AU WATCH

Careers and Internships

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes…”

Steven Paul  Jobs

Trust + Talent + Tenacity + Training = Great Employees

AU Watch is a leading regional development and human rights organisation dedicated to monitoring and publicising the activities of the African Union and its Members. It challenges and holds to account the AU and States Parties to the Constitutive Act to live up to those standards and ideals they have set for themselves. We advertise vacancies all over Africa. Please see below for further information on our current vacancies.

In an ever-changing world, AU Watch’s work as an organisation that challenges and holds the AU and its Members to account to the standards they have set for themselves is more important than ever. At AU Watch, you will do work that matters to Africa, with hardworking and dedicated colleagues in a diverse and inclusive environment. We offer opportunities for people at all levels of their careers, from recent graduates interested in pursuing a career in media and communication, development, and education to experienced professionals in areas such as AU Policy, human rights, social justice and Agenda 2063. We also offer internships for college and graduate students and Fellowships for more qualified and experienced scholars.

Further information

  • For any queries relating to our open vacancies, please contact our Human Resources team on (+220)7217689.
  • Applicants need to send us a detailed CV and a motivation letter.
  • Due to the high volume of applications and limited resources, we can only contact shortlisted candidates.

Join an inspirational, innovative and dynamic workplace, where teams deliver world-class work, whilst inspiring positivity in their colleagues and their community.

Current Opportunities in our Banjul Office

FUNDRAISING ASSISTANT

Application Deadline: Ongoing

WEB DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT

Application Deadline: Ongoing

COMMUNICATIONS AND SOCIAL MEDIA ASSISTANT

Application Deadline: Ongoing

PROJECTS COORDINATOR

Application Deadline: Ongoing

PUBLICATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

Application Deadline: Ongoing

“A collaborative, diverse, and inclusive environment, opportunities to learn, and grow. That’s life at AU Watch.”

Benefits

AU Watch offers a comprehensive benefit package that is among the best offered by nonprofits today. It includes an award-winning health and wellness program, comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, generous time-off, onsite skills-based training, and tuition reimbursement assistance, including for courses abroad.

Medical, Dental, and Vision

 

All employees have health insurance. We provide medical, maternity, dental, and vision plans for eligible employees and their dependents

Retirement Plan

 

Life insurance plan options, including an 5% employer contribution to approved insurance plans

Life and Disability Plans

 

Done. Please see what options are available in your office.

Professional Development

 

Training is important to us. We insist that all staff must be continually challenging themselves. As a media and communication outfit, we insist that all staff undergo some form of media and communication training.

Diversity at AU Watch

 

AU Watch advances strives to build a diverse membership, staff, and board. We challenge our staff. You have the opportunity to develop and collaborate with all sorts of or organizations and people.

Health and Wellness

 

We subsidize gym memberships and encourage all our staff to take part in monthly outdoor activities

Paid Leave Benefits

 

Generous vacation, sick, maternity and paternity leave, as well as a emergency leave

AU Culture

 

AU Watch is a collaborative, diverse, and inclusive workplace. We value innovative thinking, commitment, enthusiasm and drive. We offer onsite professional development opportunities and numerous including chess competition.

Employee Events

 

Dozens of events are organised every year. Events define who we are. We expect every staff to fully participate in our national and regional events.

Q&A on AU Watch Fellowships and Internships

Do you offer fellowships and internships?

We offer a wide variety of fellowships/internships positions with a focus on teaching our leaders of tomorrow on various issues including development and good governance, human rights, anti-corruption strategies how to combat the issue of human trafficking. AU Watch program participants have the opportunity to make a direct impact in the programs they are enrolled in.

Whether it’s working in one of our studios, radio or TV centres or assisting the Pan African Parliament draft legislation or working with Nepad, or working side by side with our operations team on the ground, our participants gain a wide variety of skills where they are given the opportunity to learn and flourish. Early applications are highly recommended as the selection process is on a rolling basis.

Please note that all fellowships and internships are unpaid, generally last at least 12 weeks and could be located in any number of places in Africa. Please check the main AU Watch website and the website of our country offices for specific vacancies that you may be interested in. If you would like to be considered for an additional opportunity, please list your top three positions in order of preference in the second sentence of your cover letter. Only qualified candidates will be contacted.

Who is eligible for the fellowships and internships programs?

Everyone is welcome, as long as you are 18 years of age or older. We welcome applications from individuals of various backgrounds. Legal fellows would normally be someone with a back ground in law. All advertisements will clearly state the requirements of the position.

I am a secondary school student, not 18, and I want to participate in your programs

There are a number of opportunities for secondary school students, aged 14 to 17 years, to participate in AU Watch’s activities and events. Check the website of your country office or call your local AU Watch club, for weekends volunteering positions. But you must have the written permission of your school, parents or guardian and you cannot volunteer for more than four hours over any weekend.

AU Watch is rolling out the ‘Teen Media Programme’ in many of our country offices. Check the website of your country office or call your local AU Watch club for more information. You can find the contact details here. The Teen Media Program is for students aged 8 to 18 years. In this program students are taught basic radio and TV skills. They can also take part in AU Watch radio and TV programs about the AU and about AU Watch programs. To participate in these programs, you must have the written permission of your school, parents or guardian, and in all cases your guardian or your school teacher must be present whist the training is going, or a programme is been recorded.

AU Watch is also funding a program called ‘Attend an AU Meeting,’ where we take students, between the ages of 16 to 18 years, from all over Africa to attend an AU meeting. The students, who may have come from AU Watch ‘Teen Media Program’, will be ‘experienced’ teen journalists. The objective of the program is to expose students to the inside machinery of the AU. They will be expected to send daily bulletins, news reports and analysis back to their home country and to their teen audiences about AU issues. The highlight of the program will be an interview with the Chairperson of the AU or the Chairperson of the AU Commission. For information and criteria for participating in this program, please consult www.au-watch.org/AUmeeting. All participants will have the written permission of their school, parents or guardians. Successful participants will be accompanied by a senior teacher from their school.   

I don’t have experience in human rights or social justice matters

Please apply. It is not a requirement. While many of our participants may have prior and/or relevant experience, it is not a requirement of the program. We want everyone to learn about leadership, human rights and governance in Africa. Go through our website and explore the issue before applying.

How do I apply the fellowships and internships programs?

To apply, select the opening you are in interested in applying to from the list of current opportunities. At the bottom of each description there is a link to apply to each position directly. 

You can also call your country office for more information about assistance in applying. Due to the large volume of applications, we will only contact applicants that are selected for interview.

I am disabled. Can I apply? 

Please, please apply! Au watch particularly welcomes application from disabled applicants. All our offices are disability friendly.

 

 

What are the hours of work?

Most AU Watch fellowships and internships programs are full-time programs. We, however, are willing to consider people who are only able to put in part-time hours, especially those caring for children. Full-time hours range from 35-40 hours a week.

Does AU Watch cover tuition fees or offer financial support its programs?

As a general rule of thumb, participation in our fellowships and internships programs are unpaid. Depending on the country office to which you are applying, they may be able to provide a small stipend to cover transportation costs. Check with the office to which you are applying.

While we are unable to provide any direct financial support, we are able to offer advice as to where you might get funding. Many fellows and interns have also successfully supplemented their living expenses through university stipends, church sponsorships, summer scholarships, or other community based financial support. 

What can I expect from the interview process?

The interview process will vary depending on the position that you apply. Applicants typically participate in one to three interviews, either in-person or over the telephone before a final decision is reached. 

If you are selected for an interview, please be prepared to answer questions about your background, AU Watch’s programmatic initiatives, and what you think you can bring to the AU Watch program.

What will I be doing if I am successful?

Too many to list down. It depends on the program to which you have applied. To give an example: say you are working as an adviser in one of AU Watch ‘Small Business Advice Clinics’ you will learn how to give advice on issues related to starting up a small business, planning for success, marketing and sales, managing a business, IT matters and much more.

So, the tasks vary depending on the department fellows and interns find themselves. We would love all our fellows and interns to participate in some core activities of AU Watch like grant/proposal writing and fundraising, research, advocacy, direct client services, and other administrative tasks. For a more detailed description, please see individual fellowship postings and the information on your country website.

Will I be working in a team?

All our fellows and interns will work as part of a team.

Does AU Watch offer assistance in housing or lodging?

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer housing. We are able to advice where you can secure low-cost housing locally. For a more information, please call the local AU Watch club or centre for advice.

If you are coming from abroad, please ensure that you have secured accommodation before arriving. For assistance discuss your needs with the country office where you will be serving.

Does AU Watch offer assistance in visa application?

For its fellowships and internships programs, we do not have the resources to provide any legal assistance with visas or official documents, but we can provide documents of acknowledgment or certification that you are enrolled in the program once you have received notification of acceptance.

Does AU Watch have volunteer programs?

Too many to list down. We depend on our large army of volunteers to do many of things we are doing. Call or go down to your local office and see what volunteering opportunities are available.

What benefits are available to AU Watch staff?

We offer a range of competitive employee benefits, including 25 days annual leave plus public holidays, (full time staff) with the opportunity to purchase additional days, flexible working, generous employer pension contributions and access to AU Watch’s online discounts portal shop. We also offer onsite language classes, as well as annual Christmas and summer social events.

In addition, we frequently hold interesting lunchtime talks which provide an opportunity to learn from colleagues. We support employees in their professional development by offering training courses and learning opportunities.

What is it like to work for AU Watch?

AU Watch applies our mission of care and protection to those who fulfil it—our staff. We are committed to promoting their safety and wellness, and to providing them with an environment of respect in which to work.

We value the diversity of our staff and recognises that our work is best accomplished through the true collaboration of individuals from many cultures with a great variety of skills and perspectives. In support of this core value, AU Watch maintains and enforces policies to foster relationships that respect the dignity and worth of each individual.

We uphold our policies in accordance with principles of international and regional law and codes of good conduct, and we affirm that all AU Watch staff members are responsible for promoting fundamental human rights, social justice, human dignity and the equality of men, women and children. IRC staff must treat every person without distinction on the basis of his or her race, gender, religion, colour, national or ethnic origin, marital status, sexual orientation, age or disability. AU Watch welcomes applications from all qualified candidates, including and especially women.

The AU Watch Way

Staff of AU Watch must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the AU Watch Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, AU Watch operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

More on Vacancies

At AU Watch our staff members have the opportunity to make a daily impact towards ending human rights violations. Please take note that any individual seeking employment at AU Watch must successfully complete a criminal background check and be in agreement with AU Watch’s values. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].