Design Strategist (General)

DESIGN STRATEGIST (GENERAL)

Media 365 is seeking a Design Strategist (General) who is hard-working, strategic, resilient, a natural self-starter, curious and collaborative to join our team. We are looking for someone who can take full responsibility for creating strategies and solutions for public, private, social enterprises and non-profits on a wide range of topics covering the entire spectrum of sustainable development goals (SDGs). Collaborating in cross-functional teams that include researchers, designers, content creators and clients, the Design Strategist (General) will simplify complex problems into compelling design solutions. If you have a passion for solving complex problems, driving customer solutions, comfortable working on multiple projects at a time, and a team-player exhibiting Media 365’s core values including excellence, delightful and pleasant delivery, curiosity, humility, growth-mindset and solution focused, we’d love to hear from you!

About Media 365

Media 365 is an award-winning creative consultancy focused on creating brands, campaigns, products, services, experiences, and spaces that people love -through insights, strategy and content.

Established in Lusaka in 2008, we work with local and global clients in the public, private and non-profit sectors. We are change-makers who want to transform the African narrative and create a better life for Africans through innovation and creativity.

About The Job

Joining Media 365 means you’ll be joining our team where passionate researchers, strategists and creatives learn, develop, and grow. Work ethic is key to success in working with us.

Key Roles & Responsibilities

• Work hands-on within a project team and closely with clients to gather market, customer, and employee experience insights that can be combined and integrated into the broader solution.
• Apply strong consultative skills, articulate the overarching vision and story to support executive buy-in for recommended solutions
• Integrating workstreams across research, strategy and content, driving collaboration and ensure that the right people with the right knowledge and expertise are involved.
• Manage and prioritize workloads across multiple workstreams from concept to completion.
• Conduct research and analytics (e.g. experimental studies, quantitative analysis, modelling, stakeholder interviews, focus groups, other design methodologies) to understand the audience, the environment, the client’s strategy and capabilities and identify metrics to measure success, and support recommendations and solutions
• Synthesizing multiple sources of complex data to form aggregate insights enabling idea finding, problem definition, and opportunity finding for a product/ service
• Reviewing and validating work with peers, stakeholders and users, maintaining constant and open communication with team members
• Facilitate both internal and external synthesis and knowledge mapping sessions
• Formulate and present behavioural segmentations from customer/ audience data that is detailed enough to guide design decisions
• Write executive-level reports that clearly articulate the research, insights, recommendations and roadmaps, including but not limited to pitch decks with business cases, project briefs, insights presentations, final project reports etc
• Create other project deliverables including prototypes and other appropriate materials
• Present complex concepts in a manner that excites and creates enthusiasm for the proposed solutions
• Advocate and have empathy for the people whose lives the product or service will affect, inclusive of all actors in the ecosystem
• Plan, design and present materials for client sessions including facilitating meetings and workshops (in-person, remote and hybrid)
• Support the growth of Media 365 by writing proposals/ bids, refining or developing new processes, methodologies and industry thought leadership
• Any other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors’ degree or equivalent in industrial or interaction design, communications, business management or relevant social or natural science, or equivalent in work experience
• Certificate in Human Centred Design
• 6+ years of experience in service or organizational design, product management, product marketing, management consulting, consumer insights, innovation management or related fields
• Demonstrable experience approaching complex problems and thinking strategically about solutions, with clear and measurable objectives
• Business case development skills
• Good writing and presenting skills; you will present our work to clients, stakeholders and explain the thinking behind the work as well as facilitate workshops with clients and manage smaller breakout groups
• Experience in identifying and delivering on growth opportunities and bringing products or services to market
• A willingness to travel for research, workshops and client activities
• Business-level fluency in written and spoken English, with excellent abilities in drafting/ editing of technical reports
• Significant experience in professional client relationship management
• Excellent computer skills, particularly with Microsoft Word, Excel,
• PowerPoint
• Strong technical aptitude, can grasp concepts and new information easily
• Ability to mentor juniors
• Ability to maintain regular and meaningful communication
• High degree of organisational skills and problem-solving
• Work accurately and pay attention to detail
• Data analysis and information synthesizing skills
• Willingness to work beyond normal business hours and travel as required.
• Affinity with Media 365’s core values

Desirable

• A post-graduate degree
• Proficient in graphic design and/or data visualization
• Good math and statistical skills
• Research experience, particularly design research, ethnographic research, interviewing, survey design and data analysis
• Experience with digital collaboration tools such as Mural

Why Work at Media 365?

• Exciting and interesting projects
• Fast-paced, agile team great for growth-oriented individuals
• Competitive pay and gratuity
• Work from home (available as needed)
• Flexible work schedule (under special considerations)
• Communication allowance
• Annual training grant
• Professional and career development through our global network
• Mentorship from founding Directors
• Collegial and social work environment
• Mental health support (available as needed)
• Contributory lunch scheme (from our in-house catering team)

Work-Life Balance 

Work-life balance at Media 365 is in line with consulting norms, meaning your work hours will be dictated by the phase and requirements of the project assigned to you.

We work longer hours in weeks with close deadlines (reasonable to expect a 60-hour work week). However, in weeks with no immediate major deadlines, 40-hour work weeks are the norm.

While some work weeks may be longer than a standard 8 – 5 job, the benefits of being part of the team include interesting projects and the career learning and development that being part of our exclusive team develops.

Interested candidates who meet the criteria are encouraged to apply by completing this form here.