Web Developer and Designer, USAID INVEST

Job Description

Position Title: Web Developer and Designer

Contract Name: USAID INVEST Project

Period of Performance: o/a April 1 - December 30, 2020

Place of Performance: USA

Supervision: INVEST Communications Director

BACKGROUND:

INVEST is a USAID-funded activity that will develop an approach to sourcing, facilitating, and executing illustrative and impactful deals that catalyze private investment capital and build strategic, market-deepening partnerships in Afghanistan. The optimal approach will provide a suite of service offerings appropriate for each partner or transaction identified in INVEST’s core activity streams – civil aviation, mining, and gemstones. This could include direct or procured transaction advisory support, investor matchmaking, other risk-mitigating approaches to catalyzing commercial investment, or the development of new financial instruments. Additionally, this INVEST activity will continually work to build its network of partners and investors, in Afghanistan, Central Asia, the Gulf, the U.S., and other target regions, to ensure activities are at the forefront of investment and private sector engagement aimed at achieving USAID’s priorities.

OBJECTIVES

INVEST is providing technical and financial assistance to facilitate the formation of a new partnership between private gemstone and jewelry companies, to form the first private gemstone certification lab in Kabul. This new lab will enable Afghanistan to add considerable value to their gemstones. Rather than exporting uncut gemstones at low prices, Afghanistan will be able to certify, cut, process, and finish stones according to international standards that they can then sell on the world market at a competitive price. Silk Road Heart Gem Lab will officially launch on June 1, 2020.

In preparation for the launch, INVEST is supporting the development of a lab website. The website should be visually appealing, including images (which will be provided) of gemstones, the cutting and polishing process, and more, all within the branding of the lab (logo to be provided). The website should be informational with multiple webpages. The site should include capacity to include high-quality photos and video. The website’s audience will be the international community seeking information about Kabul’s gem certification services; the local Afghan gem buying market wanting to find out what services are provided and how to attain them; fellow gem certification labs wanting to find out information on services, and more.

The messages we want them to take away: information on services, contact information, process, how to verify certification of stones, why it’s important. Silk Road Heart Gem Lab wants to serve a service provider but also resource for those interested in certifying Afghan gems. While this is the first phase of web development, the site should be built on a platform that supports the addition of e-commerce functionality at a later stage.

INVEST is in the process of purchasing and securing a domain name.

TASKS

The web developer + designer will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Identify and gather requirements for functionality and design of site
• Work closely with INVEST to develop the site that reflects the look and feel of the brand that is being developed and pull it through the site
• Propose creative ideas for integrating the content – information, graphics, videos
• Conceptualize website design and page layout.
• Design and build out the website and all webpages with modern web standards: responsive/adaptive layouts, progressive enhancement, semantic markup—optimized for speed, security, and extensibility.
• Test the site functionality prior to go-live.
• Create website performance or users in high latency and low bandwidth environments
• Create website first in English but then additional languages (e.g. Dari, Pashto, Urdu) may be required in later phases
• Manage the process in close coordination with the Communications Director.
• Provide ongoing support to manage the website updates.
• And any other tasks as directed by the INVEST Communications Director.

ILLUSTRATIVE DELIVERABLES

• Completed functional live website with all webpages for Silk Road Heart Gem Lab

DURATION AND PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

On/about April 1 – December 30, 2020. Place of Performance will be USA.

REPORTING

The consultants will report to the INVEST Communications Director who will be responsible for technical supervision and acceptance of all deliverables.

About the Organization

DAI is an employee-owned global development company. For 40 years, we have worked on the frontlines of international development, tackling fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governments, and instability. Currently, DAI is delivering results that matter in some 60 countries. Our integrated development solutions turn ideas into impact by bringing together fresh combinations of expertise and innovation across multiple disciplines—crisis mitigation and stability operations, democratic governance and public sector management, agriculture and agribusiness, private sector development and financial services, economics and trade, HIV/AIDS and disease control, water and natural resources management, and energy and climate change. Our clients include international development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and national governments.