Policy & Advocacy Intern, Mercy Corps – Washington, DC

INTERN WORKSITE LOCATION: Washington DC

DATES OF INTERNSHIP:  September – December 2018 (flexible)

LENGTH OF INTERNSHIP:  3 months at 30 hours/week

INTERNS SUPERVISOR & CONTACT INFORMATION: Policy Advisor

FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR THE INTERNSHIP:

For the duration of this internship assignment the intern will receive:

  • Stipend of $670 per month 
  • Training and supervisory support
  • Workstation with laptop, internet and phone access
  • Access to Mercy Corps intranet and services
  • All other tools, materials and communication requirements for this project to be undertaken

Intern will remain responsible for all costs associated with:

  • Travel to/from Mercy Corps Office
  • Lodging in Washington DC
  • Living expenses
  • Laptop computer
  • All other costs associated with this internship

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Mercy Corps works in fragile and conflict-affected countries, often where communities are recovering from disaster, conflict, or economic collapse.  With programs in more than 40 countries, and an annual budget of more than $400 million, Mercy Corps is one of the largest relief and development NGOs in the US.

The Mercy Corps Policy and Advocacy team serves as the main interface between Mercy Corps and external partners (particularly the US government) on issues of policy.  The team seeks to advance Mercy Corps’ values and interests by promoting policies that support our mission. We work to inform and shape policy in a number of ways, including:

  • Congressional Advocacy: direct meetings with key congressional offices, participation in briefings and hearings, review and commenting on draft legislation, active participation in discussions related to the foreign aid budget, and linking Members of Congress who are travelling with our teams in the field.
  • Administration Advocacy: meetings with Administration officials, ongoing communication with key partner agencies in the USG, participation in joint consultations and briefings together with partner NGOs in DC.
  • Joint work with NGO partners: active participation in Interaction working groups and other coalition efforts organized in DC on priority issues or countries for Mercy Corps, drafting of joint documents, organizing joint lobby days on Capitol Hill.
  • Organizing DC visits for visiting Mercy Corps field staff: scheduling meetings for visiting staff and accompanying them to ensure adequate preparation and follow up to these visits.
  • Publications: preparing and disseminating policy briefs on key issues, circulating information on Mercy Corps programs to key policy makers, participating in joint documents and sign-ons with other NGOs, working with field staff to draft joint articles on policy-related issues for publication.

The intern(s) will support and participate in the work of the Policy and Advocacy through writing and research. Areas of focus may include:

  • Response to humanitarian crises in Syria, Central African Republic and South Sudan
  • Support the team’s strategic analysis and advance agency priorities with Congress and the Administration
  • Improving aid effectiveness in fragile environments, including limiting the securitization of US foreign aid
  • Promoting effective food security policies and food aid reform, including implementation of the Global Food Security Act and USAID’s resilience agenda
  • Defending foreign aid budgets in an era of fiscal austerity
  • Country/region-specific priorities (e.g. Syria, Iraq, the Lake Chad Basin) or other policy team or agency priorities, such as engaging with Mercy Corps’ global team

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

  • Understanding the linkage between international policy, programming and outcomes in the humanitarian and development field
  • Understanding core elements of the US policy process, including the roles of Congress, USAID, State, and the White House in development policy-making
  • Knowledge of key qualitative and quantitative resources related to US development policy
  • Understanding specific policy issues, as listed above, or according to the interests of the intern

DELIVERABLES:

The Intern will support the PA team through the following activities:

  1. Conduct policy and practice research in support of Mercy Corps advocacy initiatives
  2. Assist in drafting advocacy documents such as reports, briefing notes, talking points or factsheets on relevant policy issues
  3. Attend meetings and hearings of interest to Mercy Corps and report back on key issues
  4. Review external and internal reports and publications and summarize relevant findings
  5. Assist in communicating policy and advocacy updates to the broader Mercy Corps community through Mercy Corps’ intranet system, weekly newsletter, and website

APPLICATION PROCESS:

Students interested in this internship should submit a resume and a cover letter.  In your letter, you are encouraged to discuss any experiences related relevant to the projects outlined.  You may wish to describe your career interests (specifically as they relate to policy and advocacy, humanitarian aid, or development) and discuss your previous work and educational experiences demonstrating these interests.  A short additional writing sample (under five pages) is preferable, but not required.

IDEAL CANDIDATE SHOULD POSSESS THE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATIONS:

The Policy and Advocacy is seeking an intern to support the breadth of the team’s portfolio.  If qualified, the intern may have the opportunity to specialize in one or more areas, though engagement in all areas will be expected.

All interns should have the following core qualifications:

  • Interest in humanitarian, development, and conflict prevention issues
  • Excellent writing and editing skills and the ability to summarize and communicate research results clearly
  • Experience conducting research and analysis from primary and secondary data sources
  • Ability to multi-task and prioritize in a fast-paced work environment
  • Solid computer skills:  must be able to work effectively and accurately with MS Word, Excel, Google applications, and email.
  • Flexible work attitude: able to work productively in a team environment and independently or with limited supervision

Preferred qualifications:

  • Graduate study complete or in progress in international relations, public policy, development or related field.
  • Previous Capitol Hill experience or knowledge of Congressional processes
  • Familiarity or experience conducting policy analysis
  • Other specific thematic expertise in any of the areas of focus listed above

Mercy Corps interns and volunteers represent the agency both during and outside of work hours and are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Diversity is powerful. To achieve transformational change, we seek out team members with different origins, beliefs, backgrounds and ways of thinking. Diversity helps us unlock complexity.

Apply: http://jobs.jobvite.com/mercycorps/job/o5K67fwM

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