Advocacy Intern - Appropriations

Job Description

Job Title: Advocacy Intern (Appropriations)
Location: Washington DC - 2-3 days per week in the DC office
Duration: Week of February 2nd – April 24th
Job Type: Part-time, 10-15 hours per week
Salary: DC minimum wage ($17.95 per hour)
Reports to: Head of Congressional Affairs & Strategic Engagement

About The Job:

The DC office is seeking an enthusiastic intern who is interested in US politics and international affairs to support HALO’s Congressional engagement. The primary responsibility of this position will be to support HALO’s efforts to influence the Congressional appropriations process. The successful completion of this project is critical to ensuring HALO achieves its strategic objectives and to provide funding for global demining efforts. The advocacy intern will also support other elements of direct Congressional outreach and grassroots advocacy efforts.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Collecting appropriations request forms and related contact information/procedures from Congressional offices and inputting data into tracking spreadsheet and reporting findings to Congressional affairs team.
• Tracking appropriations request data and deadlines for all House and Senate offices to ensure timely and complete submissions.
• Drafting and submitting appropriations request forms and accompanying documents to Congressional offices.

Other responsibilities include:

• Helping to promote grassroots advocacy campaigns and recruit new advocacy supporters to HALO’s network.
• Representing HALO in virtual and in person meetings and events with Congressional offices and stakeholders.
• Supporting the planning and implementation of virtual and in-person events.
• Assist with data management and mailings.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Applicants should have at least 2 years of professional experience (including internships) and must hold US citizenship. We are looking for the following qualities:

• Strong interest in Congressional affairs, non-profit work, and international affairs.
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills
• A strong work ethic and self-motivation
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment
• Strong organizational and analytical skills
• Positive attitude
• Flexibility
• Comfortable calling and emailing Congressional offices
• Familiarity with Quorum, the appropriations process, and prior experience conducting Congressional advocacy or working in a Congressional office is a plus

Benefits What’s in it for you?

The position offers valuable insight into working in advocacy, Congressional relations, the non-profit sector, and humanitarian work. In particular, the intern will gain a deep understanding of the Congressional appropriations process. This internship will provide the opportunity to conduct direct and meaningful work that will significantly impact the department’s ability to achieve goals and will make a difference in the lives of families across the globe.

How to Apply:

If you wish to apply, please submit a PDF copy of your resume (no more than 2 pages) and cover letter (no more than one page) by January 19th 2025. Early applications are strongly encouraged and interviews will be scheduling on a rolling basis. Please note if there is a sufficient caliber of applicants, we reserve the right to close the role early.

Your cover letter must include a description of why your academic/professional experiences will enable you to successfully complete the primary responsibilities listed above, in addition to other relevant details.

Applicants must be a US citizen.

DEADLINE: January 19, 2026

About the Organization

The HALO Trust is a non-political, non-religious NGO that specializes in the removal of the hazardous debris of war. HALO is the world’s oldest and largest humanitarian landmine clearance organization and currently employs over 8,000 deminers in Afghanistan, Abkhazia, Angola, Cambodia, Colombia, Georgia, Kosovo, Mozambique, Nagorno Karabakh, Sri Lanka and Somaliland. HALO’s largest program is in Afghanistan where they have over 3,700 Afghan staff working on mine clearance and the disposal of conventional munitions preventing these weapons from being used to make Improvised Explosive Devices (IED). The beneficiaries of mineclearance are invariably the poorest of the poor: internally displaced persons and other disempowered groups. Mineclearance restores farmland and allows them to return to productive and dignified economic activity, which in turn brings stability to post-conflict areas. Since 1988, HALO has destroyed 1.3 million landmines, 12 million items of larger-caliber ordnance, and 50 million bullets. These efforts have returned over 372,000 acres of safe land - an area more than nine times the size of Washington, DC - to poor communities around the world.