Graphic Designer
Standard Media Group
Quick Take
Design editorial layouts for print newspapers and magazines while producing digital graphics, infographics, and marketing visuals across Standard Media Group's portfolio of publications.
Expert proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign, backed by 3+ years of professional design experience and a strong editorial/digital portfolio.
A high-visibility role at Kenya's most established media house, competitive mid-senior salary, and the chance to see your work reach millions of readers daily across print and digital platforms.
Job Description
Standard Media Group — the publisher behind some of Kenya's most recognised media titles, including The Standard and The Nairobian — is on the lookout for a creative and skilled Graphic Designer to join its team in Nairobi. This is an exciting opportunity to work at the heart of one of the country's leading media houses, contributing visual storytelling across both print and digital platforms.
The successful candidate will play a central role in shaping how content looks and feels — from the pages of a newspaper to the screens of millions of online readers and social media followers. If you have a strong eye for design and thrive in a fast-paced media environment, this role could be the perfect next step in your career.
- Craft editorial layouts and page designs for print publications, including newspapers and magazines
- Produce engaging digital graphics tailored for social media platforms, the company website, and online advertising campaigns
- Build clear, informative infographics and data visualisations to accompany news stories and features
- Collaborate with the marketing department to develop campaign visuals, promotional materials, and brand assets
- Ensure visual consistency and adherence to brand guidelines across all Standard Media Group publications and channels
- A Diploma or Degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, or a related discipline
- At least three years of professional experience working in a design role
- Advanced, expert-level proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign
- A strong portfolio that clearly demonstrates both editorial print design and digital design capabilities
- Experience with motion graphics using Adobe After Effects will be considered a distinct advantage
This position is best suited to a design professional who is passionate about media and storytelling through visuals. You should be comfortable working across both traditional print formats and modern digital environments, managing multiple projects simultaneously without compromising on quality. Candidates who are detail-oriented, brand-conscious, and capable of translating complex information into compelling graphics will stand out. Whether your background leans more towards editorial design or digital content creation — or ideally both — we encourage you to apply, provided you meet the experience and qualification requirements outlined above.
Interested and qualified candidates should apply for the Graphic Designer position at Standard Media Group in Nairobi. Ensure your application includes an up-to-date CV and a portfolio showcasing relevant editorial and digital design work. Submit your application through the Standard Media Group official careers channel or the job platform where this listing appears.
Requirements Breakdown
Must Have
- Diploma or degree in Graphic Design or Visual Communication
- Minimum 3 years professional design experience
- Expert-level Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign skills
- Portfolio demonstrating both editorial (print) and digital design work
- Ability to design infographics and data visualisations for news contexts
Nice to Have
- Motion graphics skills using Adobe After Effects
- Experience working in a newsroom or media production environment
- Knowledge of print production processes and pre-press standards
- Experience designing for social media platforms and digital advertising
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Salary Context
Competitive to above-market rate for a mid-senior Graphic Designer in Nairobi
Graphic Designers in Nairobi with 3+ years of experience typically earn between KES 45,000–75,000 per month, making this range of KES 60,000–90,000 competitive, especially at the upper end. Pay in this field is strongly influenced by Adobe Suite proficiency, portfolio quality, industry (media and advertising tend to pay more), and whether the role spans both print and digital disciplines.
About Standard Media Group
Standard Media Group is one of Kenya's oldest and most respected media conglomerates, home to flagship titles including The Standard newspaper, The Nairobian, and KTN News, reaching millions of Kenyans across print, broadcast, and digital channels daily. With over a century of editorial heritage, SMG is a cornerstone of Kenya's media landscape and continues to invest in digital transformation across its brands. Working here offers rare exposure to large-scale, high-stakes media production with a team that shapes national public discourse.
Likely Interview Questions
- 1
Walk us through a piece in your portfolio — what was the brief, what design decisions did you make, and what was the outcome?
- 2
How do you maintain visual consistency across multiple publications or brands with different identities, such as The Standard versus The Nairobian?
- 3
Describe your workflow when you receive a breaking news story that needs an infographic ready within two hours. How do you prioritise accuracy, speed, and aesthetics?
- 4
How do you approach designing the same content for both a print newspaper spread and a social media post — what changes and what stays consistent?
- 5
Have you used motion graphics in a news or editorial context? Can you give an example of how you translated static data or a story into an animated visual?
Application Tips
Lead your portfolio with editorial design work — newspaper layouts, magazine spreads, or infographics — since this role is deeply rooted in print journalism; digital-only portfolios will be less competitive.
Highlight any experience working under tight deadlines in a fast-paced newsroom or publishing environment, as media production schedules are demanding and this signals you can deliver under pressure.
If you have After Effects or motion graphics work, include it as a dedicated portfolio section — it is listed as an advantage and could differentiate you from candidates who are print-only designers.
Career Path
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Skills & Keywords
Honest Assessment
Green Flags
- Salary range of KES 60,000–90,000 is transparent and sits at or above market rate for this experience level in Nairobi, signalling a serious and fair employer.
- Standard Media Group is one of Kenya's most established and recognisable media brands, offering strong CV credibility and professional prestige.
- The role offers genuine variety — spanning print editorial, digital, infographics, and marketing — making it an excellent environment for building a well-rounded senior design portfolio.
- Working across multiple publication brands (The Standard, The Nairobian, etc.) provides exposure to different audience voices and design briefs within a single employer.
Watch Out
- The job description does not mention remote or hybrid work options, suggesting this is likely a fully on-site role in Nairobi — worth clarifying before applying if flexibility matters to you.
- The role spans a very broad range of outputs — print layouts, digital graphics, infographics, motion graphics, and marketing materials — which could indicate a lean design team where one person carries a heavy and diverse workload.
A Day in the Life
On a typical Monday morning you might be in the design room by 8am, attending a brief editorial meeting where the print team outlines the week's lead stories and you flag which ones need custom infographics or full-page layouts. Midweek, you could be deep in InDesign finalising Thursday's newspaper edition while simultaneously jumping into Photoshop to turn around social media graphics for a breaking political story. By Friday you might be collaborating with the marketing team on campaign assets for a Standard Media advertiser, all while keeping an eye on brand guidelines across publications that each have their own distinct visual personality.
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifications do I need to apply for the Graphic Designer role at Standard Media Group?
You need a Diploma or Degree in Graphic Design or Visual Communication, at least 3 years of professional design experience, and expert-level proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign, supported by a strong portfolio of editorial and digital work.
Is the Graphic Designer position at Standard Media Group a remote or on-site role?
The posting lists the location as Nairobi with no mention of remote or hybrid arrangements, so candidates should expect this to be a fully on-site role and confirm working arrangements during the interview process.
How much does a Graphic Designer earn at Standard Media Group?
The advertised salary is KES 60,000–90,000 per month, which is competitive to above-market for a mid-senior designer in Nairobi; the exact figure within that range will likely depend on your experience level and portfolio strength.
What are the career growth opportunities for a Graphic Designer at Standard Media Group?
This role offers a strong platform to progress into a Senior Graphic Designer or Art Director position, given the breadth of work across print, digital, and marketing — and the visibility that comes with designing for some of Kenya's most widely read publications.
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