Tech Product Designer Full-time

Overview

Work Location: Remote; UTC±0 to UTC+3 time zones preferred; Must overlap at least 3 hours daily with U.S. Eastern time zone
Application Close Date: January 9, 2022
Estimated Start date: February 1, 2022
Department: Technology Innovation
Reports to: Director of Technology and Innovation
Terms: Full time, one year initial contract
Travel: Up to 20% international, including to HOT field project locations


About HOT

Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) sits at the nexus of participatory mapping, community-led development, humanitarian response, open data and tech. With a talented and diverse team spread around the globe, HOT is an NGO which supports a dynamic global community of thousands of dedicated volunteers using maps and open data for humanitarian response and the Sustainable Development Goals. Working with humanitarian and development partners like the Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières, UN agencies, governments and others, the HOT community maps in solidarity with those affected by or at risk of disaster, contributing the maps and data aid workers need to do their lifesaving work.

In 2020 the work of the HOT community was recognized by TED’s Audacious Project, a collaborative philanthropic initiative that serves as a springboard for social impact on a grand scale, leading to an exciting new phase of growth. HOT is expanding its activities: opening four regional hubs and scaling up its support to local mapping communities with the audacious goal of mapping an area home to one billion people in 94 countries at high risk of disasters or experiencing poverty - mapping with communities before they are in crisis.



About You



You are passionate about putting people at the centre of technology. You are driven by delivering delight to a community of diverse and unique users. You are a solution hunter and believe that value is delivered when the right solution is in the right hands. You appreciate the sophistication in simplicity and strive to build experiences that build users. You are passionate about principles that drive inclusive technologies and love to translate empathy into experiences.



About the Role

The Product Designer will contribute their creative energy to a passionate team of open source hacktivists. You will be responsible for capturing user insights and creating a collage of imaginative ideas which can be realised through agile collaboration with a team of technical superstars. You will ignite HOT’s dynamic community of digital humanitarians by understanding the needs of a diverse group of staff, stakeholders, volunteers, contributors and users in order to inspire user flow and delight as we map an area home to one billion people.

You will work closely with the Director of Technology and Innovation and the Senior Technical Lead to support the entire team with User Experience and Product Design projects. You will lead and mentor the creative growth of our team and contribute to a culture of open sourced, human centred and inclusive technologies that inspire humanitarian action.

You’ll be involved in every aspect of our product development process, from early concept, to wireframe, to prototype/mockup, to pixel perfect design, build, and launch. Since we are a small team, you'll also have your hand in directing and prioritizing the product roadmap. In this role, you'll be responsible for owning the user experience across HOT’s existing and future projects.





The Product Designer will advance HOT’s mission by operationalizing the HOT_Tech core ethics:

Human: Our Human ethic is our commitment to people as our priority. At the centre of all our technology sits a human. The ultimate purpose of our technology is to improve human conditions. We use technology to enable and amplify human efforts. We support them at personal and professional levels. We invest in their well-being and their growth. We provide security and stability. When our people thrive, so do we.
Open: Our Open ethic permeates all we do. Our actions reflect radical openness and transparency. We encourage open inputs and outputs. Our team and technology openly welcomes and engages community, collaboration and contribution.
Truth: Our Truth ethic reflects an OpenStreetMap core principle; the ‘truth on the ground’. Our activities and decisions will be guided by this ethic, conflicts not easily resolved will defer to this ethic to determine what best reflects and prioritizes the truth on the ground.
HOT_Tech Principles > Can be found here >> https://github.com/hotosm/tech/blob/master/principles/README.md

The Product Designer will coordinate and collaborate with key HOT_Tech supporting functions including the Director of Technology, Senior Technical Lead, Module Owners and the Community Manager.





Priority Areas for Action and Responsibilities



Human Centred, Inclusive Experiences: As reflected in our core ethic, we want humans to be at the centre of all we do. The Senior Design Lead will advocate and prioritise this ethic in all dimensions of their role. You will lead the design of user experiences that engage and include all users from the centre, to the edge of the map.
Lead, Support, Mentor: The Senior Design Lead will inject creative inspiration into the entire team. You will support the module teams in translating user needs to product requirements and provide input for backlog prioritisation. You will facilitate and unlock a culture of design and delight and provide the team with the tools and mentorship to exercise their creativity.
Connect, Collaborate, Co-create: Through close collaboration with the Senior Technical Lead and Director of Technology and Innovation you will distil the HOT Technology Strategy into elegant technology solutions that respond to community needs. The Senior Design Lead will connect and collaborate with the HOT community to co-create simple, yet sophisticated experiences that support and enhance a mapper’s growth and journey.


Responsibilities

Contribute to the creative vision and implementation of the HOT technology strategy
Conceptualise ideas that bring simplicity and user friendliness to complex design challenges
Facilitate the design thinking process including user research, discovery and product concept to imagine the HOT technology strategy into existence
Develop and implement successful design strategies, working with and managing feedback from the global HOT community.
Collaborate with HOT’s global tech team and open source community to define, build, and release new user centred updates and enhancements
Oversee all design projects, from conception to delivery
Construct user flows, wireframes, and prototypes that effectively communicate design concepts for validation.
Develop and deliver well-documented, product design that accurately reflect HOT’s mission
Mentor and guide team members, helping them develop and grow.
Creatively guide the team's design culture through collaboration, feedback, and iteration.
Additional graphic/visual design assistance and tasks as required


Qualifications & experience

Qualification in relevant creative field or a strong portfolio of relevant creative projects
5+ years experience with interaction design, user experience design, or similar field
5+ years experience designing digital products and systems.
Experience working in a dynamic open source community across multiple stakeholder groups and with multiple concurrent projects; OpenStreetMap (OSM) an advantage
Experience working in international humanitarian or development agencies/NGOs
Working knowledge of Principles for Digital Development and Human Centred Design
Experience managing diverse, distributed teams over multiple geographies
Demonstrated ability to design and define user experiences from whiteboards and post-its to wireframes and prototypes; tool and software flexible.
Demonstrated history of mentoring, teaching, or guiding other designers and team members
Experience guiding or contributing to agile teams or projects.
Role Specific Skills

A creative mind with a problem-solving attitude
Facilitating inclusive design thinking methodology; online facilitation an advantage
Open and encouraging communication
Leadership and organizational skills along with a keen eye for visual details
Strong understanding of web interactions: patterns, best practices, common challenges website developers face and solutions to those challenges.
Have a collaborative, self-motivated, "always-learning" spirit, driven to improve user experiences everywhere at all times through smart design and applied effort.
Be fluent in working in a fully or partially remote work environment
Strong skills working across graphics and product design tools.


Are you missing a few of the technical skills listed? We would still like to see your application. While the skills above fit our vision of this role, we are open to those candidates with a strong knowledge foundation that are fast learners and highly motivated to close any skill gaps.



Compensation

HOT values transparency and equity. All HOT compensation globally is set according to a framework detailed on our website. HOT offers a work-from-anywhere culture, flexible working arrangements, and various other benefits that support staff wellbeing.



Equal Opportunity

We seek to recruit persons that reflect the diversity of the communities we work with. HOT does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender identity and expression, national origin, race and ethnicity, physical ability, religious or belief systems, political convictions, or sexual orientation. Further, HOT seeks to support the development and advancement of staff within the organization. Our staff includes people who are parents and nonparents, the self-taught and university educated, and from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds, lived experiences, and perspectives on the world. HOT is an equal opportunity employer. We seek to live our values and promote inclusivity in all locations. All of our staff work collectively and individually to promote a constructive and sensitive approach to others from a variety of backgrounds, where the work of all is valued and respected.



HOT is committed to diversity within our team, and recognizes our role in closing the digital divide, including identifying obstacles that certain groups face in developing skills needed for roles in the humanitarian & technology sectors. Women, nationals of developing countries, and members of other underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.



To Apply

Please complete the application by January 9, 2022 . Your CV/resume should not exceed 2 pages.