Project Assistant Intern

IIRR is one of the world’s leading rural development NGOs. Since 1960, IIRR has impacted over 62 million rural lives across five continents. We focus on sustainable, community-led solutions in health, education, environment, and livelihoods. With offices in Africa, Asia, and North America, we partner with communities to improve their lives and build resilience.

We are looking for a Project Assistant Intern who will be supporting our Africa Regional Office in field coordination, training facilitation, and data management for the IIRR Projects. The role focuses on training needs assessment, credit finance, and capacity-building components, working closely with the Project Manager, M&E Officer, and partners to ensure effective implementation.

The intern will conduct field visits, collect and analyze data, coordinate with stakeholders, and provide timely feedback to the project team.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the day-to-day implementation of field activities under the IIRR Projects.
• Plan and coordinate field operations with the Project Manager and local partners.
• Conduct field visits to monitor progress, collect feedback, and ensure activities meet targets.
• Support in collection and management of qualitative and quantitative data (surveys, FGDs, interviews, observations).
• Document findings, case studies, success stories, and lessons learned.
• Facilitate training sessions, workshops, and community meetings on enterprise and credit finance.
• Support preparation of training materials, manuals, and toolkits.
• Provide technical assistance and mentorship to beneficiaries to strengthen enterprise development.
• Maintain strong relationships with community leaders, partners, and government stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with IIRR and donor guidelines.
• Support logistics for field activities (transport, equipment, and materials).
• Any other assigned roles.

Requirements

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Business Management, Rural/Community Development, or related field.
• At least 1–2 years of field experience in agriculture, enterprise, or rural development projects.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong interest in community development and enterprise growth.
• Excellent facilitation, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Strong analytical, data collection, and report-writing skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and basic database management.
• Team player with ability to work in a multidisciplinary and multicultural environment.
• Physically fit and willing to travel frequently, including to remote areas.
• Ability to work independently, with strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Fluency in English and Kiswahili (spoken and written).

Duration & Stipend

• Three (3) to six (6) months (with possible extension). This is an unpaid internship.