Intern Institutional Relations
Job location: Apeldoorn
Starting date: 1st September 2026
Vacancy closing date: 15 June 2026
Duration position: 4 to 6 months
Working hours: Maximum32 hours per week
ZOA, as an international NGO, supports people who have lost everything due to armed conflict or natural disaster. Together, we can come to their aid in emergencies and remain faithful to communities as they recover – providing new opportunities for them to help themselves again. The work of ZOA is coordinated from our office in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands. We are active in Africa, the Middle East region, and Asia. We work with approximately 900 employees worldwide and with (local) partners. We invite you to join our team of committed colleagues.
Are you a Master’s student in international relations, international development, humanitarian affairs? Are you willing to contribute and learn more about institutional relations within an international NGO?
ZOA is looking for an
Intern – Institutional Relations
Team
The Institutional Relations (IR) team, composed of six dynamic members, is pivotal to ZOA, as 70-75 % of the organization’s income consists of funding from institutional donors, including DG-ECHO, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, DG-INTPA and UN agencies. Consequently, it is essential for ZOA to nurture and enhance positive relationships with all major institutional donors. Furthermore, our focus is on consistently submitting strategic proposals that clearly demonstrate ZOA’s expertise and distinctive approach in each country and context.
Position
As an intern, you will support the Institutional Relations (IR) team in strengthening ZOA’s access to institutional funding. You will help the team in implementing and further developing our IR strategy, contributing with research, coordination and day‑to‑day tasks. Working closely with the IR colleagues, you will assist in identifying funding opportunities from global institutional donors and in providing support to ZOA’s country teams in their fundraising efforts. You will also collaborate with colleagues across our global offices and HQ departments (Programmes & Development Support and Fundraising & Communications) to contribute to smooth proposal development processes and internal information sharing.
Your challenge?
In this internship, you will focus on:
- Support the development of a donor strategy for ZOA’s key thematic sector – Food Security and Livelihoods- by conducting research, compiling internal information, and helping organise inputs.
- Assist in creating and updating country brochures and track records from previous projects, including gathering information from country offices, drafting content, and coordinating visuals and layout with relevant teams.
- Contribute to communications on institutional funding, such as drafting short posts or updates for internal and external channels, highlighting donor engagement, opportunities, and achievements.
Your profile
- You are enrolled in a Masters’ degree in development studies, project management, international relations, humanitarian affairs or related fields.
- You are willing to learn and develop your skills in a fast-paced work environment
- You are comfortable speaking in public and presenting your work
- You have strong research, writing and analytical skills, and you can turn information into clear memos.
- You have an excellent command of the English language, knowledge of French and/or Dutch is appreciated.
- You enjoy working in a team and collaborating with colleagues from different cultures and departments.
- You are based in the Netherlands and are willing to come to the office twice a week.
- You support the vision, mission and Christian values of ZOA.
We offer
Working with ZOA as Institutional Relations Manager means:
- A meaningful internship within an international NGO, where you can contribute to strengthening ZOA’s institutional relations and learn from an experienced, engaged team.
- The opportunity to gain hands‑on experience working with global institutional donors and country teams.
- A supportive work environment with colleagues from different cultures, and plenty of opportunities to learn, ask questions, and grow professionally.
- Flexible working arrangements, including the possibility to work from home part of the week.
- A financial compensation of 400 € to 450 € per month
Interested and you want to apply?
Please apply directly via the "apply now" button on this page. This vacancy will close on 15 June 2026. If you have questions about this vacancy, you can contact Clara Galea, c.galea@zoa.ngo
ZOA operates with an equal opportunities policy and is committed to diversity in the workplace. Qualified women and men, people of all nationalities, and cultural backgrounds, and candidates with disabilities are welcome to apply.
A COTER check is part of the recruitment and selection process.
