Summer Policy & Advocacy Internship, Mercy Corps

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 intern(s) will support and participate in the work of the Policy and Advocacy team. 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

Internship 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

All interns should have the following core qualifications:

• Be pursuing or achieved degree in related field
• Interest in humanitarian and development issues and policy and advocacy
• Demonstrated solid writing, editing and researching skills

Potential qualifications for portfolio-specific interests are below (not required, but preferred):

• Previous Capitol Hill experience or knowledge of Congressional processes
• Other specific thematic expertise in any of the areas of focus listed above

For more information and to apply see the full Mercy Corps position posting.