Graphic Designer Consultant

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer Consultant

Company: IOM (International Organization for Migration)

Location: Lebanon (Remote)

Job Type: Consultant (Contractor)

Category: Graphic Design / Visual Communications

Date Posted: May 08, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Remote Solely

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is crucial for visually translating complex humanitarian and development project outcomes into accessible and impactful communication materials.

• The Graphic Designer Consultant will be instrumental in enhancing the visibility and understanding of the MHPSS (Mental Health and Psychosocial Support) program's initiatives within Lebanon.

• The position demands a strong blend of creative design skills and an understanding of humanitarian communication principles and UN/INGO branding guidelines.

• Success in this role hinges on the ability to produce high-quality, culturally sensitive designs that resonate with diverse target audiences, including local partners and beneficiaries.

📝 Enhancement Note: Based on the "Category B consultant: tangible and measurable outputs of the work assignment" designation and the detailed deliverables, this is a project-based consultancy focused on specific, quantifiable design outputs rather than ongoing operational support. The remote nature and focus on project-specific materials suggest a flexible, output-driven engagement.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and develop visually engaging assessment reports, program overviews, and Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials for the IOM MHPSS program, adhering strictly to IOM's publication and branding guidelines.

• Create compelling infographics and illustrations that clearly communicate essential program information, such as available services and referral pathways, to target beneficiaries and stakeholders.

• Provide design support to local partners involved in the project, assisting them with their communication materials and ensuring alignment with project messaging and IOM standards.

• Develop impactful visibility materials for capacity-building initiatives and other project-related activities, enhancing project outreach and recognition.

• Ensure all designed materials are culturally sensitive, contextually appropriate, and may require adaptation or full design in Arabic to maximize reach and understanding.

• Collaborate closely with program teams, actively receive and incorporate feedback, and perform necessary edits and revisions to finalize design products.

• Deliver final design files in editable formats (e.g., Adobe InDesign, Illustrator) and relevant output versions to the IOM MHPSS program through designated electronic sharing platforms.

• Undertake other design-related duties as assigned by the MHPSS Programme Manager or relevant IOM staff.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a direct contribution to project outcomes through design, with a clear mandate to support both internal IOM materials and external partner communications. The requirement to create "tangible and measurable outputs" points to a project-centric approach to design deliverables.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in graphic design, specifically within UN agencies, International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs), or local NGOs.

• Proven experience working in both humanitarian and development contexts, demonstrating an understanding of the unique communication needs in these environments.

Required Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in design software and technologies, including Adobe Design Premium, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, and potentially CorelDraw and Dreamweaver.

• Strong practical background in graphic production, managing projects from concept to final published/printed product.

• In-depth knowledge of printing processes (offset and digital printing) and robust color management skills.

• Demonstrated ability to create culturally sensitive designs, with a capacity for designing materials in Arabic.

• Excellent organizational and time management skills, crucial for meeting project deadlines and managing multiple deliverables.

• Strong teamwork orientation coupled with the ability to work independently and proactively.

Preferred Skills:

• Previous experience working within the broader UN system.

• Familiarity with designing for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) programs or similar social impact initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "At least 3 examples of previous works with IOM should be demonstrated" strongly suggests that practical, verifiable experience with IOM's specific design standards and past projects is a critical, non-negotiable qualification. This goes beyond general NGO experience.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 3 distinct projects completed for IOM, demonstrating adherence to their branding and publication guidelines.

• A strong collection of diverse design projects (reports, brochures, posters, infographics, digital assets) created for humanitarian or development contexts.

• Evidence of end-to-end design process management, from initial brief to final print-ready or digital output.

• Examples that highlight the ability to translate complex information into clear, visually appealing narratives.

Process Documentation:

• The consultant is expected to maintain a clear workflow for design requests, feedback incorporation, and file management.

• Monthly progress reports should detail achieved tasks, design projects completed, and any challenges encountered in the design process.

• Final delivery of all design assets must include editable source files (Adobe InDesign, Illustrator) and appropriate output formats for both print and digital use.

• A structured approach to receiving and implementing feedback from program teams and supervisors is essential for iterative design refinement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "tangible and measurable outputs" and the specific deliverable of "monthly progress report outlining the achievement of assigned tasks" implies a need for the consultant to track and report on their design process and output delivery systematically. The portfolio requirement is particularly stringent regarding IOM-specific work.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Occupational Accident and Illness Insurance provided by IOM.

• Opportunity to contribute to impactful humanitarian projects focused on mental health and psychosocial well-being.

• Exposure to working with a leading UN agency and diverse international teams.

Working Hours:

• This is a full-time consultancy role, expected to align with standard professional working hours (approximately 40 hours per week). However, the nature of consultancy often allows for flexibility in scheduling, provided that deliverables are met and communication with teams is maintained during their working hours. Given the remote nature, a focus on responsiveness and timely output is key.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation based on industry standards for international consultants in similar roles and regions. The "Category B consultant" designation implies a fee structure tied to specific deliverables and outputs, rather than an hourly wage.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: International Humanitarian Aid / Migration Services.

Company Size: IOM is a large intergovernmental organization with thousands of employees globally. This specific role is part of the IOM Lebanon mission.

Founded: IOM was established in 1951, bringing a long history of experience in migration management and humanitarian assistance.

Team Structure:

• The consultant will primarily contribute to the MHPSS (Mental Health and Psychosocial Support) Unit and the Protection Programme within IOM Lebanon.

• Collaboration will extend to other Programme Units as required, indicating a matrixed reporting or project-based team structure.

Methodology:

• The project utilizes a needs assessment approach to inform interventions aimed at enhancing mental health and psychosocial well-being in post-conflict settings.

• Emphasis is placed on fostering social cohesion, peace, and recovery through community-based activities.

• Design methodology will focus on creating culturally sensitive, accessible, and impactful communication materials that support these project goals.

Company Website: https://www.iom.int/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company description highlights IOM's role as a leading UN agency in migration, emphasizing its commitment to humane and orderly migration and its collaborative approach with various partners. This context is vital for understanding the ethical and operational framework within which the graphic design work will be situated.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a specialized consultant role focused on graphic design, typically suitable for experienced professionals seeking project-based work. It is not a traditional internal operations or management track position but offers significant project impact.

Reporting Structure: The consultant will report to the MHPSS Programme Manager and work closely with the MHPSS programme team and potentially other programme units within IOM Lebanon.

Operations Impact: While not a direct "operations" role in the sense of process optimization or system management, the graphic design work has a profound impact on the effectiveness of operations by ensuring that project goals, services, and messages are communicated clearly and compellingly to beneficiaries, partners, and donors. Well-designed materials enhance program visibility, aid in information dissemination, and contribute to the overall success and perception of humanitarian initiatives.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in designing for humanitarian contexts, MHPSS, and UN/INGO communication standards.

• Portfolio Expansion: Gain significant, verifiable work samples for a prestigious international organization like IOM, enhancing future consultancy prospects.

• Cross-Cultural Experience: Develop a nuanced understanding of design challenges and best practices in diverse cultural settings, particularly within the Middle East.

• Networking: Build professional relationships with IOM staff and potentially partner organizations, opening doors for future collaborations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth opportunities are framed around enhancing the consultant's professional portfolio and specialized skills within the humanitarian design sector, rather than climbing a corporate ladder within IOM.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is a remote-only consultancy. There is no requirement to work from a physical IOM office.

Office Location(s): While the project is based in Lebanon and IOM has offices there, the consultant will work remotely, with no specific physical location requirement beyond being able to perform the duties from their chosen remote workspace.

Workspace Context:

• The consultant will manage their own remote workspace, ensuring they have the necessary equipment, stable internet connectivity, and a conducive environment for creative work and communication.

• Collaboration will primarily occur through virtual channels (email, video conferencing, shared drives), requiring strong digital communication skills.

Work Schedule:

• The role is structured as a full-time consultancy (approx. 40 hours/week), but the exact daily schedule can be flexible, provided that project deadlines are met and communication with the IOM team is maintained during their operational hours. This flexibility is a key aspect of remote consultancy work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "TELECOMMUTE" location type reinforces the fully remote nature of this consultancy, offering significant flexibility in work location and scheduling.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of application, CV, and critically, the portfolio, with a specific emphasis on IOM-related work.

• Skills Assessment/Interview: Likely a virtual interview to discuss design experience, approach to humanitarian design challenges, and proficiency with required software. This may include a discussion of specific portfolio pieces.

• Technical Test (Potential): A small design task or case study might be assigned to evaluate practical skills, speed, and adherence to briefs under time constraints.

• Final Selection: Based on overall qualifications, portfolio strength, interview performance, and cultural fit with IOM's values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight IOM Experience: Ensure at least 3 strong examples of previous work with IOM are prominently featured and easily accessible. Detail your specific role and contributions for each.

• Showcase Process: For each project, briefly explain your design process, from understanding the brief to final delivery. Include challenges faced and how you overcame them.

• Demonstrate Versatility: Include a range of outputs: reports, brochures, infographics, social media assets, etc.

• Cultural Sensitivity: If possible, include examples of designs adapted for specific cultural contexts or in Arabic.

• Clarity and Quality: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, easy to navigate, and showcases high-resolution, polished work. Use a professional online platform (e.g., Behance, personal website).

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand IOM's Mission: Familiarize yourself with IOM's work, particularly in Lebanon and regarding MHPSS. Understand their communication goals and target audiences.

• Review IOM Branding: Study IOM's official branding guidelines and publication manuals to anticipate design expectations.

• Prepare for Design Briefs: Be ready to discuss how you would approach a hypothetical design brief for an MHPSS program component, focusing on clarity, impact, and cultural relevance.

• Software Proficiency: Be prepared to discuss your experience with Adobe Creative Suite and any other relevant design tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit requirement for "At least 3 examples of previous works with IOM" means that candidates without this specific experience will likely not be considered, making it the most critical aspect of the portfolio review.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Essential. This includes Adobe InDesign (for layout and print production), Adobe Illustrator (for vector graphics and illustrations), and potentially Adobe Photoshop (for image editing).

• Other Design Software: Proficiency in CorelDraw and Dreamweaver is listed as a strong requirement, indicating potential use cases or legacy systems.

• File Sharing Platforms: Experience with cloud-based file sharing services like Dropbox is necessary for delivering editable design files.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not directly responsible for data analysis, the consultant must be able to interpret project information and data points provided for inclusion in reports and infographics.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this design role, as the focus is on content creation rather than system management.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specific mention of Adobe Design Premium, In-Design, Illustrator, CorelDraw, and Dreamweaver indicates the expected technical proficiency. The emphasis on "editable versions of materials created" highlights the importance of proper file management and software usage.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Inclusion and Respect for Diversity: Essential for creating designs that are sensitive and appropriate for diverse populations in Lebanon.

• Integrity and Transparency: Upholding ethical standards in design and communication, ensuring accurate representation of project information.

• Professionalism: Delivering high-quality work on time, maintaining a composed and competent demeanor in all interactions.

• Courage: Willingness to advocate for design best practices and challenge concepts that may not be culturally appropriate or effective.

• Empathy: Understanding the needs and perspectives of beneficiaries and stakeholders to create designs that resonate and support well-being.

Collaboration Style:

• Teamwork: Developing and promoting effective collaboration within the MHPSS Unit and across other programme units to achieve shared project goals.

• Delivering Results: A strong focus on producing high-quality, timely design outputs that meet project objectives.

• Managing and Sharing Knowledge: Continuously learning about new design trends, humanitarian communication strategies, and sharing insights with the team.

• Accountability: Taking ownership for assigned design tasks and ensuring successful delivery of all creative assets.

• Communication: Contributing to clear, open communication, and explaining design choices and their rationale effectively to non-designers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core competencies listed are standard for IOM but are particularly relevant for a consultant working in a sensitive humanitarian context. Empathy and respect for diversity are paramount for effective visual communication in post-conflict settings.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Cultural Sensitivity & Nuance: Designing materials that are appropriate and effective across diverse cultural, religious, and linguistic groups within Lebanon, especially for sensitive topics like mental health.

• Translating Complex Information: Visually interpreting and simplifying complex project data, MHPSS concepts, and humanitarian needs into clear, engaging graphics.

• Adhering to Strict Branding Guidelines: Balancing creative expression with the often-rigid branding and publication requirements of large international organizations like IOM.

• Remote Collaboration: Effectively communicating and collaborating with teams remotely, ensuring clear understanding of briefs and feedback without face-to-face interaction.

• Managing Multiple Stakeholder Feedback: Incorporating feedback from various program managers and teams to arrive at a final design that satisfies multiple perspectives.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Humanitarian Design Specialization: Gaining in-depth experience in designing for specific sectors like MHPSS and understanding the unique challenges and best practices in humanitarian communication.

• UN/INGO Design Standards: Mastering the branding, style guides, and communication protocols of a major UN agency.

• Cross-Cultural Design Experience: Enhancing skills in adapting designs for different cultural contexts, including advanced Arabic typography and visual language.

• Project Impact Visualization: Learning to effectively represent project impact, data, and services through compelling visual storytelling.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge will be the application of design skills within the specific, often sensitive, context of humanitarian work in Lebanon, requiring a high degree of cultural awareness and adaptability.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your experience designing for humanitarian organizations, particularly any previous work with UN agencies. What were the key challenges and how did you address them?"

• "How would you approach designing an infographic to explain mental health services to a population affected by conflict in Lebanon, considering cultural sensitivities and potential literacy levels?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you understand about IOM's mission and its work in Lebanon, especially concerning MHPSS?"

• "How do you ensure your design work aligns with organizational values such as inclusion, integrity, and respect for diversity, particularly in a multicultural environment?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio logically, perhaps by project type or by client. Clearly label each piece with the client, your role, and the date.

• IOM Focus: Dedicate a prominent section to your IOM work. For each piece, explain the brief, your design concept, the tools used, and the impact or outcome.

• Process Explanation: For key projects, be ready to briefly explain your design process, from initial concept to final delivery, highlighting problem-solving and decision-making.

• Cultural Sensitivity Examples: If you have examples of designs adapted for specific cultural contexts or in Arabic, be prepared to discuss them in detail.

• Technical Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator) and any other relevant software.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should be prepared to rigorously defend their portfolio, especially the IOM-specific examples, as this is a stated critical requirement. Understanding IOM's mission and values will be key to demonstrating cultural fit.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Graphic Designer Consultant position:

• Submit your application: Access the application portal via the provided URL and complete all required fields.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio prominently features at least three distinct examples of previous design work completed for IOM. For each piece, clearly articulate the project brief, your specific contributions, the design process, and any measurable outcomes or feedback received.

• Tailor Your CV: Optimize your CV to highlight your extensive experience (5+ years) in graphic design within UN agencies and INGOs, specifically mentioning humanitarian and development contexts. Emphasize proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and any experience with Arabic design.

• Prepare for Interview: Research IOM's mission, values, and recent work in Lebanon, particularly their MHPSS initiatives. Be ready to discuss your design philosophy, your approach to culturally sensitive design, and your experience with remote collaboration.

• Understand IOM Branding: Familiarize yourself with IOM's publication guidelines and branding manual to demonstrate an immediate understanding of their visual standards.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

---