InterAction offers internship opportunities three times a year, typically corresponding with the academic calendar and during the summer. Competitive applicants should possess a minimum of three years of undergraduate coursework in an area that is related to the focus of the desired internship. Graduate students are preferred. Applications for internships should be received by mid-January for the spring, mid-April for the summer and early August for the fall. Early applications are encouraged, as positions are filled on a rolling basis, depending on organizational needs.
Internships are unpaid; however, InterAction interns receive a transportation stipend of $50 per month.
All applicants must be enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs, able to work with minimal supervision and commit to working at least 20 hours per week to be considered. Applicants should have excellent written and spoken English skills, strong computer skills (including Microsoft Word and Excel) and good interpersonal and organizational skills.
Internship Openings
The Office of the President offers one position each semester to a student interested in gaining a comprehensive view of what it takes to operate the president’s office at a major nonprofit alliance. Applicants should be pursuing degrees in business administration and have a demonstrated interest in international affairs or nonprofit management. Specific responsibilities may include record-keeping, organizing briefing books for the president, communicating with member CEOs and other high-level contacts, assisting with travel arrangements, event coordination and an assortment of other assignments.
The Finance & Administration Team offers one position each semester to a student interested in gaining real-world experience in the financial management of a nonprofit organization. Applicants should be pursuing degrees in economics or finance and have a demonstrated interest in nonprofit management. Specific responsibilities may include record-keeping, reviewing invoices and reimbursement requests and responding to general inquiries about the organization.
The Humanitarian Policy & Practice Team offers three positions each semester, one in each of the following issue areas: Disaster Response, Protection and Refugee Affairs, and Security Coordination. Applicants should have significant coursework in at least one of the designated issue areas. Interns perform a variety of research, writing and administrative support tasks, with opportunities to attend meetings and network with professionals representing a variety of NGOs in the humanitarian community.
The Membership & Standards Team offers internships throughout the year to students interested in gaining practical experience working at a nonprofit membership association. Interns assist with routine membership activities and provide logistical support for Membership & Standards Committee meetings and working group meetings. Interns will gain an understanding of nonprofit governance and NGO accountability and program effectiveness. Interns also assist with planning InterAction’s Annual Forum and CEO Retreat.
InterAction’s Membership and Standards Team also has an unpaid internship available for the Spring 2010 semester. The intern will provide support in planning and executing the InterAction Annual Forum, a three-day conference that brings together over 800 participants from international NGOs, government, think tanks, and foundations that are leaders in the international development and humanitarian assistance arenas. The Annual Forum will be held in Washington, DC, on June 2-4, 2010. Ideal candidates will have previous event planning experience, strong organizational skills, the ability to multi-task, and the flexibility to meet changing deadlines and priorities. An interest in international development and humanitarian assistance is a strong plus. Preference will be given to candidates who can intern through the duration of the Annual Forum.
The Policy & Communications Team offers as many as five positions each semester to students interested in gaining some hands-on experience in administration, public policy or communications. The Administrative intern assists with record- and archive-keeping, contact and calendar management, workflow process supervision and other issue-specific projects as they develop. Policy interns assist with preparing a weekly summary of legislative news, attend Capitol Hill hearings and briefings as needed, research legislative action that impacts the InterAction alliance, draft policy articles for InterAction’s Monday Developments magazine and draft pieces for the web, in addition to other assignments. Communications interns focus on one of four areas: Graphic Design, Policy Communications, Public Relations or Social Media. Responsibilities vary and may include working on various public relations projects such as Progress Against Poverty Week, media relations activities to support InterAction initiatives, graphic design work, social media or website assignments, assisting with marketing efforts and writing for InterAction’s Monday Developments magazine.
For more information about InterAction internships, look for InterAction on Idealist [1].
To Apply
To apply for an internship, submit a cover letter and resume to intern@InterAction.org [2]. Please indicate in your cover letter and email subject line the team (i.e., Membership & Standards, Policy & Communications) with which you would like to intern. Applications which do not identify the preferred team will not be considered!
Due to the large number of applications received for each position, only short-listed candidates will be contacted. No phone calls, please.
Links:
[1] http://www.idealist.org/if/i/en/av/Org/138938-231
[2] mailto:intern@InterAction.org