About the Summer Associate program at Instiglio

This is a program that targets graduate students in their first year of their Master's program and runs during the summer break for approximately 12 weeks starting in June. It seeks to offer graduate students with prior working experience the opportunity to apply their skills and knowledge to real-life challenges through projects or strategic organisational initiatives related to their field of study and Instiglio's work. The Program is running across our Global and Latin America Teams, based in our Bogotá office and Global Team based in our Mauritius office. 

The Summer Associate Program (Summer Internship) differs from Instiglio's Project Internship Program. The Project Internship Program - a biannual intership recruitment - runs in January and June every year. Our target is end-of-study students or recent graduates from undergraduate and Master's programs looking to kick-start their careers in international development. They hold no prior working experience, or limited working experience such as other internships, if at all. 

How you will make an impact 

You aspire to become a global development leader by transforming the delivery performance of governments to achieve outcomes for the most vulnerable communities where underperformance persists. Instiglio offers a unique work experience at the intersection of the private, public, and social sectors.

At Instiglio, you will work directly with culturally diverse teams across projects and internal stakeholders. This includes members of the senior leadership, Project Lead(s), Project Manager(s), Senior Associates, and fellow Summer Associates. You will gain real-life experience in guiding stakeholders through difficult, yet important, changes to their operations by translating complex concepts into understandable insights. You will gain expertise by contributing to the development of RBF instruments while playing a crucial role in execution of projects. You will gain in-depth understanding of different design choices, independently assess trade-offs, and make recommendations for technical design of Results-based Financing instruments. You will have the opportunity to use your quantitative and research skills to generate and disseminate knowledge about the impact and potential of RBF in international development. Your work will be critical to the success of our efforts to educate policy and decision-makers on how to best apply RBF instruments in different contexts. You will work on solutions to problems that do not yet have answers. Your drive for impact and curiosity will help us get closer to ensuring that every cent spent on social programs is used more effectively. 

Tasks may include:

• Supporting the development of research, analysis, presentations and client engagements on diverse topics.
• Supporting the creation of proposals and client deliverables, articulating technical concepts in an eloquent and accessible manner. 
• Aiding the design of technical components of RBF instruments, with a command of all dimensions of RBF, including economic concepts. 
• Managing project budgets and contracts with clients and subcontractors, anticipating issues and proactively addressing them. 
• Planning, delegating and overseeing tasks to achieve the most effective results within the team.
• Proposing, structuring, and overseeing data analyses to draw actionable insights/hypotheses.
• Preparing and delivering clear and effective presentations to stakeholders in the public and private sectors.
• Contributing to organisation-wide strategic initiatives.

Who you are

We are growing a team of resourceful go-getters that are driven by our mission, curious about the world, and dedicated to a life of learning. An ideal candidate will have:

• Education:
  • Full-time graduate student pursuing a Master’s degree in Economics, Public Policy, Public Administration, Political Science, Business, Business Administration or related fields with an expected graduation date in 2026. 
  • Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Statistics, Social Sciences, Business, Engineering, or related areas.
• Experience:
  • At least 3 years’ relevant work experience in international development, strategy/management consulting and/or in the public sector. 
  • Experience in data analysis and management.
  • Experience in quantitative and qualitative research. 
  • Knowledge of Results-Based financing (RBF) mechanism and/ or experience related to the field.
  • Experience in client management.
• Language skills:
  • Exceptional written and oral communication skills in English is required across all countries.
  • Working proficiency in French (C1) is a preferred requirement for applicants looking to join our Mauritius office.
  • Basic to intermediate proficiency in Spanish is a nice-to-have for applicants looking to join our Colombia office.
• Skills 
  • Ability to synthesize technical information into simple concepts and analyze information critically.
  • Ability to present information in a structured, insightful manner, both in written and oral.
  • Exceptional problem-solving and structured thinking skills.
  • Working proficiency of the most common analytical principals (e.g. MECE) to give structure to the analysis.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite applications (Excel, Powerpoint and Word) or Google Workspace (Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Forms, etc.).
  • High organizational skills and attention to detail. 
  • A team player attitude and enthusiasm for relational work with clients.
  • Passion for social work and the mission of Instiglio.

How you can grow with us

Joining Instiglio through our 3-month Summer Associate Program is one of the pathways to full-time employment as an Associate. This will be a great opportunity to better understand what it would be like living the Instiglio mission. Summer Associates may be considered for full-time offers to join Instiglio after graduation. 

In addition, this opportunity will enable you to accelerate your career in international development, consulting and public service, playing a critical role in shaping and delivering impactful projects with leading development actors. At Instiglio, you will develop a variety of skills and support projects, with the guidance of more experienced senior staff. Instiglio has a strong feedback culture, with all staff receiving formal, structured reviews, in addition to real-time feedback. Additionally, a mentorship system and development plans are in place to ensure that staff receive proper support in their professional development. 

How to apply

Please apply here, submitting your CV and cover letter (in English). In your cover letter answer the following questions: (1) Why are you a good fit for this role? (2) What is your motivation to apply to Instiglio? We will review applications on a rolling basis. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Additional information to applicants:

• Placement: Applicants will be evaluated and placed based on location preference - subject to language requirements - and organisational needs based on projects and strategic initiatives.