled people.

Desirable Skills:

• Lived or cultural experience in any of the countries where Sightsavers operates.
• Proficiency in additional languages such as French, Portuguese, Arabic, Swahili, or Yoruba.
• Understanding of inclusive design principles and accessibility standards.

Closing date: 1 December 2024

Next Steps

To apply for this exciting new opportunity, please complete an application via our recruitment portal. We are particularly interested in learning of your motivations for applying.

As an equal opportunity employer, we actively encourage applications from all sections of the community. Sightsavers is a Disability Confident Leader and qualified people living with a disability are particularly encouraged to apply.