Programs Fellow

 

Concern Worldwide is an international humanitarian organization committed to the relief, assistance and advancement of the poorest people in the least developed countries of the world. Founded in Ireland in 1968, Concern Worldwide has nearly 4,000 personnel working in 24 countries across the globe. Concern believes in a world where no one lives in fear; where all have access to a decent standard of living and the opportunities essential to a long, healthy and creative life. Our mission is to help people living in absolute poverty achieve major improvements in their lives, improvements that are sustainable without ongoing support from Concern.

We believe in creating a culture of inclusion where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to the workplace. Building a diverse and inclusive team is an absolute necessity to deliver the solutions needed to achieve our core mission, because without promoting justice and equality, we cannot eliminate extreme poverty.

 

Concern Worldwide US (CUS) is an independent affiliate of Concern Worldwide, with offices in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. CUS advances the Concern Worldwide mission through mobilizing financial and human resources, as well as influencing and activating networks in the US to elevate programs globally.

 

 

Concern Worldwide US is seeking highly motivated individuals to join its 2021 Fall Fellowship Program. Concern’s fellowship program is an excellent opportunity for individuals to work alongside dedicated, experienced staff to learn about Concern’s mission and vision and the many mechanisms that come together to create an effective humanitarian organization.

Candidates should have an interest in international humanitarian relief and international development. Students currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program, recent graduates, and those interested in pursuing a career in the NGO sector are all eligible to apply.  All academic fields and career backgrounds will be considered. Fellowships are available in five (5) of Concern’s core departments: Programs, Communications, Individual Giving, Finance and Administration, and Marketing & Business Operations.

 

As a Concern Worldwide US fellow, you will have the opportunity to learn about and gain exposure to the breadth of Concern’s portfolio of work which includes international humanitarian and development programming, policy and advocacy, grants management, communications and marketing, finance and administration, systems and operations, and human resources. Through your day-to-day assignments, as well as experiential learning opportunities such as brown bag presentations and informational meetings with members of Concern’s senior management team, your fellowship experience will provide you with an opportunity to work on engaging, high impact projects for a large international NGO.

 

·      Understand the basic roles of a humanitarian/development NGO, opportunities which are possible for career progression, and how a US organization interacts with its global network.

·      Gain primary experience on elements of the business development project cycle including pre-positioning, collateral piece production, and landscape analysis.

·      Understand the International Humanitarian Coordination system and how Concern seeks to increase knowledge of said system in order to overcome challenges and barriers to affective response.

·      Gain knowledge in the basics of grant management and the evolving nature of fiduciary responsibilities the organization has.

·      Understand and contribute to Concern’s advocacy goals of striving to eliminate the root causes of hunger, conflict, and climate crisis. 

Responsibilities (Programs)

·      Work in collaboration with the various units of Concern’s Programs Department to support the implementation and expansion of Concern’s humanitarian and development programming

·      Work closely with the Humanitarian Training Unit to organize and deliver capacity building trainings for national and international NGO personnel

In collaboration with the Business Development Team, support research and forecasting of funding opportunities to expand Concern’s work globally. As an example, you will gain primary experience on elements of the project cycle including pre-positioning, collateral piece production, and landscape analysis.

·      Work with the Advocacy Unit to conduct research and support on relevant advocacy and policy tasks

·      In collaboration with the Grants Management Team, support program performance and compliance for Concern’s country programming portfolio

 

·      Commitment to the core values and vision of Concern Worldwide.

·      An undergraduate (rising seniors or juniors preferred) or graduate student pursuing a major in a relevant field

·      Academic background, coursework, familiarity and/or interest in humanitarian assistance or international development fields

·      A highly motivated self-starter with the ability to work with minimal supervision.

·      Flexibility to meeting changing deadlines and priorities; ability to manage multiple tasks.

·      Good interpersonal and communication skills.

·      Candidates must be currently authorized to work in the US.

 

The fellowship will begin Wednesday September 1, 2021 and conclude Wednesday, December 15, 2021. The fellowship will be conducted remotely. Scheduling is flexible, though fellows are expected to work at least 2 days per week for a minimum of 10 hours per week. The program will run for a period of 15 weeks.