Development & Outreach Department Intern

Human Rights Watch (HRW) is responsible for protecting and promoting the human rights of people around the world, including pushing for an end to human rights abuses and advocating for accountability and effective remedies where violations occur.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) is seeking student interns for an in-person internship with our Development & Outreach Department, in the Sydney office. Ideally, the interns will be available part-time, Tuesday's and Thursday's each week, 14 hours per week for three months, beginning in mid-September 2026 through December 2026. There is some flexibility with the start date and there is a possibility of extending.

Interns will be offered a range of tasks that cover elements of the work carried out by the Development & Outreach Departments. Interns are offered the opportunity to participate in the collegial atmosphere of all aspects of daily Human Rights Watch Sydney office activities. When possible, interns are invited to join weekly HRW staff meetings, online meetings with global development colleagues, and to attend external HRW events, which could include donor meetings, receptions and public briefings and events.

Outreach and development related tasks include:

• →Utilizing databases for supporting with tasks relating to event planning;
• →Supporting with fundraising and outreach events;
• →Collaborating with the team to cultivate individual donors, foundations, and corporations, mainly based in Sydney and Melbourne; and
• →Other projects may be assigned as they arise and when they match the intern’s interests.

This position is best suited for tertiary students interested in interning in a large, well-organized, international non-profit organization.

• Applicants must be currently enrolled students for the duration of the internship term;
• Applicants should have strong organizational skills, a proactive approach to projects, and demonstrate reliability with a strong interest in international human rights is required;
• Experience with fundraising, media, social media, government relations, event planning, and Salesforce is desirable; and
• Computer skills (e.g., Microsoft Office) are strongly preferred. 

Human Rights Watch is an international human rights monitoring and advocacy organization known for its in-depth investigations, its incisive and timely reporting, its innovative and high-profile advocacy campaigns, and its success in changing the human rights-related policies and practices of influential governments and international institutions.