Project Manager

People of the Sun is a unique social enterprise that currently works in Malawi.
Our main objective has been to improve livelihoods of local artisans by connecting them to worldwide furniture and home-deco markets. We search for the best artisans in the markets and villages of Southern Malawi and give them the opportunity to improve. We support them with production techniques and prepare them to face the market forces with innovation and perspective, whilst acquiring the basics of running an enterprise. We work with them to develop bespoke designs and connect them with customers around the world, through the People of the Sun platform. We are small, unique, hands on and we love design!

In 2014, our products, Blantyre Jar and Cone Stool were selected among the most innovative products out of Africa, during the South African Design Week in Cape Town. We won the “coup de coeur” prize and were ranked third during the Africa Design awards in Gabon and were sponsored to participate in the Temporary Museum for New Design in Milan. This year our TWIN Salad Servers, have been selected to be showcased during the “Africa Design Days” event in March in Morocco and we are featured in the latest design book by Thames&Hudson, "Contemporary Design Africa”.

Our vision is to scale-up this model in other developing countries and achieve a global movement, which we call ‘Caring and Style’, preserving and promoting local artisan products around the world and generating decent incomes trough trade.
People of the Sun’s founder is now moving to Gabon, Africa to concentrate on scaling-up the model in the new context. A project manager is therefore needed to oversee the running of People of the Sun in Malawi.

The project manager will need to showcase the following:

Personal Attributes:
-excellent problem-solving skills
-excellent negotiation skills
-hands-on attitude
-be extremely practical
-be a peoples’ person
-attention to detail and quality control skills
-extremely creative
-ability to work without supervision and generating value for the organisation

Professional Skills:
-experience in design
-graphic skills
-basic financial and managerial skills
-understanding of the development sector in 3rd world countries

Software skills: indesign, photoshop, excel/numbers

The project manager will have a strategic and hands-on role and responsible for all aspects of running People of the Sun in Malawi. This includes:

-Product design for People of the Sun, as well as coordination of design and product development with guest designers
-Supervision and meetings with all artisan groups in their context (urban and rural) constantly assisting them on design facilitation, quality control and enterprise development
-Marketing, preparation of catalogues and other promotional material, social media
-Driving local sales (when you are not in the field you will be in the warehouse/showroom/office, which will also be open to the public for shopping)
-Organising all export orders and logistics
-Searching for available suitable grant proposals and driving them
-Keeping track of all day to day financial expenses
-Responsible for People of the Sun local growth (artisan outreach)

The current Project Manager and founder will provide 2 months in-house training.

This job is a perfect opportunity for a young professional to work independently, be extremely creative and make a tangible change in the world.

Email us at maria@peopleofthesun.net your cv and portfolio, accompanied by a covering letter stating why you are the perfect candidate. If you are not from a design background state how your background will add value to People of the Sun Malawi. Interviews will take place via Skype. Salary commensurate with experience.

People of the Sun is a family-run-type of enterprise and we look forward to welcome you in Malawi for one of the most stimulating experiences of your life!