Volunteer for a startup making sustainability inclusive, human, and accessible to everyone! 🌍

Manakal empowers young people and underserved communities to become sustainability leaders through accessible, culturally-centered education and mentorship.

Environmental issues are frequently discussed in technical or institutional spaces that feel distant and exclusive, leaving many people—especially those in underserved communities—feeling disconnected from the conversation. While many young people are deeply motivated to drive change, they face systemic barriers like a lack of professional mentorship, limited access to training, and the emotional toll of "eco-anxiety" and isolation. Without inclusive entry points and supportive environments, a vast amount of community potential for climate action remains untapped.

Manakal bridges the gap between motivation and opportunity by creating people-centered pathways for sustainability learning and leadership. Our model moves beyond simple information-sharing to focus on building the mindset, confidence, and emotional resilience needed for long-term community engagement. We prioritize accessibility by breaking down complex climate topics into practical habits and using native languages rather than relying solely on English, ensuring our resources are culturally relevant and inclusive. By providing a "safe harbor" for growth that combines technical skill-building with human-centered mentorship, Manakal empowers individuals to move from overwhelmed observers to active agents of change, ensuring that local expertise and diverse voices are at the heart of the global transition to sustainability.

Role (Volunteer, unpaid): Graphic Designer

Role Description: Manakal is seeking a highly creative, proactive, and detail-oriented Graphic Designer & Video Editor to help shape our visual identity across campaigns, educational resources, social media, events, publications, and global initiatives. This role is ideal for someone who is passionate about using design and storytelling as a force for social impact and enjoys working in a collaborative, fast-paced international environment. The successful candidate should be capable of conceptualising original visual assets from scratch, translating creative briefs into compelling designs, and producing engaging video content that aligns with Manakal's mission and brand identity.

Key Responsibilities

• Design high-quality graphics for social media, websites, reports, presentations, campaigns, educational toolkits, and marketing materials.
• Create visually engaging assets for both digital and print platforms.
• Edit and produce both short-form and long-form video content, including reels, promotional videos, documentaries, interviews, educational content, event highlights, and motion graphics.
• Translate creative direction into polished, impactful visual content while maintaining consistency with Manakal's brand guidelines.
• Collaborate closely with communications, partnerships, research, and programme teams to develop compelling visual narratives.
• Adapt designs across multiple aspect ratios and platforms, including Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, websites, presentations, and print collateral.
• Incorporate motion graphics, typography, transitions, sound design, captions, and visual effects where appropriate.
• Leverage AI-powered creative tools responsibly to enhance productivity while maintaining originality and quality.
• Contribute ideas during campaign planning and brainstorming sessions, bringing creative solutions to communication challenges.
• Ensure all deliverables meet high standards of quality, accessibility, and visual consistency.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously while meeting agreed timelines and maintaining quick turnaround times.

Required Skills & Experience

We are looking for someone who demonstrates proficiency in most of the following:

• Strong graphic design portfolio showcasing original creative work.
• Proven experience in both graphic design and professional video editing.
• Excellent understanding of visual storytelling, composition, color theory, typography, branding, and layout principles.
• Proficiency with Canva, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro, After Effects, or equivalent), or similar professional design software.
• Experience using modern AI-powered creative tools to enhance design and video production workflows.
• Ability to edit videos for multiple formats and platforms while maintaining platform-specific best practices.
• Familiarity with animation, motion graphics, kinetic typography, and basic visual effects is highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of exporting, compression, and optimisation for different platforms and resolutions.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to maintain consistency across visual assets.
• Strong organisational and project management skills.
• Ability to work independently while also thriving in collaborative, multicultural teams.
• Strong communication skills and openness to constructive feedback and iterative creative development.
• Comfortable working within deadlines and capable of delivering high-quality work with quick turnaround times.

Preferred Qualifications

Candidates with experience in one or more of the following will be viewed favorably:

• Branding and visual identity development.
• Illustration or digital artwork.
• UI/UX or web graphics.
• Infographics and data visualisation.
• Presentation design.
• Social media content strategy.
• Photography or photo retouching.
• Audio editing and sound design.
• Accessibility-focused design practices.
• Experience working with mission-driven organisations, nonprofits, sustainability initiatives, youth organisations, or social impact projects.

What We're Looking For

The ideal volunteer is someone who:

• Has a strong creative eye and a passion for visual storytelling.
• Is enthusiastic about contributing to meaningful social impact initiatives.
• Enjoys experimenting with new ideas, technologies, and creative techniques.
• Is reliable, proactive, and takes ownership of their work.
• Is comfortable working in a dynamic, international team environment.
• Welcomes feedback and continuously strives to improve.
• Is adaptable, resourceful, and eager to learn new creative tools and workflows.

Why Join Manakal?

As part of Manakal's creative team, you will have the opportunity to:

• Build an internationally visible portfolio through impactful campaigns and global initiatives.
• Work alongside passionate young professionals, researchers, designers, and changemakers from around the world.
• Contribute to projects focused on sustainability, mental health, education, youth empowerment, and community development.
• Gain hands-on experience in creative direction, branding, multimedia storytelling, and campaign development.
• Receive recognition for your contributions through volunteer certification, recommendation opportunities, and professional portfolio development.
• Help shape the visual identity of an emerging global social impact organisation.

If you're excited about combining creativity, technology, and purpose to tell stories that inspire change, we'd love to hear from you.

Time Commitment: Volunteer 4-6 hours per week for 1-2 weeks remotely 💻

If you want to make change happen, apply to volunteer with Manakal now!