AGA KHAN FOUNDATION U.S.A. POLICY FELLOWS PROGRAM
WASHINGTON, DC
Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A. (AKF USA) has partnered with the Wolfensohn Center
for Development at the Brookings Institution to establish a Policy Fellows Program in
order to build the knowledge, skills and research capabilities of young professionals
interested in careers in international development research, policy analysis and
advocacy. Based at The Brookings Institution in Washington, DC, the Policy Fellow
will assist in a program of research relevant to the priorities of the Aga Khan
Development Network (AKDN). The Fellow will work under the supervision/
mentorship of a senior research manager, have the opportunity to help shape research,
and gain exposure to a variety of the policy work of The Brookings Institution. Policy
Fellows will also benefit from other professional development organized by AKF USA.
The Early Child Development Initiative at the Wolfensohn Center for Development
conducts research that aims to better understand how to successfully scale-up and
sustain effective Early Child Development (ECD) programs and policies throughout the
developing world and advocates for improved ECD programs and policies in
developing countries. The research program of the Initiative includes a series of
ongoing country case studies, focused on the scale-up and sustainability of a specific
program, policy or ECD framework within each country. Current country case studies
include: South Africa, Madagascar, Syria, Macedonia, Romania, Cuba, Chile, India and
the Philippines. As an AKF USA Policy Fellow with the Wolfensohn Center, you will
provide research and project management support to the Early Child Development
Initiative full-time for a period of 12 months. Principal duties and responsibilities will
be to: Provide direct research assistance to the ECD Initiative; this includes the review
and summary of: country and region specific literature on human development,
program/ project specific materials and evaluations, and academic and policy papers of
partner organizations and academic institutions. Reconfigure databases of country
specific, regional, and global ECD indicators. Edit and format working papers and
other documents. Manage the editing process (organize translations, institutional
processing, etc.) Manage the organization of travel, conferences and events. Expected
skills and experience to be gained: Exposure to leading experts, policy-makers, regional
networks and other key stakeholders in human development and ECD. Increased
understanding of multi-disciplinary approaches to human development issues in a
variety of regional and country contexts. Increased understanding of the work and
research of the AKDN as relates to human development and ECD. Applied policy
research and analytical skills. Increased understanding and skills development in the
international policy advocacy. Opportunities for international travel to one or more
countries of the Middle East, Africa, Latin America or Eastern Europe. Improved
project management skills. Applications should demonstrate the candidate’s
qualifications against these criteria: REQUIREMENTS: Master’s or Ph.D. degree in
human development or international education with an emphasis on ECD.
Demonstrated passion, knowledge and professional experience related to human
development and ECD in developing and emerging economies. Advanced knowledge
of quantitative and qualitative research methods. Familiarity with relevant sources of
data on human development. Excellent writing, editing and oral communications skills.
Project management skills (logistics, contracts management, workshop planning, other
administrative duties. Strong desire and ability and to work in a multicultural
environment; openness to learn from people of a variety of national, cultural, religious,
ethnic and language identities. Advanced word-processing, spreadsheet and web search
skills. Willingness to work flexibly, to take initiative, to adapt to changing priorities
and to cope with extended work hours to meet critical deadlines, as needed. Other
highly desirable attributes/ skills: Experience living and working in a developing
country. Language skills in Arabic, French or Spanish. Intermediate to advanced
knowledge of the geographies and politics of the Middle East, Africa and/or Latin
American regions. Experience in workshop facilitation, training or adult learning. TO
APPLY: Submission Requirements: Submit all materials to: fellowships@akfusa.org 1.
Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Resume. 2. Academic transcripts from all undergraduate and
graduate institutions attended. 3. An original, written statement (1,500 words or less)
explaining: Your career goals; Your opinion about why further research and investment
in ECD programs in developing and middle-income countries of Africa, South and
Central Asia, the Middle East and Latin America are important; What you hope to
contribute towards achievement of the goals of this project; How you personally will
benefit from participating as a Policy Fellow; Confirmation of your availability date. 4.
A 5-10 page writing/ research sample for which you were the sole or primary author. 5.
3 professional or academic references. Deadline: 5:00 pm on August 10, 2009.
Compensation: The Policy Fellows program compensation package includes a
competitive stipend, travel expenses for relocation to Washington, DC and international
travel expenses related to carrying out the duties assigned. The Policy Fellow will be
responsible for providing his/her own health insurance or any other desired insurance
coverage. Late or incomplete applications may be disqualified. Candidates should be
available to begin their assignment in Fall 2009. Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is one of
several agencies that together comprise the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN),
a group of development agencies with mandates ranging from health and education to
architecture, culture, microfinance, rural development, disaster reduction, the
promotion of private-sector enterprise and the revitalization of historic cities. AKF USA
is one of almost twenty AKF units, and serves primarily to mobilize resources and
engage in policy dialogue to support the work of the AKDN (www.akdn.org). The
Wolfensohn Center for Development at The Brookings Institution seeks effective
solutions to key development challenges in order to create a more prosperous and stable
world. The Center conducts rigorous, independent research on how development
interventions can be successfully implemented, scaled up, and sustained. It strives to
bridge the gap between development theorists and practitioners and works in
partnership with others, especially partners in developing countries, to promote local
ownership and capacity, and to ensure lasting development impact. James D.
Wolfensohn, former president of the World Bank and a member of the Brookings Board
of Trustees, founded
the Center in July 2006.
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