Policy and Advocacy Intern

Contract: Full-time – Temporary for six months

Responsible to: Policy and Advocacy Manager (UK)

Salary: National minimum wage (The hourly rate for the minimum wage depends on your age)

Location: Remote, with occasional requirement for travel to London and Scotland for meetings and international travel when needed

About HALO:

Description

The HALO Trust is the world’s largest and oldest international humanitarian mine action charity. Our mission is to save lives and restore livelihoods for those affected by conflict. HALO is known for its work to clear landmines and the disposal of other explosive hazards such as bombs, rockets, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). HALO was established in Afghanistan in 1988 and now employs over 9,500 staff across 28 countries and territories.

We are seeking to fill a paid internship position with an enthusiastic and proactive recent graduate or student able to provide support in delivering advocacy activities in the UK. Reporting to the Policy and Advocacy Manager (UK), the successful candidate will work with internal and external stakeholders, gaining invaluable experience to prepare them for their future career. The role would last for approximately 6 months, on a full-time basis should the candidate meet expectations.

This position can be remote or option to be located at either of our offices in Wilton (near Salisbury) or Thornhill, Dumfriesshire, Scotland.

About the Role

The role will provide you with the opportunity to work with a broad range of departments within the HALO Trust, and a variety of external stakeholders including parliamentarians, their staffers, government officials, and other NGO organisation’s policy and advocacy focal points.

• Assisting with administration related to HALO’s UK policy and advocacy functions.
• Administrative support to assist with HALO’s partnership with the Eleanor Crook Foundation and associated advocacy activities.
• Support with the planning and delivery of events in the UK.
• File management and due diligence support to HALO’s Global Policy and Advocacy Team.
• Support in designing and sharing an internal monthly newsletter.
• Working directly with HALO Programmes to develop country-specific briefings that can be used for external audiences.
• Supporting with research and policy development on conflict and malnutrition.

Applicants should possess a positive attitude and be highly organized, flexible, self-motivated, and detail-orientated, with a strong interest in the non-profit and international development/humanitarian sector. We are looking for the following:

• Strong attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills
• Be highly organised and self-motivated
• Ability to take initiative
• Exceptional work ethic
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite
• A keen understanding of a variety of writing styles appropriate for communicating to different stakeholders, busy HALO staff, and the public.

Desirable:

• Experience working in political environments or roles
• Prior knowledge of the development sector
• Understanding of policy areas related to conflict and malnutrition

• Paid hourly salary at the minimum wage for your age band.
• Flexible working policy.
• Valuable insight provided into international humanitarian systems and working in the non-profit sector, giving you vital experience preparing you for your future career.
• Opportunity to gain invaluable experience working on policy and advocacy for a INGO based in the UK.
• Opportunity to conduct direct and meaningful work that will impact the HALO’s ability to make a difference in the lives of families across the globe.

Please submit a CV (no more than 2 pages) and a cover letter (no more than 1 page) outlining how your

experience matches the key skills and competencies required by Wednesday 22nd October 2025.

We reserve the right to amend the closing date depending on the number of applications received.

The HALO Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

The HALO Trust is committed to a culture that is both diverse and inclusive and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.

The HALO Trust is committed to ensuring that it provides a safe and trusted environment which safeguards and promotes the welfare and wellbeing of anyone who comes into contact with, or is part of, the Charity, with a zero-tolerance approach to behaviours which challenge this.