Intern – Network Development and Outreach Department, Climate Action Network (CAN)

Climate Action Network (CAN)

The International Secretariat of the Climate Action Network (CAN) is currently seeking an Intern for its Network Development and Outreach Department. CAN is a network of more than 900 members from more than 100 countries, working together to fight climate change. CAN operates on national, regional, and international level, and its national/regional work is organized through its regional/national nodes (networks). CAN has more than 20 nodes around the world with different stages of development and levels of capacity.

Network Development and Outreach Department

The CAN International Secretariat Network Development and Outreach Department works to: support CAN’s regional and national nodes (networks) build their organizational capacity and skills; increase and strengthen the network; engage and grow the broader climate change movement, which CAN contributes to, as well as working to support and implement specific projects to support regional and national climate change work.

Position description:

This position will support CAN’s Network Development and Outreach Department at a critical phase as it supports its national and regional networks in the run up to COP21 in December 2015. It is a unique opportunity to learn about a dynamic network of climate NGOs and how they coordinate over policy, campaigning, communications and other work areas. Key deliverables for the intern will be, firstly, to support some of our critical movement building work ahead of the Sustainable Development Goal Summit in September 2015, the COP in December 2015, as well as other crucial international moments. The intern will also contribute to the capacity-building work of the department, helping to pool materials and develop training opportunities on different topics, and maintaining a database of resources for our international website. The intern will also concentrate on various internal network strengthening tasks, working with other members of the department to ensure the network continues to grow in impact and effectiveness. Lastly, the intern will support the team in administrative and organizational work to ensure the smooth running of the network.

Key tasks of the intern:

• Supporting CAN’s movement building work ahead of key international moments by working with the team to amplify these moments, gathering and sharing updates with our nodes, and helping design and use tools to track and amplify engagement;

• Assisting the team and nodes as relevant to map actors to engage with in key countries;

• Helping to organise capacity building opportunities on a range of topics, including research, organization and outreach to key members;

• Maintaining, updating and developing the website’s database of introductory and theme-based capacity building resources;

• Supporting the team with internal network strengthening tasks, which will include support with organizational development and internal communications work;

• Supporting with communications around the team’s and the nodes’ work, for instance through CAN’s quarterly newsletter.

The Intern will also be supported as much as possible to be engaged in the department’s wider tasks and to gain exposure to other areas of the CAN Secretariat’s work.

More widely the intern may also support the department:

• In implementing its externally funded projects including: helping with project administration and logistics, communication, monitoring and evaluation and report writing;

• In supporting the regional and national nodes to improve their organisational effectiveness through supporting their use of a variety of tools (including some research and design of some tools), promoting cross-learning, peer support and sharing;

• In supporting regional and national nodes to increase and enhance their internal communication, membership and wider external communication through supporting the development and use of websites, email groups, and other tools;

• In organising events and promote other spaces across CAN and beyond that can enable learning and increase impact;

• In translation tasks, depending on the activities and the language skills of the intern.

Specific qualifications:

• Strong command of written and spoken English, additional language skills are an asset;

• Proven experience working in developing countries, and a keen understanding of the challenges in communication, resource constraints, and other unique circumstances found in working in a global setting;

• Previous exposure to and general understanding of the issues surrounding sustainable development and climate change;

• Experience working in a network or collaboration of NGOs in developing and developed countries;

• Desire to strengthen the climate change movement and to strengthen connections and engagement of a variety of stakeholders;

• Excellent presentation, communication and facilitation skills;

• Cultural sensitivity and ability to respect and work well with people from different backgrounds and disciplines;

• Ability and experience working in a remote office; and;

• Attention to detail, strong organizational skills and willingness to work under time constraints and pressure.

Salary, resources, duration and travel

• This internship is unpaid but expenses incurred by the intern whilst on a work assignment, with prior agreement from CAN, will be reimbursed.

• The intern will need to use their own computer and have reliable internet access. All CAN work is managed through emails and Skype calls and therefore reliable, fast internet is required for this position.

• The intern position is for a minimum of five months (starting as soon as possible) with the possibility of extension.

Location: Flexible, with computer and reliable internet access and ideally in a developing country.

Hours: Flexible (ideally a minimum of 4 days a week), for 4-6 months

Start date: As soon as possible.

Application deadline: 23:59 GMT Tuesday 28 July 2015

Read more and apply here.