Consultant (Cartoon Illustrator/Sketch Artist) at Mercy Corps Nigeria

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action - helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.  In Nigeria, Mercy Corps has worked since 2012 by focusing its programming on adolescent girls’ empowerment, economic development, conflict mitigation, and humanitarian response.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultant (Cartoon Illustrator/Sketch Artist)

Location: Abuja

Project Summary

• The Educating Nigerian Girls in New Enterprises (ENGINE) II Programme seeks the services of a CARTOON ILLUSTRATOR/SKETCH ARTIST for the development of a multimedia video targeted at the launch of the second phase of the programme.
• ENGINE II is an Adolescent Girls’ Education programme funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) through its Girls’ Education Challenge (GEC) Fund, implemented over 3 years - April 2017 to March 2020. Mercy Corps leads the implementation of ENGINE II in Nigeria, along with Society for Women Development and Empowerment of Nigeria (SWODEN) in Kano, Action Health Incorporated (AHI) in Lagos, Kindling Hope Across Nations Initiative (KHAN) in Kaduna and Tabitha Cumi Foundation in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
• Through the first Phase of the programme, it successfully transformed the lives of over 21,000 marginalised girls by facilitating learning, skills acquisition and entrepreneurship. The first phase of the programme ran from October 2013 and ended in March 2017 and the inception period of the 2nd phase is currently ongoing.
• ENGINE II aims to build innovative partnerships with girls, communities, civil society and the public and private sectors to achieve three outcomes in the areas of: Learning, Transition and Sustainability.
• The programme launch, which is scheduled to take place separately in three of the four ENGINE II implementing states and a national launch in the FCT, will provide a platform for sharing learning from the implementation of the programme’s first phase with the programme’s stakeholders and strategic implementation partners as well as set the stage for a shared understanding of the design and approach of ENGINE II. This shared understanding will in turn lay the foundation for cross sector collaboration that will help targeted girls transit from one level of learning to another level of learning and from learning to work as ENGINE II is activated in the programmes’ four (4) target states.
• This is the backdrop against which the production of an ENGINE II Multimedia video is proposed. Mercy Corps requires the services of a cartoon illustrator/sketch artist to develop footage that would be used to showcase the focus of the ENGINE II programme at the scheduled launch in three of the four ENGINE II implementing states and nationally in the FCT.

Rationale For The Multimedia Video

• The choice to produce a multimedia videos is aimed at providing engaging communication; and to do this by combining different content forms; text, audio, images, animations and interactive content that is led by the voices of the marginalised girls who benefitted from the first phase of implementing ENGINE (October 2013 and March 2017); and to use this engaging communication to facilitate the building of innovative partnerships with girls, communities, civil society and the public and private sectors at the launch and subsequent implementation of ENGINE II. Multimedia contrasts with media that use only rudimentary computer displays such as text-only or traditional forms of printed or hand-produced material.
• It is expected that the proposed ENGINE II multimedia video brief, playing up the power of contrast will significantly improve the understanding of the programme design and implementation structure for ENGINE II, by responding to the different communication needs of strategic implementation partners and key stakeholders that will be present at the official launch of the programme in its four target states.

Objective Of The Consultancy
The aim of this consultancy is to:

• Produce creative and engaging multimedia videos showcasing best practices and lessons of the ENGINE I programme, as well as the vision/target for ENGINE II across the four implementing states.
• Showcase the experiences of marginalised girls and how the interventions provided on ENGINE I have positively changed their lives, families and communities.

The proposed multimedia videos will be edited into three different story cuts within the same theme, into five minutes, ten minutes and fifteen minutes versions and will be edited to internationally accepted standards:

• Aspect ratio: HDTV1920x1080,
• Frame rates: 24fps and/or 30fps,
• Audio sample rate: 24bits-48khz,
• Export setting: MOV, MP4.

Scope Of Work

• The Cartoon Illustrator/Sketch Artist will work with an editing script provided by the ENGINE II team and shall develop LIVE sketches and illustrations for the videos as required to tell the best audio-visual story possible.
• At various points, the Cartoon Illustrator/Sketch Artist may be required to work with the Consultant Video Editor to finalize the proposed videos.
• Approval of finalised sketches will be done by the Film Director/ENGINE II Communication Advisor.

Key Deliverables
The successful consultant(s) is expected to submit a clear work plan to deliver on expected outputs as outlined below:

• Cartoon Illustrator/Sketch Artis:
  • Submit detailed production schedule and timelines for approval.
  • Receive approved script and develop all required sketches/illustrations for ENGINE II Multimedia Videos, following the approved script.
  • Submit first set of sketches for comments by ENGINE II team.
  • Finalise sketches, based on comments/feedback from ENGINE II team.
  • Submit hard and electronic copies of ALL sketches/illustrations to ENGINE II Communications team.

In addition, the consultant(s) will be expected to attend a pre-production meeting, for proper planning and briefing, before this consultancy commences.

Location and Duration

• Cartoon Sketches/Illustrations will be done wherever the Sketch Artist/Illustrator is located. However, a pre-production planning meeting will be held in Abuja upon contracting of the successful consultant(s) and at various points, the Cartoon Illustrator may need to work with the Consultant Video Editor on this production.
• The Consultant(s) will be supervised by the Communication team of ENGINE II. The total number of working days required for the conclusion of this consultancy is 20 days, including sketching/illustration development, editing, reviews and final submission of the multimedia video.

Child Protection and Safeguarding:

• The consultant(s) will receive a briefing and orientation on the Child Protection/Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct guiding the implementation of ENGINE II, and overall guidelines for ensuring a safe environment when working with materials that represent children.

Ownership:

• The sketch works (hard and soft copies), raw footages and entire edited multimedia video are the sole property of ENGINE II/DFID. Logos of the donor and implementing partners; Mercy Corps, SWODEN, AHI, KHAN and TCF will be placed in approved locations in the video. The selected consultant’s name and logo shall only be acknowledged in the closing credits under ‘Production and Post Production by’ and not on the photographs or video clips.

Accountabilities and Responsibilities

• The Consultant(s) shall report directly to the Communication Advisor of ENGINE II, with overall approval of final version from the ENGINE II Programme Manager, both based in Abuja.

Expertise Required And Prequalification
All proposals will be evaluated against the following criteria:

• Demonstrated experience and competency in conducting similar assignments. We expect three to five years working experience for all potential consultants.
• Individual competency to deliver the services.
• Clear work plan and articulation of expected methodologies and outputs.

Cartoon Illustrator/Sketch Artist:

• Demonstrated experience and competency in conducting similar assignments. We expect two to three years working experience in LIVE cartoon illustrations and sketch work for videos.
• Clear articulation of capacity and skill, and innovative approaches to carry out the assignment.
• Availability to start immediately.

Person Specification

• At least a First degree in Fine Art, Visual Art, Information and Communication Technology or similar fields.
• Excellent Sketch Artist.
• Experience using Digital Illustration/Computer Aided Sketching Tools.
• Demonstrates knowledge of filming particularly for children, young adults and International Non – Governmental Organisations (INGOs).
• Experience in direct engagement with children is highly desirable.
• Certification in Digital Arts, Visual effects, 3D modelling, filming, Video etc. is desirable
• Excellent command of English Language (Oral and Written).

Eligibility Criteria

• Years of working experience conducting similar assignments (3-5 years) - 20%
• Demonstrated experience using digital illustrations/Computer Aided Sketching tools to make cartoons and video animations for children/young adults/International Non-Governmental Organizations (Verifiable through quality of past work done) - 25%
• Clear skills, and innovative approaches to carry out the assignment (verifiable through expected methodologies and outputs in proposal submitted) - 20%
• Clear Work plan - Work plan based proposal outlined, as well as budget - 15%
• Communication skills: Excellent command of English language (verifiable through proposal submitted) – 10%
• Certification in Digital Arts, Visual Effects, 3D modelling and similar fields - 10%

Application Closing Date
8:00am WAT, 5th February, 2018

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send in a detailed proposal not CV (i.e not Curriculum Vitae as anyone who submit CV will not be considered) which should highlight the following:

• Profile of applicant(s) with details and qualifications of all that will be working on the team.
• Detailed work plan outlining activities to be carried out with clear timelines.
• Budget including daily rate.
• Samples of past work done.

Interested person or companies should send the above relevant supporting documentations to: [email protected] Subject for the email should clearly state “Cartoon Illustrator/Sketch Artist”

Note

• Sequel to the close of application, an internal shortlist of candidates will be done based on submitted sample of past work done, experience, skills and qualification.
• Only shortlisted applicants will be invited for a defence of their proposals consequent upon which a final candidate will be selected.