Intern, Forest and Grasslands Team

IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network - a democratic membership union with more than 1,000 government and NGO member organizations, and almost 11,000 volunteer scientists in more than 160 countries. IUCN’s work is supported by more than 1,000 professional staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public, NGO and private sectors around the world. Its headquarters are based in Gland, Switzerland.

The Forest and Grasslands Team (FGT) at IUCN is responsible for developing and executing the global conservation program for forests and grasslands. This includes efforts in primary forest and native grassland conservation, ecosystem restoration on both area-based and landscape scales, and effective rangeland and drought reduction management. The Team focuses on addressing threats such as climate change and large-scale deforestation by advocating and implementing practical solutions supported by scientific knowledge.

FGT is looking to hire an Intern to support visibility, engagement, and stakeholder relations across the Forest and Grasslands Team and its portfolio of projects. The role will primarily involve contributing to the development of high-quality visibility materials, coordinating events and stakeholder engagements, and driving project-specific visibility and positioning objectives in line with FGT’s strategy. The incumbent will play a key role in the lead-up to and during the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 and UNFCCC COP30, helping ensure that FGT’s work is prominently represented to key audiences.

The Intern will assist in designing and implementing FGT’s stakeholder relations and visibility approach, producing content and knowledge products that elevate the Team’s work, and supporting the Programme Associate and other staff in delivering select project outputs focused on partner engagement and profile-building. This role also includes working closely with governments, IUCN Members, Commissions, and other partners to demonstrate the impact-driven nature of FGT’s work, helping to reinforce IUCN’s leadership and value proposition to donors and investors.

The internship will be full-time, based out of the IUCN North America Regional Office, and run until December 31, 2025. The Intern will have the option to work remotely, but preference will be given to qualified candidates based in Washington D.C. who can be present in-person at minimum 50% of the time.

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Associate based in Washington DC, and as an integral part of the Forest and Grasslands Team (FGT), the Intern will play a key role in supporting the work of the Team. This role provides an unparalleled opportunity to delve into the world of ecosystem restoration, climate action, and sustainable development, gaining first-hand experience in influential conservation action and policy-making initiatives.

In support of the project portfolio with a particular focus on contributing to communications and visibility support, the Intern shall undertake the following specific tasks:

• Support the preparation and delivery of virtual and in-person events and webinars in coordination with internal and external partners.
• Develop written and visual communications materials for internal and external audiences, including informational briefs, infographics, social media materials, and engaging presentations.
• Perform research and writing tasks to support development of communications assets for FGT and its project portfolio.
• Support strategic communications planning for FGT and its project portfolio.
• Contribute to coordinating meetings and notetaking related to job duties.
• Support other day-to-day operational and communications needs, in line with the FGT strategy and IUCN Programme of Work.
• Any other duties agreed upon with the supervisor and/or Head of the FGT.