Illustration Consultant at One Acre Fund

Responsibilities

Development of New Illustrations

• For practices where no visual materials exist, create technical illustrations that depict agricultural practices (following One Acre Fund’s brand guidelines).
• Collaborate with technical experts to ensure accuracy and alignment with agronomic recommendations.
• Participate in 2-3 farmer testing sessions (with HCD and Extension team support).
• Revise illustrations based on farmer comprehension, usability, and technical feedback.

Testing and Revising Existing Materials

• Review and test existing training and communication materials with farmers (coordinated by HCD/Extension teams).
• Identify issues with comprehension, clarity, or usability.
• Provide updated versions of illustrations for design team integration.

Knowledge Capture and Best Practices

• Develop a short practical checklist/guide for future technical agricultural illustrations, summarising design principles, common pitfalls, and farmer feedback.

Deliverables

• Complete set of technical illustrations for 2-3 agricultural practices (final number of illustrations to be agreed once topics are confirmed).
• Any visual materials needed to test illustrations.
• A short practical checklist on illustration best practices (max. 1 page).
• File outputs in vector (AI, EPS, or SVG) and high-resolution raster (PNG/JPEG) formats adaptable for print and digital use.
• 3 rounds of revisions per illustration (or as agreed in the contract).

Timeline

• Estimated consultancy period: 4 months

Illustrative breakdown of days per set of illustrations (final to be discussed with candidate):

• 2 days: Initial illustration creation
• 1 day: Creating prototype/testing materials
• 1-3 days: Incorporating team feedback
• 4-5 days: Travel and participation in farmer testing workshops
• 1 day: Data logging and synthesis
• 2-4 days: Revisions of illustrations and testing materials
• Additional buffer days for review and sign-off

Reporting Structure

• The consultant will report to the global HCD Lead
• They will collaborate closely with the global design team, country HCD teams, and relevant technical specialists

Qualifications

Across all roles, these are the general qualifications we look for. For this role specifically, you will have:

• Proven experience in diverse illustration style, with a portfolio showcasing technical or instructional visuals (ideally agricultural or scientific content).
• Ability to translate complex technical practices into clear, accessible visuals.
• Basic graphic design skills are an advantage (preparing mockups or prototypes), but not essential. Final redesign and layout work will remain with One Acre Fund’s design unit.
• Experience working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams (designers, researchers, technical experts).
• Familiarity with user testing and iterative design processes.
• Understanding of rural farming contexts in East Africa is an advantage.
• Based in East Africa, to ensure ease of collaboration with country programs.