Inclusive Design - Research Officer

at  Sightsavers

Overview:
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

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:

• Proficiency in additional languages such as French, Portuguese, Arabic, Swahili, or Yoruba.
• Understanding of inclusive design principles and accessibility standards.
• Lived or cultural experience of any of our programme countries.
  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.
  Closing date: 1 December 202

We are seeking a people-focused Design Researcher with excellent interpersonal, organisational, and research skills. You will ensure our projects are designed and implemented inclusively and accessibly, providing valuable insights to the design process.
You will support the inclusive design manager and design project manager with your research, administrative, and communication skills. Your efforts will help deliver design and communication solutions for colleagues working in social behaviour change (SBC) and programme delivery in Africa and Asia. You will gather and analyse information to improve existing products and services and influence new initiatives for Sightsavers’ health and inclusion programmes.

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.
Skills and Experience:
The Design Researcher is a people-focused professional with excellent interpersonal, organisational, and research skills. They understand local cultural contexts, including customs, traditions, social norms, languages, and communication styles. They conduct thorough desk reviews and gather performance data, ensuring comprehensive and insightful research.
With strong administrative and communication skills, the Design Researcher organises user testing sessions and supports meeting administration. They are interested in local media landscapes and skilled at identifying and evaluating local production suppliers and creative agencies. Their passion for promoting inclusivity and commitment to improving outcomes for communities and individuals make them an invaluable asset to our team.