Free to Run Summer Intern: Erbil, Iraq

About Us

Free to Run’s mission is to enable women and girls to safely and boldly engage in outdoor activity in conflict-affected regions. Through a combination of sports programs, life skills development, and community outreach, we help girls and women to reclaim public space and change views about the roles they can (and should) play in a society. Our programs are designed to develop community leaders who can bring people together across cultural, ethnic and religious lines. Free to Run has been operating community-led programs in Iraq for five years, primarily focused on girls and women in IDP and refugee camp settings. The organization is positioned to grow considerably in the next 3-5 years in Iraq and globally.

Position Overview

Free to Run seeks an Intern to work with Free to Run staff on coaching running to our “Core Team” of young athletes preparing to compete in a race (5K – marathon). Additionally, the Iraq Intern helps in developing program activities and projects for the Iraq office, supporting external communications, and administrative tasks. Interns will gain experience in working with a small NGO and contributing directly to the program goals and direction of the program. The intern will work remotely for part of the internship, before transitioning to working in the Erbil office.

Core Accountabilities

Support Free to Run Programs in Iraq (70%)

• Assist with the design and implementation of sport activities such as running and hiking

• Coach sessions of marathon training for girls and young women who are new to sport

• Support logistics and operational aspects of the program

• Support monitoring and evaluation analysis of the program

• Conduct outreach activities

• Contribute to social media content, including photos and videos

• Design and lead an event or activity in an IDP camp, focusing on exercise for women

• Work closely with the Iraq Senior Program Officer to ensure all aspects of the program are adequately staffed and supported

• Provide general office and administrative support in Iraq

• Other tasks as assigned

• General Support and Preparation (30%)

• Assist Free to Run staff on administrative tasks

• Assist Free to Run staff with fundraising

• Assist Free to Run staff with operational tasks

• Participate in weekly team meetings

• Complete required training for in-field work (BSAFE, etc.)

Location (Duty Station)

The intern will begin working remotely for the first part of the internship, before transitioning to working in the Erbil office for 4 weeks of field work, where the in-person coaching will take place.

Working Hours and Duration

The Iraq Intern position is a part-time role that is staffed from May – August 2022; four weeks will be spent in Erbil in June/July. The commitment is estimated at 20 hours per week.

Compensation

This is an unpaid internship. Free to Run strongly encourages university or college student applicants to explore funding opportunities from their institutions and will work with Interns to fulfill relevant requirements. If Interns’ universities or colleges do not provide funding for internships, or Interns are not currently university/college students, we will provide a stipend for all reasonable expenses (travel costs, meals, etc.) arising in connection with Intern activities. Accommodation can be provided in Erbil.

Education, Experience and Competencies

Below is a look at what we are looking for as we evaluate applications. Candidates don’t need to have all these experiences and competencies but should be able to display strengths across multiple areas.

Education: Current university student or recent university graduate of either a Masters or Bachelors in a relevant field (international relations, humanitarian aid, women’s/gender studies).

Language: Excellent command of spoken and written English. Knowledge of Kurdish and/or Arabic is an extreme bonus but is not required.

Experience/Knowledge

• Keen knowledge of running and athletic training. This position is ideal for track or cross-country runners and coaches or anyone who has experience training themselves or others for preparing for a running race

• Passion for Free to Run’s mission, including the power of sport, working with women and girls, and youth-led projects

• 2-5 years of experience working with girls and young women directly (ideally in a sport setting but others considered acceptable as well)

• Ability to manage priorities, work independently and collaboratively, and accept constructive feedback

• Familiarity with social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)

• Knowledge of Iraq/Arab culture or NGO sector preferred

• Knowledge of and ability to teach basic nutrition for athletes

• Knowledge of and ability to teach basic injury prevention

Skills, Abilities and Approach

• Ability to run with participants at moderate distances

• Ability to travel internationally (unless based currently in Iraq), this includes having a valid passport

• Ability to endure extreme heat

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Demonstrated intercultural communication and negotiation skills

• Results orientation; ability to organize self under the pressure of a dynamic and quickly changing environment

• Ability to perform in a office environment with professional respect for colleagues

• Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace to manage documents, spreadsheets, scheduling, etc.

• Solid understanding of women’s/girls’/human rights in Iraq and the region preferred

• Ability to assimilate and analyze information to identify what is important to achieve goals and provide effective solutions

• Ability to display a sense of calmness and control over difficult or unforeseen situations in self and the team. Ability to cope with your own emotional demands while encouraging teamwork and constructive collaboration. While Erbil (Kurdistan) is a generally peaceful and autonomous region of Iraq, it is a post-conflict area that still experiences occasional violence, generally not directed towards NGO staff or foreigners.

Free to Run is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We don’t just accept differences — we celebrate, support and thrive on them for the benefit of our team, our programs, and our organizational strength. We are proud to be an affirmative action employer, committed to diversity, equity and inclusion of ALL people in our hiring and employment practices. We encourage applications from people who have non-dominant identities based on race, ethnicity, migration status, ability, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class, etc.