Intern, Strategic Initiatives— New York City, NY or Remote
Working with Nespresso to revive the coffee sector in Puerto Rico after the devastation of Hurricane Maria. Partnering with brewer AB InBev to craft a response for smallholder farmers grappling with COVID-19. And working with Mastercard to help improve the e-commerce practices of micro retailers globally. These are just some examples of the type of projects developed and overseen by TechnoServe’s Strategic Initiatives unit, as we partner with multinational corporations on our mission to use business solutions to solve poverty.
TechnoServe is a leader in harnessing the power of the private sector to help people lift themselves out of poverty. As a nonprofit organization operating in 30 countries, we work with enterprising men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. By linking people to information, capital, and markets, we have helped millions to create lasting prosperity for their families and communities. With over 50 years of proven results, TechnoServe believes in the power of private enterprise to transform lives.
The Strategic Initiatives team at TechnoServe is responsible for designing and supporting initiatives with our multinational corporate partners. These types of projects – as distinguished from our other projects which are funded by governments and donors – account for more than a third of our work. Our corporate partners source commodities from or sell products to tens of millions of individuals that live below the poverty line around the world. We believe with the right business model innovations and investments, there is a pathway to take millions out of poverty in a way that is sustainable and scalable.
To bring these initiatives to fruition, our team works with our corporate partners to develop win-win business cases for investing in these new business models. Our team consists of former management consultants who also typically have experience in development and is largely based in New York City. Through studies paid for by our partners, this team develops the business case and works with these partners to support implementation of the projects through our field offices.
We believe this combination of top-tier advisory expertise at the intersection of business and poverty, paired with our ability to implement field solutions is a unique way to deliver meaningful change to people’s lives.
Position Description:
We view the internship position as an opening pathway to a career in international development or a stepping stone into private sector roles like management consulting. Our interns will have the opportunity to learn about a variety of cutting-edge development topics and develop research and analytical skills, while building relationships with TechnoServe staff across the world. They will also be invited to attend professional development workshops, trainings, and organization-wide webinars.
The intern position is open to individuals with exceptional research and writing abilities and a deep commitment to alleviating poverty around the world. The internship will focus on 1-2 larger projects and a set of shorter term tasks that leverage research and written communications skills.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Research topics in shared value growth strategies and international development (e.g., green growth, climate-smart agriculture, last mile distribution, agtech, fintech), pending team and partner needs
- Prepare high-level communications and presentations for internal and external audiences
- Support production and review of partner deliverables and proposals, as needed
- Other duties as assigned
We’re looking for someone with passion about our mission who possesses the following qualifications:
- Excellent and demonstrated research experience
- Strong writing and editing skills, with ability to produce documents that are clear and concise
- Ability to prioritize among competing demands, to meet deadlines and to adapt to changing conditions
- Ability to gather data and conduct basic analysis
- Proficiency in MS PowerPoint, Excel and Word
- Fluency in English required; other languages helpful
- Passion to use these skills to support our organizational mission of poverty reduction
- For eligibility, interns must be based in a country where TechnoServe has operations (this includes the United States). See a list of where we work here.
Logistics:
We are seeking candidates who can work 40 hours per week for eight weeks during the summer of 2023. The intern will be paid $15 per hour and can be based in our office in New York, NY, or remotely. For eligibility, interns must be based in a country where TechnoServe has operations.
We welcome hearing from qualified and interested applicants. Applications will be accepted until February 20, 2023. To apply, please go to the Ultipro application page linked in the “Apply Externally” button at the top of this page or below and submit a Word or PDF document with answers to the following questions. You do NOT need to submit a resume or cover letter.
- Why are you interested in learning about international development and corporate shared value at TechnoServe? Please limit response to 150 words or less.
- The Strategic Initiatives team is focused on shared value partnerships with corporations, which deliver benefits to both their business and society. The first paragraph of this job description provides examples of shared value work. Imagine you are working with JuiceCorp, a multinational corporation that sells fruit juices to billions of consumers all over the world. Please design a shared value initiative that could be a partnership between JuiceCorp and TechnoServe. Write a pitch for the initiative that explains to JuiceCorp why they should invest in the opportunity. Please be creative and specific, and limit your response to 150 words or less.