About Dalberg Design

Dalberg Design is the only design studio embedded within a strategic consultancy purely focused on social impact. We collaborate with other Dalberg businesses to extend the reach of design practices into the realms of policy, market ecosystems, cross-sector partnerships, and program, product and service development. Dalberg Design teams work around the world, creating a network of local experiences anchored in our 5 studios – Dakar, London, Mumbai, Nairobi, and New York – and Dalberg’s offices in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America.

Our fellowship program

Every year, we look for fellows to join our studios to deepen and extend Dalberg Design’s work and practice. We are passionate about collaborating with and growing social change leaders. Our fellows will be embedded within our teams and have hands-on experience with projects from the start. Each fellowship experience is unique and may vary in length, number of projects, and role within the team, depending on the needs of each studio. This is a full-time, paid opportunity of at least 3 months, with a monthly stipend and flexible start dates.

What we look for in all fellows:

You are eager to tackle complex global social issues, from health to climate change to financial inclusion, ensuring no community is left behind. You are excited to be a part of an interdisciplinary team that works in a highly collaborative and participatory environment with all manner of stakeholders – from communities in emerging markets to philanthropic funders and policy makers to management consultants.

You believe in the potential for human-centered design (HCD) tools and methods to create innovative and high-impact approaches to systemic challenges. You excel in generating fresh insights, inspiring breakthrough ideas and solving problems using a combination of creative and strategic thinking, and you want to put your skills to work – transforming the organizations that strive for change around the world, with the communities that they serve.

Qualifications || Join us if you are a…

Creative and rigorous thinker: You are an organized and thorough problem solver. You synthesize diverse streams of information and switch comfortably between macro and micro thinking to generate clear insights. You take pride in highly creative solutions and outputs.
Gritty and flexible doer: You jump into new contexts and projects with a “roll up your sleeves” mentality. You produce excellent work and aren’t afraid to iterate along the way, while keeping yourself organized, resourceful and accountable.
Clear communicator: You understand the power of strong stories that weave together qualitative and quantitative information. You strive for clear, persuasive communication regardless of medium, with strong attention to detail.
Budding human-centered designer: You have applied design thinking approaches in the real world and are eager to dive deeper. You have a strong baseline familiarity with design methods and are committed to refining your craft.
Experience working with different cultures: You have worked across diverse cultures and communities, approaching complex political and cultural environments with sensitivity and with an ability to engage diverse individuals and communities in an equitable and participatory way.

Skills & Experience || Join us if you have…

Work experience in social impact or development: worked with international development institutions, social or public agencies, non-profits and NGOs, mission-driven corporates, startups and social enterprises. Experience in Africa, India, Southeast Asia or Latin America is a plus.
HCD track record: worked at design agencies, with design teams, or on design projects
Client services exposure: collaborated with teams, clients, donors and partners in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
Proficiency in English, written & spoken is required. French, Swahili and other African languages are a plus! For opportunities in Dakar, bilingual French/English is a requirement.
Ability and willingness to travel abroad for some client work, when we are able to again (typically 1-3 weeks at a time per project, for up to 30% of the total fellowship duration, under non-pandemic circumstances)

Responsibilities || What you’ll contribute to over the course of your fellowship:

Client projects: You will have opportunities to stretch your current skill set, learn on the fly, and manage your own work streams within project work. You will collaborate with teams through various aspects of project implementation, from planning and logistics, to design research and prototyping, to product design, to developing strategic frameworks and polished client deliverables. We will work with each fellow to assess their existing skills and expertise, and define how their goals and skills can best align with our pipeline of work.
Dalberg Design studio building: As a growing business, part of our work is bolstering our internal capacity. We will work with our fellows to identify mutually beneficial projects within our emerging practice that may include marketing and communication, tool development, operational projects, business development, research and thought leadership.

DESIGN & RESEARCH FELLOW

NAIROBI

Key Skills & Experience

2-4 years of work experience in communications and visual design
A strong understanding of design, visualization, color, and typography
Comfort sketching to rapidly develop and synthesize ideas during research, prototyping, or workshops
Experience with design research, synthesis, ideation, and creative facilitation
Ability to evolve work by integrating diverse feedback into high-fidelity, production-ready deliverables for print and digital mediums

Apply Now