Global Policy Fellow

Position description

Search for Common Ground (Search) is an international non-profit organization that promotes peaceful transformation of conflict. With headquarters in Washington, DC and Brussels, Belgium, Search’s mission is to transform how individuals, organizations, and governments deal with conflict – away from adversarial approaches and toward cooperative solutions. With a total of approximately 800 staff worldwide, Search implements projects in over 30 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. 

The Global Policy and Outreach team focuses on building the policy case for the peacebuilding field. It does this by working collaboratively with Search’s teams and partners around the world and leveraging their analysis, data, and expertise to inform the policies of emerging and established actors relevant to Search’s work. It provides operational and locally-rooted policy analysis and recommendations that encourage policymakers to support and use peacebuilding more by advocating for more supportive institutional norms and structures, more and healthier funding to implementers, and more policies that encourage peacebuilding. The Global Policy and Outreach team supports a wide range of Search staff and partners, including field-based colleagues, technical experts, organizational leadership, and more. Its functions include developing and executing global policy and outreach campaigns and strategies, external representation, producing written content, maintaining relationships with allies and policymakers, and monitoring policy and outreach results.

Summary of the Position

The Global Policy Fellow will work with Search’s Global Policy and Outreach team as part of a one-year junior policy research fellowship. In this role, the Global Policy Fellow will conduct research, analysis, and writing to promote peacebuilding and conflict transformation as effective tools for policymakers to address conflict. The Global Policy Fellow will develop and conduct research in the team’s areas of interest, including but not limited to priority conflict geographies of Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Myanmar, Nigeria, and the Sahel. The Global Policy Fellow will be responsible for writing a range of policy research products, including but not limited to policy research papers, briefs, and op-eds, and will be expected to produce high-quality deliverables in a timely manner. The Global Policy Fellow will work in collaboration with Search’s Global Policy and Outreach, institutional learning, regional, and country teams.

This position is open only for candidates with expected undergraduate commencement between December 2022 and June 2023. Successful candidates must be exemplary writers who are adept at working in a fast-paced office environment. Applications are especially encouraged from candidates with a strong interest in evidence-based advocacy and policy writing. 

Responsibilities for this position:

• Conduct desk and in-person research on existing peacebuilding policy advocacy efforts and responses to them in specific country cases and on peacebuilding themes
• Conduct desk and in-person research on conflict dynamics and opportunities for peacebuilding engagement in priority conflict geographies and peacebuilding themes
• Support and carry out policy research plans, methodologies, analysis, and writing
• Develop policy recommendations for target audiences in Washington, DC, New York, Brussels, London, and/or other policy hubs
• Prepare reports, white papers, and policy documents
• Represent Search in external meetings and events

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject
• Familiarity with operational peacebuilding and conflict transformation organizations
• Demonstrably strong English writing and editing skills
• Demonstrable experience conducting independent research and producing written analysis
• Native-speaker level fluency in English
• Highly organized with excellent attention to detail
• Ability to work across teams and handle competing deadlines
• Graduated from undergraduate between December 2023 and June 2024

The ideal candidate will further exhibit:

• Fluent French-speaking ability strongly preferred
• The Global Policy Fellow will be full-time and paid a salary with benefits. Please note this is a one-year fellowship without the possibility of renewal. The start date for this fellowship is July 2024. Candidates must be currently eligible to work in the United States. The position will be based at Search’s office in Washington, DC.

Application instructions

Applications must include:

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Policy Writing Sample (no more than 4 pages)

Applications will be reviewed on February 9, 2024 and we encourage candidates to apply before then.

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