Women, Peace & Security Internship

Location	Washington, DC
Summary	Search for Common Ground is full of committed, enthusiastic and talented individuals. It is a fun place to work and an exciting place to learn. Search offers a rich range of opportunities from Brown Bag lunches, fascinating projects to get involved in, coaching and mentoring and Happy Hours where you can get to know your colleagues in a more relaxed setting. The Institutional Learning Team The Institutional Learning Team (ILT) sits at the heart of the organisation. The Team comprises a Director, two Design, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialists, a Senior Research Associate and a Children and Youth Specialist. ILT is a fun team to be part of and undertakes work that spans the full spectrum of work of the organisation. ILT works across every programme at Search for Common Ground (SFCG) either on Design, Monitoring & Evaluation (DM&E) related issues or on learning and cross-fertilisation related themes. The Team is responsible for a) providing leadership on the Design, Monitoring and Evaluation of our programmes b) managing our knowledge and disseminating best practices c) mainstreaming Children and Youth in conflict transformation. The Women Peace and Security Initiative ILT is also developing new programming at SFCG focused on meeting the needs of women and girls in conflict areas and addressing SFCG’s needs around gender and gender mainstreaming. The Women Peace and Security Initiative (WPSI) is currently building the organization’s capacity for programming for women and gender mainstreaming. We are currently developing a network of experts, connecting staff members across the organization with expertise in gender and women’s issues. We are also working on a comprehensive gender mainstreaming plan to be implemented over the next two years.
Responsibilities	Supervised by the Director of Institutional Learning, or the Senior Research Associate, the intern will provide support to the Women Peace and Security Initiative. We like to provide interns with a manageable portfolio of projects that will depend on matching the intern’s range of skills and interests with the strands of work available. Assisting in proposal development and finding donors Assisting in mainstreaming program development Supporting WPSI trainings and external events Updating and maintaining the WPSI internal website Contributing to research and writing of best practices, case studies, and program or thematic brochures Assisting with the Network of Experts development Other potential areas of responsibility include, but are not restricted to: Researching key areas, tools, methods for Women Peace and Security; and identifying and tracking latest thinking in the gender mainstreaming of peacebuilding. Organising meetings, taking notes, and providing logistical support for the WPS team
Minimum Qualifications	Education or experience in conflict resolution, international relations, development of governance/public administration fields, social research, or evaluation Education, expertise, or interest in women’s and gender issues Senior undergraduate or graduate level preferred Experience in information gathering and research – book, journal and internet Excellent written and oral English communication skills and the ability to draft, edit and proofread French language skills and translation ability an advantage Good computer skills (including Word, Excel, Internet) Preferred Attributes: Proactive attitude and ability to work independently and in a team Attention to detail and strong organizational skills Creative and thorough approach to work Interest in evaluation of conflict resolution interventions
Salary	Please note this is an unpaid internship.
To Apply	The intern should be able to commit to working for SFCG for a minimum of 3 days per week, for at least a 3-month initial period. The ideal starting period for this internship would be in January 2012, although there may be some flexibility. To apply please email your (1) Cover Letter, (2) Resume, (3) Contact Information for two References and (4) a two to three-page writing sample to Nick Oatley at noatley@sfcg.org as soon as possible. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. In your cover letter, please clearly state why the position is of interest to you, what you can bring to it and what you hope to gain from it. If applicable, please list any other divisions you have applied to within SFCG. Also, please include the date you can start work, the length of your availability (in months), and the number of hours per week to which you can commit.