Irish Aid seeks Junior Professional Interns

Irish Aid, the Government’s official overseas aid programme, is a recognised international leader in global efforts to reduce poverty. It is an integral part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and through the Department’s network of embassies and a diverse range of partnerships, it seeks to make a real and lasting difference to the lives of millions of poor people, particularly in Africa.

The Department now wishes to offer a number of work experience Junior Professional Internships (JPIs) with Irish Aid, to highly motivated individuals with an interest in the field of development cooperation and a desire to work in this area both in Ireland and overseas. The Irish Aid JPIs will be based at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Limerick (and possibly later in the field) and will have a unique opportunity to work closely with, and learn from, the staff of the Government’s aid programme.

The aim of the JPI scheme is to build a new group of experienced individuals, with the capacity to add value to the work of Irish NGOs and other development agencies, with the overall aim of reducing global poverty.

JPIs will experience at first hand the business of planning, managing and evaluating a major programme of development cooperation in difficult and challenging environments.

Successful JPIs will most likely have two or more of the following qualifications and attributes :

• Graduate, post-graduate or similar qualification in a relevant discipline such as accounting/auditing; agriculture and rural livelihoods; business; communications; IT; development studies; economics, education; engineering; environment; gender; health, human rights; international relations, public policy; statistics and the social sciences.

• Experience of working in the developing world or with a development or international organisation

• Experience of working in the area of community development either at voluntary or professional level.

• Knowledge of current global issues and trends affecting and influencing development cooperation.

JPI appointments will be for up to 18 months in duration.

JPIs will receive a stipend toward their living costs during the internship.

Completed application forms (section A and B - see below) should be e-mailed to jpi@dfa.ie. Queries may be emailed to jpi@dfa.ie. The closing date for applications is 28 November 2008 at 5.00pm.