Intern, Organizational Growth Support

Job Description

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR Research Center, is seeking applications from enthusiastic students looking to gain professional experience in the areas of organizational governance, risk management, and institutional development through IWMI’s internship program. The internship will be based at IWMI’s headquarters in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Scope of internship

This internship will provide practical exposure to organizational change processes, project coordination, and strategic monitoring and reporting. The selected intern will support activities related to the implementation of IWMI’s Organizational Growth Strategy (OGS) and cross-functional coordination within the Corporate Services portfolio. During the internship period, the intern will also be able to gain insight into working with people from different countries and cultures.

The intern will assist in the following areas:

• Support the development of various documents and materials within the scope of the internship.

• Support the maintenance of project tracking sheets and dashboards under the supervision of the Senior Manager.
• Assist in organizing meetings, taking minutes, and following up on action points.
• Contribute to the preparation of PowerPoint presentations and background materials for internal and Board-level briefings.
• Collect and compile inputs from departments and Action Area Working Groups for consolidated reporting.
• Update tracking reports or dashboards (Smartsheet/Excel) submitted to the Senior Manager on a weekly basis.
• Draft minutes and action logs of at least three organizational meetings.
• Prepare PowerPoint slide decks and formatted project updates.
• Assist in developing a monthly progress brief summarizing contributions and learning reflections.

Requirements

• Undergraduates or graduates specializing in the fields of Finance, Public Administration, Business Management, or a related area.
• Registered or part-qualified students of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka)/Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)/Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
• Basic understanding of project or program management principles.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (especially Excel, Word, and PowerPoint).

Benefits

IWMI will provide a monthly stipend to the selected candidate during the internship period.

The duration of the initial internship contract will be 6 months, with the possibility of extension for another 6 months based on performance, requirements of IWMI, and the availability of funds. This is a nationally recruited internship and only Sri Lankans are eligible to apply.

To apply, visit www.iwmi.org/jobs. Applications must be submitted by 24:00 (Colombo time) on August 06, 2025 (Wednesday).

About the Organization

The International Water Management Institute is a nonprofit scientific research organization focusing on the sustainable use of water and land resources in agriculture and on the water needs of developing countries. IWMI works with partners in the South to develop tools and methods to help these countries eradicate poverty through more effective management of their water and land resources. Mission: Improving water and land resources management for food livelihoods and nature. The objectives of IWMI's work: - Identify the larger issues related to water management and food security that need to be understood and addressed by governments and policymakers. - Develop, test and promote management practices and tools that can be used by governments and institutions to manage water and land resources more effectively, and address water scarcity issues. - Clarify the link between poverty and access to water and to help governments and the research community better understand the specific water-related problems of poor people. - Help developing countries build their research capacities to deal with water scarcity and related food security issues.