Internships at Oxfam

Advocacy and Policy Support Intern (climate change), Wellington

Do you have great communication and research skills?
Are you interested in climate change issues and want to do something worthwhile?

Oxfam New Zealand (ONZ) is an independent development agency affiliated to Oxfam International.

In a world rich in resources, we believe that poverty is an injustice that can be overcome. Working with people caught in extreme poverty, mainly in the Pacific and south-east Asia, ONZ provides practical support to families and communities. We also ensure that there are lasting solutions by advocating for change to the structures and policies that maintain poverty.

The role of Oxfam New Zealand’s advocacy team is to inform the decisions of the New Zealand government and other key policy makers. We also seek to demonstrate the impact of their decisions on communities in the Pacific and south-east Asia, particularly in the areas of climate change and trade, and to show the depth of public concern on these issues.

If you are a current or recent student seeking to gain work experience in a policy or research role, then we have an interesting internship opportunity with our Wellington-based advocacy team. You will play a vital role in ensuring the effective engagement of relevant decision makers in our current campaign on climate change. You will also work closely with our Senior Policy Advisor on advocacy events and policy research.

The ideal candidate will be reliable and mature, with strong verbal and written communications skills, an eye for detail, good IT, time management and organisational skills, as well as the ability to complete projects to a high standard. You are likely to have good initiative and the ability to work without close supervision. Good knowledge of climate change issues, including ongoing international climate change negotiations, and an interest in social justice/international development are essential requirements, as is an interest in learning and developing new skills.

This 4 to 6 month internship starts immediately, working 2-3 days for up to 24 hours per week. This is a great opportunity to gain useful work experience in your chosen field. In return, we offer interesting research and policy work on a topical issue, committed work colleagues and a friendly workplace.

Download the full job description and application form.

If you wish to apply, please send your completed application form and an up to date CV to Sarah.Meads@oxfam.org.nz. Applications close at 12 noon on Monday, 27 September 2010.

Oxfam NZ is an equal opportunities employer and encourages diversity in the workplace.

Advocacy & Policy Research Intern (control arms), Wellington

Do you have excellent analytical and research skills?
Are you interested in control arms issues and want to make a difference?

Oxfam New Zealand (ONZ) is an independent development agency affiliated to Oxfam International.

In a world rich in resources, Oxfam believes that poverty is an injustice that can be overcome. ONZ provides practical support to communities in the Pacific and south-east Asia to help them work their way out of poverty and to combat injustice. We also ensure that there are lasting solutions by advocating for changes to the structures and policies that keep communities disadvantaged and in poverty.

Oxfam New Zealand’s advocacy team has a key role to play in influencing and informing decision makers in the New Zealand government and other key policy makers. We also seek to demonstrate the impact of their decisions on communities in the Pacific and south-east Asia, particularly in the areas of control arms, climate change and trade, and to show the depth of public concern on these issues.

If you are working towards or have recently completed a relevant degree, wish to gain work experience in the areas of policy or research, have a general interest in arms control issues, then we have the ideal internship opportunity for you, working with our Wellington-based advocacy team. Specifically, you will help to engage relevant decision makers in control arms issues and will work closely with our Control Arms Coordinator on related advocacy events and policy research.

An active interest in social justice and international development issues, including an understanding of the issues that Oxfam campaigns on and the Arms Trade Treaty negotiating process specifically, would be useful, as well as an ability to complete projects to a high standard. Good computer skills, reliability, initiative, analytical, communication and reporting skills, a knowledge of different research methodologies and good time management/organisational skills are also important.

This 4 to 6 month internship starts immediately, working 2-3 days per week. In return, for this time commitment, we offer the opportunity to gain research and policy experience with a reputable international development organisation, committed work colleagues and a friendly workplace.

Download the full job description and application form.

If you wish to apply, please send your completed application form and CV to Luke.Roughton@oxfam.org.nz. Applications close at 12 noon on Monday, 27 September 2010.

Oxfam NZ is an equal opportunities employer and encourages diversity in the workplace.

Operations & Marketing Support Intern (events)

Are you an organisational dynamo and great team player?
Do you wish to gain new skills and useful experience in events marketing?
Are you a quick learner who can hit the ground running?

Oxfam New Zealand (ONZ) is an independent development agency affiliated to Oxfam International. Our award-winning events marketing team is currently seeking to recruit a confident and outgoing individual to provide logistical and marketing support to the team’s Events Operations Coordinator in the lead up to and during the 2010 Nihotupu Tramline event – a 6km walk through the Waitakere Ranges along the old tramline route to the Nihotupu dam. The event is organised each year as part of a cluster of activities that aim to raise awareness and funds for ONZ’s Water for Survival programmes in the Pacific and south-east Asia. This year the event is scheduled to take place on November 21, 2010.

The ideal candidate will be a capable, outgoing individual with excellent organisational and communication skills, a confident and clear telephone manner and advanced IT skills in Microsoft Office applications. You are likely to have some previous work experience gained in an events environment, will hold a valid NZ drivers licence and may also have previous administrative experience. More importantly, you will be a strong team player, organised, adaptable, enthusiastic and willing to develop new skills and work odd hours over the event weekend.

We are looking for a commitment of 16 hours per week starting on October 4 for 3 months. In return, we are able to offer inspirational work colleagues, hands-on events marketing experience and a friendly workplace.

Download the full job description and application form.

To apply, please send a completed application form and CV and to: Kirsten.bird@oxfam.org.nz or fax +64 9 355 6505. Applications close at 12 noon on Monday, 20 September 2010

Oxfam NZ is an equal opportunities employer and encourages diversity in the workplace.

Media/PR intern

Do you have great communication skills?
Are you passionate and want to do something worthwhile?

Then join us and help bring Oxfam’s message to new audiences!

If you are a current or recent student seeking to gain work experience in public relations or journalism, and perhaps have an interest in the not-for profit sector, then we have an interesting internship opportunity for you working in our media team. You will be helping to generate media coverage for Oxfam Unwrapped, a clever gift giving idea where people give a card to their friend but the gift goes to people in the developing world who need it most. You will also assist with other communications related tasks such as drafting press releases, producing short editorial pieces, pitching story ideas to journalists and tracking media coverage.

While some knowledge of writing and of the media in New Zealand would be helpful, relevant work experience is less important than the right attitude - passion, enthusiasm and an interest in gaining skills and valuable work experience in media/PR. The ideal candidate is likely to be sociable, confident, with a good telephone manner, strong verbal and written communication, an eye for detail and the ability to show initiative as well as work with little supervision.

This 3 month internship starts immediately, working 1-2 days for up to 16 hours per week. Based in Central Auckland, we can also offer inspirational work stories, passionate colleagues and a friendly workplace.

Download the full job description and application form.

To apply, please send your completed application form and CV to Jason.garman@oxfam.org.nz or fax +64 9 355 6505. Applications close12 noon on Wednesday 9 September 2010.

Oxfam New Zealand is an equal opportunities employer and encourages diversity in the workplace.

Oxfam's internship programme

At Oxfam’s Auckland office (and small satellite office in Wellington), volunteers, interns and staff work together to help communities overcome poverty and suffering, through the provision of direct, practical programme support and by advocating or campaigning for change to unjust policies and practices that keep people poor.

Internships are voluntary positions. They are often filled by students who are working toward or have just completed an academic course of study, and will usually have a specific focus, to complete a particular task(s) or project. This may involve research or report writing.

Interns provide invaluable support to Oxfam New Zealand staff and/or to our supporters. In return, internships offer individuals the opportunity to share skills and gain useful experience in one or more of the following areas - international development, programme management, fundraising, events management, direct marketing, communications, social media, PR, advocacy, policy/research and campaigning.

As an intern, your skills and experience will extend Oxfam’s capacity to achieve our goals and we hope that you will gain both personal and job satisfaction from this partnership. Certainly there are opportunities for learning and skills development, to obtain advice on career development issues, to receive feedback on your performance, and to receive acknowledgment for your work with Oxfam New Zealand, including a formal reference if requested.

If you are interested in joining Oxfam New Zealand as an intern, you can complete a speculative internship application form, and send it to interns@oxfam.org.nz. Alternatively, if a specific position is advertised on this page, you can complete the application form for that position.