Internship: GFCE Strategy & Operations

Job description

The Strategy and Operations Intern will provide comprehensive support to the Strategy & Operations Manager by conducting research on the Cyber Capacity Building (CCB) landscape, supporting the development of strategy documents, and assisting with a variety of administrative tasks. This role will offer the intern the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in strategic planning and operations within an international context, while contributing to GFCE’s mission to enhance global cyber capacity. The internship is for six months with a starting date of the 1 February 2025 (flexible).  

Background

Established in 2015, the GFCE is a multi-stakeholder community of more than 160 members and partners consisting of governments, IGOs, companies, academia and project implementers from all regions of the world. Its mission is to strengthen cyber capacity and expertise globally by being a pragmatic, action-orientated and flexible platform for international collaboration. The GFCE delivers its mission through coordination to avoid duplication of efforts and blind spots; knowledge sharing to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of projects; being a Clearing House to connect requests for assistance with offers of support; and identifying and filling knowledge gaps with the development of a global CCB Research Agenda.

Role

The intern will be able to gain a deep understanding of global CCB efforts and strategic planning within an international organization with presence in 5 regions. They will also develop research, analytical, and reporting skills through hands-on experience in strategy development. Furthermore, they will be able to enhance project management and communication skills by supporting external high-level meetings and internal cross-departmental initiatives, and gain exposure with the strategic decision-making process and the opportunity to engage with senior leadership on critical organizational priorities.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Research Support for Strategy Development

• Conduct in-depth research on Cyber Capacity Building (CCB) trends, stakeholders, and global initiatives to inform strategic planning and decision-making.
• Prepare briefing documents, research summaries, and landscape analyses to support the Strategy & Operations Manager and senior leadership in developing key strategic documents.
• Track relevant developments in the CCB ecosystem, including donor activities, new projects, and global cyber policy trends.
• Support the development of strategic frameworks and recommendations by identifying best practices and emerging opportunities in CCB.

2. Administrative Support

• Provide general administrative support for strategy and operations, including scheduling meetings, preparing meeting agendas, taking minutes, and managing follow-up actions.
• Assist in organizing key strategic discussions, including logistics, document preparation, and post-meeting reporting.
• Support the GFCE’s EU Pillar Assessment process by coordinating internal communications, managing timelines, and organizing relevant documents and feedback.
• Maintain the knowledge repository and ensure that key strategic documents, research briefs, presentations, and other relevant documents are well-organized and easily accessible.

3. Additional Responsibilities as Needed

• Assist with cross-departmental coordination, including tracking project updates and ensuring effective communication across teams.
• Support internal process improvement initiatives by conducting research on best practices and assisting in the design of new templates, workflows, and guidelines.
• Participate in special projects or ad-hoc assignments as required, gaining exposure to various aspects of GFCE’s strategic and operational work.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Current enrollment in a Master’s degree program in International Relations, Political Science, Cybersecurity, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Strong research and analytical skills with the ability to synthesize complex information.
• Excellent organizational and administrative skills with attention to detail.
• Proactive attitude, with the ability to handle multiple priorities and work independently.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); familiarity with online collaboration tools (e.g., Notion, Trello) is a plus.

Organizational Relationships

• Reports to the Strategy & Operations Manager.
• Supports various teams across the Secretariat and other internal stakeholders as needed.

Terms and Conditions 

The internship is full-time based on a 40-hour working week, starting in February 2024. Remuneration is set at a fixed gross monthly rate of 830 euro plus reimbursement of actual travel (commute) expenses. The GFCE Secretariat office is based in The Hague, The Netherlands (Laan van Noi station). 

To Apply 

Please send a cover letter with your motivation and your CV to the GFCE Secretariat, via contact@thegfce.org, by the 2 January, 2024.  A written assignment and reference check could be part of the selection procedure. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. 

For more information on this internship opportunity, please reach out to us at contact@thegfce.org.