Search for Common Ground

Position Summary 

Search for Common Ground seeks a professional, motivated, and creative Yemen Program Intern. Based in Brussels, Belgium, the intern will provide support to Search’s programming for Yemen, working closely with the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) team and our Yemen Country Office. This opportunity will provide experience and coaching in the field of peacebuilding in Yemen, and ensure the development of tangible professional skills. The successful candidate will learn how to (i) review and ensure results-oriented donor reports, (ii) review and ensure results-oriented baseline and endline reports, (iii) develop targeted external communication pieces, (iv) communicate professionally with donors and partners, (v) track key grants management processes, and (vi) produce effective security and operational updates on a conflict environment. Search for Common Ground provides its interns with a tailored learning environment, focused on skill acquisition and experiential learning.

Interns must be enrolled at University and undertaking an internship as part of their degree, and available to work full time hours with an agreed upon schedule of leave. We are looking for an intern to begin in September 2019, but may be flexible based on academic calendars. The internship will be completed as part of the candidate's studies and will last for a period of 6 months. 

Key Responsibilities

Grants Management:

•  Assist with the upkeep of grants management tracking tools, such as reporting trackers, and start-up and close-out trackers for ongoing Yemen projects.
• Assist with high-quality English language reviews for donor reports, project evaluations, and baseline assessments for Yemen projects.
• Provide desk and background research for security, operational, and political updates on Yemen.

Communications:

•   Edit English-language external communications on Yemen programming and project team visits, such as event flyers, one-page program updates, and donor communications.
• Assist with online communication updates, including writing new project synopses, project updates, blogposts, compiling success stories, and staff reflections/interviews.
• Organize Yemen team meetings to collect success stories and staff reflections.
• Ensure note taking for staff team meetings

Other:

•   Assist with knowledge management tasks (e.g. maintaining contact databases and ensuring the consistent online filing of documents).
• Support meeting logistics and staff travel planning.
• Represent Search at external events and conferences.
• Performing other supportive, administrative, and minor office management duties as needed.
• Perform French and/or Arabic translations (desirable).

As internship descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities

As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position-holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.

Qualifications

Education

• BA or MA (completed or in progress) in international relations, conflict resolution, Middle East studies, international development, or a related field.

Experience

•  Excellent writing, editing, and communication skills in English.
• Excellent writing, editing, and communications skills in French and/or Arabic (desirable).
• Practical experience with clear, concise writing.
• Practical experience with proofreading.
• High level of analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Interest in peacebuilding and conflict transformation.
• Familiarity with the MENA region, specifically Yemen.
• Ability to maintain professionalism, creativity, and enthusiasm while working in a fast-paced, multi-cultural environment with minimal supervision.
• Self-starter, able to work independently, and willing to take on tasks small and large.
• Prior international or cross-cultural experience.

Sound good?  

To apply, interested candidates should send the following items  to our employment portal here:

• Please send a (1) resume, (2) cover letter, and (3) writing sample (400-600 words) to our website here. This should be combined into 1 document and all uploaded into the “resume” space in the online system. Please follow this instruction. In the cover letter, besides highlighting your qualifications, please include the dates you will be available, the number of hours per week you are able to commit, and your goals for the internship.

Submissions will be considered on a rolling basis with a negotiable start date. Candidates will be reviewed on a rolling basis every 3 months. We encourage all applicants to submit their applications and indicate availability within the next year.

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Only applicants invited for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls please. Please see our website www.sfcg.org for full details of our work.

All Search Employees must adhere to the values: Shared Humanity - Empathy - Impartiality - Inclusivity - Courage - Hope - Humility - Audacity. In accordance with these values, Search enforces compliance with the Code of Conduct and related policies on Anti Workplace Harassment, Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Conflict of Interest and Anti-fraud.

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