Overview
WWF Overview
For 60 years, WWF has worked to help people and nature thrive. As one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, WWF works in more than 100 countries, connecting cutting-edge conservation science with the collective power of our partners in the field – with one million members in the United States and five million supporters globally, as well as partnerships with communities, companies, and governments.
At WWF, we are working to create an organization where the richness of all our unique views, experiences, and backgrounds combine to create the most sustainable and inclusive conservation outcomes possible, bringing the greatest benefit to the planet and every person who lives on it.
Across the many cultures and individuals that represent WWF, we are unified by one mission, one brand, and one common set of values: Courage, Respect, Integrity and Collaboration.
BRIDGE is WWF’s summer internship program. Launched in 2021, it is a paid internship opportunity aimed at a pool of talented undergraduate and graduate students who could bring fresh thinking and innovation to the environmental sector. In particular, WWF aims to employ interns who have not previously had a breadth of professional experience and have not previously considered conservation as a career pathway.
Position Summary
The intern will be responsible for developing a WWF GEF Agency impact tracking tool and an overview of impact to date
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) funds the Rio Conventions (CBD, UNFCCC, UNCCD) and other environmental agreements. GEF funding flows through 18 accredited agencies, which support projects approved by country governments. WWF has been a GEF Agency since 2013. WWF has secured a strong position within GEF, mobilizing approximately $355M through the WWF-US GEF Agency, in over 40 projects, with $1.47B in co-financing, since 2013.
The intern will collaborate with the GEF Agency team and extended team - around 15 staff members - and will particularly collaborate with the team members responsible for portfolio tracking, M&E, and communications.
Responsibilities
Internship Description:
- Review and understand the GEF and WWF GEF approach to results-based management
- Assess different approaches for portfolio-wide impact tracking and identify (with the team) the best tool to use (e.g. XL, monday.com, Sharepoint, Smart Simple).
- Develop a tracking tool for ongoing use, that can show yearly impact at the individual project, regional, thematic, and portfolio-wide level.
- Pull core indicator targets and other key data (e.g. co-finance, budget spent) from project documents, and targets achieved from yearly project progress reports, for all projects in the portfolio and enter into the tracking tool.
- Set up systems and train the team for ongoing impact data entry.
- Aggregate the impact across the portfolio, identify trends (e.g. thematic, regional), and summarize impact from the portfolio in graphics, tables and a narrative.
- If time permits, engage with the team in project development.
Qualifications
Minimum Requirements:
- Pursuing a graduate program in Data Science, Analytics, Environmental Science, Sustainability, Biodiversity or Development,
Those studying outside these areas are still highly encouraged to apply. Must be an actively enrolled student and not received degree at time of internship start date (June 16, 2025).
- Experience and interest in monitoring, evaluation and impact tracking.
- Ability to review large documents and identify key information.
- Ability to understand data and identify trends, data visualization and to synthesize data in written form
- Identifies and aligns with WWF’s core values: Courage, Integrity, Respect, and Collaboration.
- Demonstrates courage by speaking up even when it is difficult, or unpopular.
- Builds trust with colleagues by acting with integrity, owning mistakes, and holding oneself accountable.
- Welcomes other points of view and ideas, recognizing and embracing different and contrary perspectives with kindness, curiosity, and encouragement.
- Makes conscious efforts to promote cooperative practices, behaviors, and ways of working across many groups and individuals.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Subject expertise in one or more of the following areas is preferred, but not required:
- Experience with monday.com or similar project management software.
- Knowledge of the Global Environment Facility or other large multilateral donors.
- Experience developing reports and doing data analysis and data visualization.
- Proficiency in other languages, such as Spanish or French.
Learning Outcomes
- A deeper understanding of how the Global Environment Facility works and the impact it has
- Direct experience in how to develop impact tracking for a large portfolio of projects
- Direct experience in summarizing and presenting impact data at multiple levels (project - thematic/regional - portfolio)
- Experience training team members on application processes and data insights
- An understanding of how to develop, implement and monitor the impact of large and complex projects in developing countries.
Upon completion of this internship, the intern will complete key deliverables that will be publicly used by the team, including:
- WWF-GEF impact brief on key findings and metrics of the portfolio
- Summary report of the past ten years of the WWF-GEF portfolio
WWF interns will be offered a set of professional development opportunities, aimed at increasing their exposure to conservation and sustainability careers. This includes:
- Development discussions with their manager;
- Up to two online courses through Cornell University’s eCornell program;
- Speed mentoring with different WWF teams;
- Opportunity to present their work to intern peers and WWF staff;
- Session on resume and interviewing best practices.
Interns will also have access to an array of networking opportunities. This includes meetings with WWF’s staff and leadership team.
Location:
This position is flexible on location. The intern may complete the internship either in Washington DC or other states, with the exception of: Hawaii, Kentucky, Nevada, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Wyoming.
Compensation:
Paid - $22.50 per hour (full-time, 35 hours per week)
Internship Dates:
Internship will run from June 16, 2025 to August 22, 2025
How to Apply:
Please submit a resume & cover letter through our Careers page. In your cover letter, please describe:
- Your relevant skills and interest for this position
- Your connection to nature and the environment
- What obstacles have you experienced trying to break into the field of environmental conservation?
- How you could contribute to the field of conservation.
If selected for the role, you will need to provide 1 letter of recommendation as part of the WWF application process.
Please note: Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.
