UX/UI DESIGNER (MOBILE, WEB)

Organizational Setting

FAO Serbia leads the implementation of the “Digital Service Design Hub – Clicking Together with Citizens” three-year Programme, with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and UNICEF and funded by the Joint SDG Fund. This Joint Programme (JP) supports the Government of Serbia in achieving its strategic and UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) goals by enhancing public services, particularly for vulnerable groups, and fast-tracking progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The JP focuses on transitioning from an institution-centric to a human-centric approach in public service design, with FAO taking the lead on the human-centred design and digitalization of at least one rural public services.

Based either in Novi Sad or Belgrade, this position is envisioned for an initial 6-month period, with an expected commitment of approximately 10-12 working days per month. Upon satisfactory performance, the contract may be extended as the overall project duration is 2 more years. A break from duty of at least 30 consecutive days is mandatory within any twelve-month period after which the contract is renewable upon satisfactory performance and funds availability. Only candidates holding citizenship and/or a valid residence and work permit in the Republic of Serbia are eligible to apply.

Reporting Lines

The candidate will work under the supervision of the National Programme Officer, the technical supervision of the Product Discovery Specialist, and overall technical oversight of the Lead Technical Officer (Head of Digital Agriculture).

Technical Focus

The candidate will contribute to the implementation of the FAO Strategic Framework linked mainly to Digital Agriculture (BP5): “Provision of analytical and technical support for conducting research and assessments, studies, formulating strategies, programmes, and supporting projects for the digitalization of food and agriculture and rural areas”.

The UX/UI Designer will support the Serbian Paying Agency and its IT contractor in designing a vital digital public service that will help hundreds of thousands of farmers apply for subsidies with ease and confidence. The UX/UI Designer will provide the essential human-centred guidance needed to transform the technical expertise of stakeholders into an exceptional user experience. The UX/UI Designer’s responsibilities will blend hands-on usability research with user interface design as they will tackle challenges like simplifying map-based interactions and GIS data flows and designing for a diverse user base. They will be the champion for the user, crafting a seamless solution that removes barriers and makes a tangible, positive impact on the agricultural community in Serbia.

Tasks and responsibilities

Specifically, the responsibilities will include:

•     Contributing to the UX/UI design process for the agricultural subsidies platform, from concept development to launch.
•     Supporting the planning and conducting user research (interviews, usability tests, field visits) with Serbian farmers – both women and men from different locations around Serbia - to uncover insights and validate design decisions.
•     Translating complex application processes into simple, intuitive, and accessible user flows, wireframes, and mockups.
•     Creating high-fidelity prototypes and final UI designs for both desktop and mobile platforms using Figma.
•     Collaborating closely with product managers, software engineers, and agricultural experts to ensure design feasibility and human-centricity.
•     Developing and maintaining a design system or component library for the project.
•     Participating in regular visits to obtain information from project stakeholders, especially the IT contractor based in Novi Sad and the other stakeholders based in Belgrade.
•     Any other duty as required for the successfull implementation of the agricultural subsidies platform according to human-centered design process

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•     University degree in Graphic Design, Interaction Design, or Web Design, or similar degrees - or a certificate of completion of major a program in Design of User Interfaces.
•     At least 5 years of relevant experience in User Experience and User Interface Design for mobile and desktop interfaces and at least 3 years of relevant experience in User Experience Research, including but not limited to in-depth interviews, usability testing, A/B testing, observational research, and co-creation.
•     Working knowledge (level C) of English and Serbian.
•     National of Serbia or resident of Serbia holding a valid residence permit

FAO Core Competencies

•     Results Focus
•     Teamwork
•     Communication
•     Building Effective Relationships
•     Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

•     Figma 
•     Rapid prototyping (low- and mid-fidelity sketches) 
•     Miro/Mural/FigJam 
•     Customer Journey Mapping 
•     Usability Testing – planning and conducting

Selection criteria

•     Experience working in fast-paced environments as well as working with engineers within product teams.
•     Experience working with interfaces that include interactions with maps and geodata.
•     Experience working on products in the context of agriculture.
•     Experience with designing solutions for people with low digital literacy.
•     Experience in public service design
•     Proficiency in using MS Office suite, namely Word, Excel, PowerPoint. 
•     Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.  
•     Strong problem-solving skills. Strong time-management skills.  
•     Excellent verbal and written communication skills. 
•     Ability to collaborate effectively with team members and external stakeholders. 
•     Strong attention to detail. 
•     Ability to work independently.