International Alert Internship Programme

AI summary

International Alert is recruiting young Nigerian professionals for a six-month internship in either Programmes or Communications and Advocacy. The programme targets applicants from the Northeast, Northwest and North-Central regions and offers practical experience in peacebuilding, project implementation, research, communications and donor-funded programming.

• Six-month structured internship with practical organisational experience
• Two streams: Programmes or Communications and Advocacy
• Targets candidates from Northeast, Northwest and North-Central Nigeria
• Focus on peacebuilding, conflict prevention and development work
• Opportunity to build research, writing and professional networks

Original source description

The internship programme will run for a period of six (6) months. International Alert has recently concluded an internship programme that provided young professionals with opportunities to gain practical experience: and exposure to programme implementation, research, communications, advocacy and organisational processes. The just-concluded programme featured interns from the Southwest, Southeast and South-South regions of Nigeria. Building on the experience: and lessons from the previous programme, International Alert is seeking to broaden the geographical representation of its internship programme by providing opportunities specifically for qualified applicants from the Northeast, Northwest and North-Central regions of Nigeria. This approach is intended to strengthen access to professional development opportunities for young people from regions where International Alert implements programmes and where there is a strong need for locally grounded expertise in peacebuilding, conflict prevention, development and communications. The internship will provide successful candidates with practical experience: in either Programmes or Communications and Advocacy, allowing them to work alongside experienced professionals, participate in project activities, contribute to organisational outputs and develop practical skills relevant to their career aspirations. Purpose of the Internship Programme The purpose of the internship programme is to provide qualified young Nigerian professionals with structured practical experience: in an international peacebuilding organisation while enabling International Alert to benefit from their skills, perspectives and knowledge. The programme will provide interns with opportunities to: Develop practical experience: in communications, media engagement and digital advocacy; Strengthen their research, writing, documentation and analytical skills; Build professional networks and experience: relevant to future employment. Participate in project activities and stakeholder engagements; Gain exposure to peacebuilding, conflict prevention, social cohesion and development programming; Develop professional skills in a real-world organisational environment; Understand how donor-funded programmes are designed, implemented, monitored and reported; Gain practical experience: in programme implementation, communications and advocacy; Internship Streams International Alert will recruit interns under two streams: Programmes Internship: Programme Interns will support International Alert’s programme teams in the planning, implementation, documentation, monitoring and coordination of peacebuilding and development projects. Communications and Advocacy Internship: Communications and Advocacy Interns will support the Communications and Advocacy function in documenting and communicating International Alert’s work, engaging with media and stakeholders, and developing content for the organisation’s communication platforms. Key Responsibilities: Programmes Intern: Support documentation and reporting, including activity reports, meeting minutes, field visit reports and periodic project updates. Support the planning and implementation of project activities, including trainings, workshops, community dialogues, meetings and consultations. Support stakeholder engagement and follow-up, including coordination with communities, CSOs, government institutions and other project stakeholders. Assist with monitoring and data collection, including attendance records, feedback forms, assessments and other monitoring tools. Document project results, lessons learned, good practices and stories of change, and maintain organised programme files and records. Support field-level project implementation and promote inclusive participation of community members and other stakeholders. Assist with activity preparation and logistics, including agendas, participant lists, materials and coordination with project partners and stakeholders. Communications and Advocacy Intern: Conduct research and support advocacy, including preparation of advocacy briefs, talking points, presentations and monitoring of relevant policy and public discourse. Support the development of content for International Alert’s website and social media platforms, including posts, captions, programme updates, human-interest stories and other communications materials. Work closely with Programme and Communications teams to ensure programme evidence, achievements and impact are effectively documented and communicated. Identify and document programme stories, achievements, case studies and stories of change for communications and advocacy purposes. Assist with digital communications, including social media content calendars, photography, activity documentation and tracking basic engagement analytics. Participate in selected programme activities to document International Alert’s work and identify communications opportunities arising from project implementation. Support media engagement, including coordination with journalists, maintaining media contacts, monitoring relevant coverage and compiling media mentions. Learning and Professional Development The internship programme is designed to provide interns with meaningful practical experience: and professional development through learning from experienced International Alert staff, participating in relevant meetings, learning sessions and field activities, gaining exposure to project management and programme processes, strengthening writing, reporting, research and analytical skills, developing experience: in communications and stakeholder engagement, understanding conflict-sensitive programming and peacebuilding approaches, and building professional networks within the development and peacebuilding sector. Each intern will be assigned a supervisor who will provide guidance, support and periodic feedback throughout the internship Expected Outputs Depending on the internship stream, interns will contribute to outputs including: Activity reports and meeting documentation; Social media content; Event and activity documentation; Media monitoring reports; Draft communications and advocacy materials; Other outputs relevant to the intern’s assigned responsibilities. Programme stories, case studies and stories of change; Programme documentation and monitoring information; Research and briefing notes; Media and stakeholder databases; Programme and communications presentations; Eligibility and Minimum Requirements: Applicants must meet all of the following requirements: Be a Nigerian citizen. Demonstrate good written and verbal communication skills. Be proficient in basic Microsoft Office applications. Have completed the mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme and be able to provide evidence of completion. Be from, or have strong ties to, the Northeast, Northwest or North-Central region of Nigeria. Demonstrate professionalism, integrity and commitment to International Alert’s values. Be available for the full six-month internship period. Demonstrate willingness to learn and work collaboratively. Hold a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree from a recognised tertiary institution. Demonstrate a strong interest in peacebuilding, conflict prevention, development, communications, advocacy or related fields. Desired Competencies: Successful candidates should demonstrate: For Communications and Advocacy Interns, knowledge of social media platforms, basic graphic design, photography, videography or digital storytelling will be an added advantage. Professionalism and integrity; Good writing and editing abilities; Attention to detail; Research and analytical skills; Interest in peacebuilding and development; Ability to work effectively in a team; Sensitivity to conflict-affected and fragile contexts. Strong communication and interpersonal skills; Creativity and initiative; Ability to work in a multicultural and multidisciplinary environment; Willingness to learn and receive feedback; Good organisational and time-management skills; Duration and Location: The internship programme will run for six (6) months. The internship will be based in Abuja. Interns may be required to undertake field travel in accordance with International Alert’s security procedures and operational requirements. Safeguarding and Professional Conduct: International Alert is committed to safeguarding children and adults at risk and to ensuring that all staff, interns, consultants, partners and representatives maintain the highest standards of professional conduct. All interns will be required to comply with International Alert’s: Data protection and confidentiality requirements; Safeguarding policies; Conflict sensitivity and Do-No-Harm principles. Code of Conduct; Security and safety procedures; Interns must not independently represent International Alert externally, issue statements to the media, publish organisational information or post content on behalf of International Alert without appropriate authorisation. Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) requirements; Anti-fraud and anti-corruption policies; How to Apply Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV and cover letter outlining suitability for the role to: nigeria@international-alert.org using “Application for Programme Internship” or “Application for Communications Internship” as the subject of the mail. Application Deadline: 17th September, 2026. View all Jobs in Nigeria Abuja