Two internship positions: 6-12 months, paid internship at REDI
Starting date: June 1, 2017
Application deadline: May 20, 2017
Full Or Part Time: Full time
Central European University and the Roma Entrepreneurship Development Initiative invite applications for two intern positions to be hosted by the Roma Entrepreneurship Development Initiative as part of the Roma in European Societies (RES) initiative. The positions are for six months or one year (depending on results). The interns will work under the supervision on the chairman of the executive board and will be engaged in the development and conceptualization of two components of the 2018-2022 strategy.
One intern will be mainly based in Brussels and will follow-up developments / meetings and agendas for the following programs: Erasmus+, Youth Guarantee, COSME, Western Balkan Framework and EaSI programs. Additionally, the intern is expected to provide support to the communication team.
A second intern will be based in a city of his/her preference (Bucharest, Sofia, Belgrade, etc.,) and shall be in charge of understanding the key components of an entrepreneurship development program developed by a leading US institution. The intern is expected to propose a series of needed adaptations, build partnerships, define strict requirements and identify resources to see the project come to life.
Before working on their respective assignments, the interns are expected to spend about two months on the field working with small entrepreneurs in Romanian or Bulgarian Roma communities. They will be placed under the supervision of REDI’s business facilitators and program director.
- EU affairs and advocacy (based in Bruxelles, Belgium)
Placed in Bruxelles, Belgium. He or She is expected to identify the calendar and frequency of entrepreneurship related meetings organized by the European Commission, the European Parliament, Norway Funds, UNDP, World Bank. He/She is expected to attend the meetings and identify how REDI could give a voice to small entrepreneurs from Roma communities. The following programs should be specifically targeted: Erasmus+, Youth Guarantee, COSME, Western Balkan Framework, EaSI (especially those focused on EaSI microfinance and guarantees). He or she is expected to identify opportunities to be pursued by the REDI team, ideally articulating REDI’s advocacy goals post 2022. Additionally, the intern is expected to provide support to REDI’s communication team. The intern is expected to have excellent English speaking and drafting skills, an open personality, easy going, very independent and entrepreneurial.
2. Mentoring and Partnerships (based in Bucharest, Sofia, Budapest or Belgrade)
REDI aims to set-up a partnership with Frontier Market Scouts on adapting one of their existing programs in which MBA students from local universities (CEU, Babes Bolyai, ASE, Romanian American university, Bulgarian business schools) could obtain field experience in social banking, social investments by working with entrepreneurs supported by REDI.
The CEU intern should demonstrate the ability to conceptualize a framework, build partnerships with business schools and identify resources needed to run a pilot project with at least a business school from his / her native country.
Responsibilities
The typical responsibilities given to trainees include:
- research work;
- preparation of draft reports and studies for meetings of experts;
- drafting of meeting reports;
- assisting with work in hand;
- contributing to the visibility of the Team’s programmes and dissemination of information (studies,publications, presentations, press releases, etc.)
- preparing information and news for updating websites.
Qualifications
This opportunity is available for graduates of the Roma Access Programs, especially those that obtained an MA degree from CEU or other English language graduate programs from other universities. CEU and REDI expect the candidates to have:
- A very good command of English. Knowledge of French and of any other European languages will be considered a plus
- Experience with office work as a team player full of enthusiasm and eager to learn
- High motivation to develop a career in the chosen area of interest
- Have a desire to acquire practical experience and knowledge of the functioning and activities of the Council of Europe;
- Excellent communication skills
The ideal candidate will be/have:
- A degree (minimum 3 years of higher education) in European Studies, Economics, Law, Politics, International Relations or Communications;
- The candidate will preferably hold a Masters’ degree in a similar discipline;
- A minimum of previous 6 month’s experience in working on EU Public Affairs or EU Communications in highly desirable;
- Previous work experience in the EU Institutions is a plus;
- Full working knowledge of the EU Institutions and the EU’s decision-making process;
- Interested in and knowledgeable on the topic of entrepreneurship, financing, Roma policies;
- Proficient analytical and writing skills;
- Ability to work independently, take initiative, and exercise sound judgment;
- Solid organizational and time-management skills;
- Committed to REDI’s mission;
Proficient English (both written and spoken) and sound knowledge of at least another EU official language (knowledge of Romanes is a plus).
Personal attitudes: initiative and responsibility, result oriented and sense of continuous improvement, concern for quality, efficiency and accuracy, adaptability, self-management and development, organizational alignment.
Personal values: integrity, loyalty and conscientiousness, discretion, independence and confidence, respect for diversity.
Selection Criteria
The interns will be selected through a competitive selection process based on the relevance of the applicant’s career goals, previous working experience and motivation. Applicants will be notified of the result of the evaluation process by mid of May 2017 the latest.
Duration and conditions of Internships: 6 months or one year
How to apply?
Please send your CV and a cover letter in English explaining why you believe this Internship fits you, specifying your main skills and interests, including the area in which you would like to work and how you think the Internship would help you develop a career in your area of interest. You should also provide the contact details of two recent employers or supervisors whom we could contact for references.
Please send your complete application package to res@ceu.edu writing in the Subject Line: CEU-REDI Internship.
Central European University (CEU) is a graduate research-intensive university specializing primarily in the social sciences and the humanities, as well as law, business and public policy. It is located in Budapest, and accredited in the United States and Hungary. CEU’s mission is to promote academic excellence, state -of- the-art research, and civic engagement. CEU offers both Master’s and doctoral programs, and enrolls more than 1500 students from nearly 100 countries. The teaching staff consists of more than 180 resident faculty members from over 40 countries, and a large number of prominent visiting scholars from around the world. The language of instruction is English. In 2016, CEU announced the Roma in European Societies initiative (RES) as a collaborative initiative supporting efforts to improve the situation of Roma in all sectors at local, national, and regional levels through teaching, course development and research, leadership development, and community outreach. RES is funded by the Velux Foundations, Roma Education Fund and the Open Society Foundations Roma Initiatives Office over the next five years.
Roma Entrepreneurship Development Initiative (REDI) is a newly established NGO which aims to support the development of Roma communities by using entrepreneurship and access to mainstream financial services as main tools. The underlying assumption is that a Roma business owner is more likely to hire a Roma employee compared to a non-Roma business owner. If jobs are created in the community, people are less likely to be trapped in the mirage of migration to the west, and children will be more likely to be sent to school. Besides focusing on developing tools to support entrepreneurs, REDI aims to build a new generation of cadre: loan officers, investment fund managers, business facilitators, online communicators and advocacy experts.
