Consultancy - Graphic Designer and Desktop Publishing Consultant

Overall objective: to strengthen the quality, consistency, accessibility and visibility of the GCF Knuckles Project’s knowledge products and communication outputs, so that Project evidence and results reach and are understood by their intended audiences.

Specific objectives:

• Produce visually engaging, accurate and brand-compliant designs and

layouts for digital and print knowledge products, reports and information materials.

• Ensure all outputs meet technical, accessibility and donor-visibility

specifications and are delivered as print-ready and web-ready files with editable source files.

• Support the maintenance of a coherent visual identity for the Project

and ICRAF Sri Lanka across platforms and products.

Summary of responsibilities

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Working arrangements

Work will be requested through short written task orders, each stating the product, purpose, audience, length or format, source materials, review points and deadline. The Consultant will confirm acceptance and feasibility of the deadline within [one (1)] working day. Products vary in size and complexity; the scope, effort and fee for each are agreed before work starts, using the unit rates in the Consultant’s financial proposal.

The Consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Layout and desktop publishing of long-form and short-form knowledge

products, including technical reports, policy and practice briefs, manuals, training guides, factsheets, case studies, newsletters and annual and progress reports, using Project and ICRAF templates.

• Design of communication and visibility materials, including brochures,

flyers, posters, roll-up banners, backdrops, signage, certificates, event materials, presentation templates and social media and web graphics.

• Data visualization and infographics: convert data, maps, results

frameworks, value-chain and process diagrams into clear, accurate and accessible graphics, working with content and GIS outputs supplied by technical staff.

• Brand and donor-visibility compliance: apply the ICRAF, Landscape

Alliance, GCF and MoALLI logos, themes, acknowledgements and disclaimers correctly; maintain reusable templates and a simple brand and style kit; flag non-compliant requests.

• Digital accessibility: produce tagged, accessible PDFs (reading order,

alt text, colour contrast, document properties) and web-optimised files, in line with WCAG 2.1 AA and PDF/UA principles as far as practicable.

• Multilingual layout: typeset in, Sinhala and Tamil, ensuring correct

Unicode fonts, text flow and consistency across language versions.

• Multimedia support (as required): basic video editing, subtitling, and

animated social media posts or short motion graphics.

• Pre-press and production: prepare print-ready files to the printer’s

specifications (colour mode, theme, resolution, bleed, marks), check proofs, and advise the Project on paper, finishing and file specifications. Procurement of printing remains with the Project.

• Asset management: organise and hand over source files, packaged fonts, links and images using an agreed naming convention, with

image credits and licence details recorded.

• Creative input: propose concepts and options, keep abreast of design

trends, incorporate consolidated feedback, and manage multiple concurrent projects to deadline.

• Confidentiality: Consultant can only communicate or share any material

or data transferred from the ICRAF or derived from them with the nominated staff member of ICRAF.

• Corporate standards and quality: Apply the latest Landscape Alliance

brand, editorial guide, visual identity, templates, color palettes, digital/print publication standards to every deliverables.

Indicative products and turnaround

The list below is illustrative. Actual products, volumes and timelines will be specified in each task order and may differ from product to product.

Indicative product

Social media graphic or single-page visual

Indicative turnaround (from complete inputs)

[1–2 working days]

Indicative product

Brochure, flyer, poster or banner

Indicative turnaround (from complete inputs)

[1–2 working days]

Indicative product

Infographic or data visualization

Indicative turnaround (from complete inputs)

[1–2 working days]

Indicative product

Report, brief or manual layout (per [20–50] pages)

Indicative turnaround (from complete inputs)

[3–7 working days]

Indicative product

Report, brief or manual layout (per [51–100] pages)

Indicative turnaround (from complete inputs)

[3–7 working days]

Indicative product

Report, brief or manual layout (per [101–250] pages)

Indicative turnaround (from complete inputs)

[3–7 working days]

Quality standards and technical specifications

• Design and files: print outputs

with bleed and crop marks, supplied as PDF/X for print; digital outputs in RGB, optimised for screen. Deliver editable native files (e.g. InDesign packages with links and fonts, Illustrator and Photoshop files) alongside final exports.

• Responsible use of AI tools:

unpublished, confidential or personal Project information must not be entered into public generative AI tools without prior written approval. Any AI-assisted content or imagery must be disclosed to the Project and checked by the Consultant for accuracy, originality and rights.

• Images and fonts: only original,

Project-owned or properly licensed images, fonts and icons may be used, with licences permitting the Project’s intended use and recorded for handover.

• Review rounds: each product

includes up to [three (3)] rounds of consolidated feedback within the agreed fee. Further changes arising from new content or a change of direction will be agreed in advance.

• Corporate review: to ensure

consistency in quality, all published materials must undergo quality review by the COE team in Bogor before final release.

Reporting requirement:

• Task

tracker: a shared, up-to-date record of task orders, status, hours or units used and delivery dates, reviewed with the supervisor [weekly / fortnightly].

• Final

report and handover: a short completion report and the full set of final files, source files, templates and asset register. Electronic copies only, submitted through [shared drive / email]; no hard copies required.

• Acceptance:

the supervisor will provide consolidated feedback within [five (5)] working days of submission. A product is accepted when it meets the task order and the standards set out in this ToR