Volunteer/Internship Program Assistant, Tostan
Job Description
Each year, Africans who participate in Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program (CEP) catalyze social transformation and spearhead grassroots development efforts in their communities. The Volunteer and Internship Programs (V/IP) Assistant has the important job of helping Tostan to connect invaluable interns and volunteers with appropriate opportunities and project work. This goal will be achieved mainly through working directly with the Africa Volunteer Coordinator and the Associate Director of US Operations (DC Internship Coordinator) to streamline V/IP processes, outreach, recruiting, and external and internal issues related to Tostan’s volunteer/internship programs.
Minimum commitment: 10 weeks
Location: Washington, DC
Hours per week: Part-time (20 hours/week) or full-time (35 hours/week) preferred
Direct supervisor(s): Associate Director of US Operations
Collaborator(s): Director of US Operations, Africa Volunteer Coordinator, other interns, etc.
Compensation: Unpaid
Responsibilities
V/IP Coordination:
- Assist with the creation of V/IP materials, program brochures, website updates, etc.
- Help to maintain Tostan’s relationships with past and present interns and volunteers, including composing email updates to, coordinating local events, etc.
- Update and maintain a Tostan profile on websites that help to recruit qualified interns and volunteers (idealist.org, etc.)
- Answer inquiries regarding the DC Internship Program and manage the DC internship application process
- Conduct research in support of Tostan’s V/IP, including outreach, recruiting opportunities, and professional development opportunities for Tostan staff and interns in the DC area
- Help to coordinate Tostan’s new Internship Program Exchange with other organizations in the DC area
- Assist in developing and publically posting V/IP position descriptions for both the DC internship program and the Africa volunteer program
Miscellaneous
- Manage all mail arriving to and leaving from the Tostan DC office
- Work with Director and Associate Director of U.S. Operations to identify current and upcoming office needs and deadlines
- Various administrative tasks
Requirements
- Thorough understanding of Tostan’s programs and methodologies
- Bachelors degree or current enrollment in Bachelors program; studies in International Development, Education, Gender Studies, other social science, Communications, Business, Management, Finance, or related field
- Strong communication skills, including written and spoken proficiency in English (required) and French (preferred)
- Previous experience with either a nongovernmental or nonprofit organization or experience in Africa/non-western country
- Project management experience preferred
- Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite required
- Knowledge of Gmail, Google Groups, Google Documents, Google Calendars, and other Internet programs preferred
- Ability to work independently, to self-motivate, and to manage multiple tasks at once
- Flexibility adapting to a multicultural environment, to be considerate of limited resources, and to adapt work priorities to the immediate needs of supervisor, Tostan, or project partners
- Must be willing to provide administrative support when necessary
Benefits
Professional
- Hands on experience with an internationally recognized NGO
- Development of Curriculum Vitae/Resume
- Opportunity to develop highly sought-after skills in project management, training, and written and oral communication in a multicultural, multilingual environment
Trainings provided
- SmartSite 2.0 (WYSIWYG website management)
- iContact (email marketing)
This job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required in this position. Employees may be required to perform other duties outside of their normal responsibilities, to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.
Application instructions
To apply, please visit Tostan’s website to download an intern application form. Send your application form, along with a cover letter (including your reason for wanting to intern with Tostan), resume or CV, and 1-2 page writing sample to internshipsdc@tostan.org.
Deadline
All applications must be submitted before July 20, 2009.
For more information please see the Tostan website.
