Terms of Reference: Illustrator(South Africa)

Who We Are

Girl Effect is an international non-profit that builds media that girls want, trust and need. From chatbots to chat shows, TV dramas to tech, our content helps adolescent girls in Africa and Asia make choices and changes in their lives. We create safe spaces for girls, sharing facts and answering questions about health, nutrition, education, and relationships, empowering girls with the skills to negotiate and redefine what they are told is possible “for a girl”.

Our reach is 50 million and counting. And we’re using technology to reach girls at scale so every girl can choose to be in control of her body, health, learning and livelihood.

Because when a girl unlocks her power to make different choices that change her life, it inspires others to do so too. She starts a ripple effect that impacts her family, community, and country.

That’s the Girl Effect.

Background

Springster is a global, mobile-first brand where girls 13-19 discover stories that make them feel more connected, visible and valued. They can find us on their favorite social channels, chat apps and Facebook Free Basics. Big Sis sits at the heart of our programme in South Africa. It’s a safe space for girls to learn about key SRH issues.

More than ten million users have so far engaged with Springster. Part of its success has been its focus on entertaining and engaging content. The best-performing content highlights the stories that defy convention, usually written in the first person and creates a strong emotional connection with the reader. Springster is available in over 50 countries, but our 6 priority countries are Indonesia, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Kenya and DRC. 

In 2018, Springster began testing and building a chatbot as an innovative means to reach girls. Towards this end, leveraging Artificial Intelligence, we created a “digital big sister” to give girls a safe, private, non-judgemental and accurate source for information on topics they don’t feel comfortable discussing elsewhere.

Big Sis is Girl Effect’s first, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered chatbot, reaching girls in South Africa at scale. Coming to life on Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, Big Sis provides girls with a private, online space where they can access trusted, non-judgmental advice about sex, STIs, HIV prevention, relationships and other sensitive topics they may not feel comfortable talking to anyone else about.

Big Sis at a glance

• Asking questions
• Curated answers
• Available on WhatsApp and Messenger 24/7
• Safeguarding
• AI-powered - understanding the language that girls use about sex and relationships
• A global product that is localized for the culture and language (South Africa)
• Fun interactive content and quizzes easy to navigate
• A persona the girl loves and relates to 
• Data-driven design

For specific reasons and as a result of an evaluation of the impact and value delivered by Springster as a parent brand, and Big Sis as a product,  a decision has been made to develop Big Sis into a separate and standalone brand. 

As part of this new brand and updated chatbot content launch, we have decided to refresh Big Sis’ visual representation and develop new illustrations to support this brand's work.

Scope Summary

Girl Effect is looking for an illustrator for our Big Sis team in South Africa to help create a refreshed illustrative look for Big Sis that will influence girls to think differently about themselves. This would be our V3 of Big Sis. You can see V1 and V2 here.

Responsibilities include

Designing a new look and feel for the Big Sis illustrations while still playing within the current brand guidelines:

• This will consist of developing a set of fun, engaging and youthful illustrations that apply to a broad range of scenarios and resonate with our target audience.
• Respectful to the brand guidelines. The insights about our users, colour schemes, and references provided in the brand values should be the primary inspiration for the fulfilment of the brief. 
• Mobile and user-friendly for the technical context of our user. All our content should be viewable on low-end devices. Understanding the challenges of designing for low-bandwidth environments and low-end phones would be favorable. 
• Upon acceptance of each design or concept, the graphic designer will provide GE with a packaged Adobe Illustrator/InDesign/Project file, and GE will retain all intellectual property rights.

 Expected Deliverables

The consultant will provide deliverables as per the scope of work. This will include the following:

• Follow the brand guidelines to deliver vector illustrations of Big Sis.
• Illustrations grouped by topic areas and catering to diverse cultural contexts.
• Use rough sketches/layouts for discussion and coordination with the Content Team.

Reporting

The consultant will report to the Regional Content Director of South Africa.

Expected Commitment

• The assignment is expected to take approximately 2 months to complete. 
• The consultant will be expected to spend up to 36 hours each week on the work and liaison with the create team and other stakeholders. 
• The consultant's assignment period is from 1st March 2023  to 1st May 2023.

Tentative Timelines

•       Terms of reference published: 10th February 2023
•       Deadline for responses: 23rd February  2023
•       Project commencement: 1st March 2023

Who You Are

Skills and expertise:

• Fluency in written and spoken English, as well as strong communication skills to work collaboratively with a global team
• 3+ years of professional visual design experience 
• Strong sense of photographic and illustrated poster design, creative storytelling and art direction
• You have experience in creating assets for youth brands, especially girls. Any experience in health-related content is a plus.
• Strong proven experience conducting similar work for the Development Sector.
• Ability to thrive as a collaborator/co-creator - willing to shape ideas as well as build on the ideas of others.
• Excellent working knowledge of design tools such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and Figma
• Advanced software skills in Adobe Creative Suite

Attitudes we are looking for: 

• Comfortable with shared decision making 
• Passionate about making a positive difference in the life of young women and girls.
• A ‘do-er thinker.’ 
• Highly empathetic and context-sensitive - able to balance conflicting needs and priorities decisively 
• Mission-driven and cares about making a difference in young people's lives and society's vulnerable sections.

Proposal Submission

Your proposal, should you be interested, should cover

• Your understanding of the brief and why you feel you are well-placed to advise us on this

• Portfolio

• As part of your application, please include a link or PDF of your portfolio of recent work, highlighting your abilities and experience relevant to the role, with specific examples of how you work, think, collaborate, and contribute to great design outcomes.
• Please note that we are unable to accept any applications without a portfolio.
• Credentials/CV
• Highlight work (if) done in other geographies.
• Reference-Provide at least three references for similar contracts with a description of the service provided, the value of the contract, and the contract periods of performance.
• Breakdown of Costs with applicable taxes and other charges clearly identified in USD. Consultants should provide their daily or hourly billing rate or their proposed fixed fee for the requested deliverables. 
• All applicable taxes should be quoted separately;

In the proposal, the bidder must demonstrate an understanding of the requirements described in the RFP and demonstrate how the bidder will meet the requirements of the evaluation criteria.

GE is not liable for any cost incurred during the award/contract preparation, submission, or negotiation of the award/contract. All submitted documentation and/or materials shall become and remain the property of GE.

VALIDITY of the proposal shall be for 90 days from the date of bid closure.

Evaluation Criteria

The criteria against which proposals will be evaluated are listed below.

Technical Evaluation

• Interpretation and understanding of this TOR - 10%
• Share your previous work/portfolio - 20%
• Showcases relevant experience in having done previous similar work with relevant agencies or organisations - 10 %
• Demonstrates an understanding of the multiple geographies that we operate in - 10%
• Experience and Qualification, share your CV/Credential- 20 %

Financial Evaluation

• Value for money/proposed budget breakdown - 30%

How to Apply

Please submit proposals, as described above, to suppliers@girleffect.org by 23 February 2023, 5:00 pm EAT latest. Please clearly mark your email with the subject ‘Big Sis Illustrator’‘.’

Tax

Applicants are advised to ensure that they clearly understand their tax position regarding local jurisdiction tax legislation provisions.

Disclaimer

GE reserves the right to determine the structure of the process, the number of short-listed participants, the right to withdraw from the proposal process, the right to change this timetable at any time without notice and reserves the right to withdraw this tender at any time, without prior notice and without liability to compensate and/or reimburse any party. GE shall inform ONLY successful applicant(s). The process of negotiation and signing of the contract with the successful applicant(s) will follow. 

Safeguarding

You may be required to undertake safeguarding checks. Shortlisted consultants will be assessed on our organizational values at the interview stage. The successful consultant will be expected to adhere to our safeguarding policy. We encourage you to read and understand our safeguarding policy, the executive summary of which can be found here. We have zero-tolerance for all forms of violence against children, beneficiaries and staff. 

Equal Opportunities 

Girl Effect Services is committed to equal opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. 

We are committed to building an organization that is increasingly representative of and works extensively with the communities that we serve. To this end, due regard will be paid to procuring consultancy service organizations and individuals with diverse professional, academic and cultural backgrounds.