Strategic Designer

Transforming global food systems is key to tackling the climate crisis and protecting people and the planet. We believe a new and different type of transparency is needed to drive that change.

That is why we built OpenSC - co-founded by WWF and The Boston Consulting Group.

Our platform uses data directly from the source of our customer’s supply chains and analyses it to create direct actionable insights about sustainable & ethical production.

Automated - Continuous - Granular - Immutable

This new type of transparency enables our customers to know, influence, and prove the sustainability of their supply chains.

The Opportunity:

We're launching an exciting new implementation in Ethiopia's coffee sector and looking for an exceptional Strategic Designer/Researcher to join our cross-functional team. This is an opportunity to make a real impact on sustainable and ethical coffee production in one of the world's most important coffee regions.

Freelancer opportunity - you can be based out of Kenya or Ethiopia - 3-4 months.

Tasks

Your responsibilities:

We are looking for a freelance Strategic Designer that will research and map the coffee supply chain processes in Ethiopia. Exploring solution concepts that consider the local context along with technological and behavioural components.

Research Planning and Fieldwork

• Plan and execute comprehensive research to map Ethiopia's complex coffee supply chain, focusing on the Sidama region

• Design and implement appropriate research methodologies to understand diverse supply chain flows and farmer payment scenarios

• Set clear research goals, adapt OpenSC's established research toolkit, and develop evaluation metrics specific to Ethiopian coffee contexts

• Independently organize and lead various research activities including supply chain mapping workshops, field observations, and stakeholder interviews (both remote and in-person)

• Collaborate closely with OpenSC's multifunctional team (project manager and solution engineer) and involve them in key research activities

Insights Generation and analysis

• Utilize and adapt OpenSC's research toolbox to create standardized, high-quality research deliverables

• Document and structure complex insights into clear visual representations that illuminate supply chain patterns and challenges

• Help the team extract meaningful learnings from the collected information, particularly regarding Ethiopia's fragmented coffee supply chain with thousands of independent farmers, wet mills, cooperatives, and exporters

• Analyze data flows and documentation processes across the entire supply chain, from farm to export

Implementation and Knowledge Transfer

• Develop user-friendly processes and guides to support the implementation of solutions within Ethiopia's coffee supply chain

• Create clear, accessible training materials for local teams

• Document findings in a way that builds OpenSC's knowledge base for future projects in East Africa

Requirements

Your profile:

• Excellent communication skills in English (fluency in Amharic, Sidama, and/or Oromo is a significant advantage)

• Willingness to travel within Ethiopia (particularly the Sidama region) and potentially other countries in Africa

• Experience with coffee supply chains or agricultural commodities is a strong plus

• Background in traceability systems or sustainable sourcing initiatives is a strong plus

• Minimum 5 years of experience in strategic design and/or research, with a strong foundation in both service design and research in product-driven environments

• Proven experience conducting research in dynamic, complex environments

• Exceptional facilitation skills for both in-person and remote workshops

• Strong interviewing abilities to extract meaningful insights from diverse stakeholders

• Demonstrated ability to organize and structure large amounts of information into clear visual frameworks

• Adaptable communication style that works effectively across cultural contexts

• Excellent written skills with the ability to break down complex ideas into digestible content

• Capability to work both independently and as part of multidisciplinary teams

• Comfort with remote collaboration across multiple time zones using digital tools (Google Workspace, Miro, Notion)

Why This Role Matters

This position offers a unique opportunity to help transform coffee supply chains in Ethiopia through improved transparency and traceability. Your work will directly impact the livelihoods of coffee farmers while helping global companies source more sustainably and ethically.