Intern, West and North Africa

Intern, Client-facing – West and North Africa

Location: Dakar, Senegal

Project: MCA Senegal

We seek leaders who are passionate about making a difference, possess exceptional analytical skills, and thrive in an entrepreneurial, developing country setting. The ideal graduate intern would be interested in joining IDinsight in a full-time role following their graduation and would take advantage of the graduate internship to identify a potential long-term role in the organization. Successful interns are highly likely to be considered for roles at IDinsight upon graduation.

To maximize learning for the graduate intern and contribution to IDinsight, the graduate internship will be tailored to the specific interests and skills of the intern rather than committed to certain projects at this time. The graduate internship will likely involve a semi-autonomous project within a larger client engagement, which the intern will be responsible for leading with minimal to moderate support from supervisors. Potential projects will be discussed during the interview process. The graduate intern will receive significant support and mentorship from IDinsight leadership

About IDinsight

We amplify social impact by partnering with leaders to develop tailored solutions. Our mission is to use data and evidence to help leaders combat poverty worldwide.

IDinsight is a mission-driven global advisory, data analytics, and research organisation that helps global development leaders maximise their social impact. We tailor a wide range of data and evidence tools, including randomised evaluations and machine learning, to help decision-makers design effective programs and rigorously test what works to support communities. We work with governments, multilateral agencies, foundations, and innovative non-profit organisations in Asia and Africa. Our work spans a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, education, health, governance, sanitation, financial inclusion, and other areas.

We have expertise in a variety of rigorous approaches and methodologies, which we tailor to each client depending on their needs and constraints. To achieve a positive social impact we:

• Support clients’ use of data and evidence for routine and major decision-making.
• Inform funding decisions – toward high-impact initiatives and away from less effective programs or approaches.
• Create and share tools, knowledge, and ideas that expand the use of data and evidence for social good.

Our diverse, growing team of roughly 250 outstanding colleagues operates in nearly two dozen countries around the world.  Learn more about our mission and values at www.IDinsight.org.  

About IDinsight’s internship

The intern will work in Dakar, Senegal, one of IDinsight’s West & North Africa offices, for a minimum of 6 months (subject to change). The exact project assigned to the intern will be the MCA Learning Agenda project. Please apply if the project meets your interests and skills.

About the project

Since April 2024, IDinsight has been collaborating with Millennium Challenge Account Senegal II (MCA-Senegal II) to design and implement a 30-month (2024–2026) learning program for the Senegal Electricity Compact. The goal is to draw concrete lessons to optimize the implementation of the Senegal Electricity Compact and thus maximize its results, notably by improving access to quality electricity, reducing energy costs, and increasing the productivity of businesses and households. The lessons will also inform future interventions.

This program supports three complementary projects:

• Transport: Modernization and strengthening of the electricity transmission network in urban and semi-urban areas.
• Access: Expansion of electricity access in rural areas, particularly in agricultural value chains.
• Reform: Creation of a favorable environment for the electricity sector and strengthening of institutional capacity.
  
  

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in public policy, international development, or a related field and able to take on a full-time internship role;
• Strong interest in joining an IDinsight field office after graduation; 
• Commitment to IDinsight's vision, mission, and values;
• Deeply passionate about international development and social impact, with an interest in evidence-based approaches;
• Outstanding quantitative and analytical skills, with experience in statistical software preferred;
• Experience running field experiments or impact evaluations is a strong plus;
• Internship experience in a developing country setting is strongly preferred;
• Intellectual curiosity and a sense of humor.
  
  

Nuts & bolts

Compensation

Students without access to university funding will receive a small stipend aiming at covering a modest lifestyle during the course of the internship. However, we require students to seek university funding whenever possible. 

Location

This position can be based in IDinsight’s Dakar, Senegal office. This position is not eligible for remote work, or otherwise, from the United States. Preference will be given to those with pre-existing work authorization in these countries; however, IDInsight will seek work permits where possible for exceptional candidates. 

Start date

The expected start date for this internship is mid-September 2025. 

Work Authorization

IDinsight is able to sponsor employment visas for all nationalities; however, we will prioritise candidates who do not require IDinsight to sponsor work. 

How to apply

Please ensure that your CV includes relevant professional and personal experience as well as details on academic qualifications. CVs can range from one to two pages. Please note, headshot photographs, parental details, birth dates, marital status and other personal information not relevant to the application do not need to be included in your CV. Additionally, we strongly encourage you to use your cover letter to highlight why you want to join IDinsight internship specifically.