Illustration Associate

Innovation Unit is growing, so we are looking to expand our talent pool of graphic design associates who are keen to use their design skills to work on complex, large-scale social change programmes, on a freelance basis.

Our design associates bring a range of competencies and expertise to the table and have different strengths across the various skills such as brand development, visualising new designs and systems model, creating new tools and frameworks, animation and illustration.

We will be focusing on your portfolio during the application stages and how well it matches our requirements for the role. Experience and technical skills will be considered as complimentary but these requirements are not fixed.

For the role of illustrator associate, we are looking for someone who can work alongside our in-house designer who can support us to visualise new system models and tools that will support our work to create social change.

This is an exciting role for an illustrator to broaden their portfolio in the non-profit and consultancy sector. You will be working across a wide range of different projects with different demographics.

Job Description

• Working alongside the in-house graphic designer to create engaging, appropriate and inspiring illustrations for a range of sectors.
• Taking complex information and concepts and making them accessible through strong use of storytelling and understanding of the demographic.
• Deliver work of the highest quality, ensuring it meets with design industry standards and effectively competes within a commercial and aesthetic context with other organisations.
• To illustrate with accessibility in mind.
• Brainstorming ideas when needed to push ideas forward, meet the needs of clients, and enable us to create change for effectively through the power of visual communication and the illustration of values, metaphors and images.
• Act as an advocate for high quality illustration on all assigned projects: offer guidance and advice to other teams on how illustration can have impact, budget and timescales.

Skills

We are looking for people who can work flexibly and creatively and who are excited to design for and make a difference to public and sector organisations and tackle inequalities.

We are actively seeking diversity of experience, including lived experience of our areas of work within our staff team as we know that this enriches our work. We would welcome someone bringing fresh energy and insight to Innovation Unit, challenging the organisation to work differently.

• Knowledge on using a human-centered approach; understanding the audience need and developing a visual concept to suit them.
• Strong interpersonal, presentation and communication skills necessary to present your solutions and to build trust and respect both with clients and the team.
• We welcome people from all sector backgrounds.

Experience

1+ years experience as an illustrator either as an independent agent or for another organisation. Graduates or those looking for their first commission welcome.

Degree or equivalent in illustration or creative field.

A portfolio that demonstrates:

• Evidence of your creative illustration skills.
• Creative illustration skills showing a range of diverse stories, people and concepts.
• Working with sensitive subjects and demographics.
• Extremely strong illustrative skills in realistic portraits and people.
• An example of work that depicts storytelling or a journey.
• At least one example that shows an excellent ability to condense complex information/data into an accessible format.

Technical Skills

• Adobe Illustrator
• Procreate
• Ability to transform hand drawn illustrations into digital assets.

Contract Details

LOCATION

We have colleagues in London, Edinburgh, Greater Manchester, Yorkshire and places in between. Our main base is in London but we don’t expect you to be there, work can be completed online.

DAY RATE

Competitive day-rate depending on expertise and level of seniority.

TYPE

Freelance contracting.

Please note that you need to be eligible to work in the UK and that we do not sponsor visas

HOURS

We are looking for people who can make themselves available 10 – 40 freelance days each year to work on Innovation Unit projects. We cannot guarantee how many days of work per year we provide, but will contact you whenever opportunities arise. We love having ongoing relationships with great graphic designers we work closely with.

REPORTS TO

Ellie Hegarty, Innovation Unit Graphic Designer and Graphic Design Associates Manager.