World Wildlife Fund (WWF), one of the worldโs leading conservation organizations, seeks a Circular Supply Chain and Policy Intern.
Overview
WWF is one of the world's leading conservation organizations, working in nearly 100 countries for over half a century to help people and nature thrive. With the support of more than 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment and combat the climate crisis.
According to WWFโs 2021 Driven to Waste Report, as much as 40% of all food produced for human consumption is wasted each year, which presents both a significant challenge and opportunity for creating a more circular food system. This massive inefficiency in our supply chain is not only a major economic loss, but a key contributor to climate change, global hunger, and environmental degradation, such as habitat and biodiversity loss. Wasted food is responsible for 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions (four times that of the global airline industry), while land used to grow food lost on farms alone could cover an area larger than the Indian subcontinent and feed the worldโs undernourished population four times over. Despite these challenges, proven solutions exist. WWF aims to leverage food loss and waste (FLW) as a non-controversial and cost-effective strategy to catalyze a more circular food system, mitigate climate change and nature loss, and help feed those in need.
This position offers a dynamic educational experience to gain experience in working with key stakeholders across the food supply chainโfrom projects on the ground to influencing wider policy and systems change. Candidates will be prioritized who are looking to further their career in sustainable food systems, with strong analytical, communication, relationship, and project management skill sets.
This role will work directly with the senior leadership of the Food Waste program and support three key areas of our work: reducing upstream on-farm food loss with major food companies; helping to engage students and teachers to lead food waste reduction in their schools and wider communities; and leveraging our on-the ground results and partners to help advance wider policy change at the federal and state levels through the Zero Food Waste Coalition. More background on several of the key initiatives this internship would support below:
WWF envisions a world where all edible food grown is eaten by people and remaining nutrients are utilized as feed for animals, while inedible organic matter is returned to the farm to create healthier soils or high value inputs. WWF aims to harness the power of innovation, collaboration, and responsible stewardship to eliminate food waste at every stage of the supply chain through such projects as its No Food Left Behind initiative, the Global Farm Loss Tool, the Pacific Coast Food Waste Commitment, and the US Food Waste Pact.Food Waste Warriors (FWW) was created in 2018 with the idea that measurement is the most powerful intervention for preventing and reducing food waste in school cafeterias and classrooms, and weโve supported over 250 grantees in 28 states (plus DC and Puerto Rico). This fast-paced and entrepreneurial team works to provide educators and their community partners with curriculum (in English and Spanish), technical assistance, and small grants to teach students about food waste, conduct waste audits in their school cafeterias to identify areas where they can reduce waste, implement evidence-based interventions to make measurable reductions, and use those results to advocate for policy change. To learn more about our work to inspire the next generation of food system leaders, please see this short video.Since launching in 2023, the Zero Food Waste Coalition continues to build momentum and align on food waste policy, while also amplifying what any single organization could do independently. Our goal is to keep things simple and nimble. We will focus on influencing policy at the local, state, and federal levels, and sharing policy updates and opportunities with partners and stakeholders around the country to bring consumers, businesses, and government together to make food loss and waste history.Responsibilities
Specific duties will include:
Project and relationship management support - Helping to lead relationship and project management activities with external stakeholders for the teamโs major initiatives (peer NGOs, government agencies, teachers, schools, and major food businesses). This will include playing an active role in meetings with WWF staff and external partners, and helping to drive progress on action items. Content development - Conducting internal research and literature reviews, supporting the writing and research of any external facing reports for publication or project deliverables (such as presentations, reports, talking points, blog posts, case studies, digital content, and social media copy).Data analysis - Analyzing data from multiple sources including weights & measures from food waste pilot programs.Qualifications
Seeking candidates with a Masterโs Degree or current enrollment in masterโs program in a related field.Able to commit to 35 hours/week for at least 6 months (with opportunity for extension to 1 year)Experience in and/or passion for creating a more circular and sustainable food systemRelationship/external facing experience preferred to help support relationship and meeting management with key external stakeholdersData analysis experience preferred Proactive and creative problem-solvingStrong writing and communication skillsStrong research and analytical skills, as well as attention to detail are obligatory Ability to work productively on both independent research assignments and as part of a team Must have very strong proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook), and creating customer-facing presentations Fluency in English is required (Spanish a plus, but not required)Identifies and aligns with WWFโs core values: COURAGE โ We demonstrate courage through our actions, we work for change where itโs needed, and we inspire people and institutions to tackle the greatest threats to nature and the future of the planet, which is our home.INTEGRITY โ We live the principles we call on others to meet. We act with integrity, accountability, and transparency, and we rely on facts and science to guide us and to ensure that we learn and evolve.RESPECT โ We honor the voices and knowledge of people and communities that we serve, and we work to secure their rights to a sustainable future.COLLABORATION โ We deliver impact at the scale of the challenges we face through the power of collective action and innovation
Team Culture:
We value career-growth and give our team members the space, responsibility, and creative freedom to grow in their career and develop the skills and projects that they value. As a new team member, youโll be able to jump in and participate from day 1 as a core part of the team, working to solve ambiguous and difficult challenges across a diverse set of partners and stakeholders. We believe that people thrive when they can bring their whole selves to work, their sense of humor, and their true personality. Furthermore, we greatly value and respect our personal and family time, and cultivate a team culture where all team members can do so. We strive to create an environment where new ideas that challenge or add to our team culture and the way we work are welcome.
Applicants who are transitioning into this field, pursuing higher education degrees, or coming from nontraditional career paths are all encouraged to apply.
With regards to our values and commitment to DEI, the following are excerpts from WWF Freshwater & Foodโs statement on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion:
Diversity is an essential element to a thriving, functional ecosystem, just as it is to humanityโdiversity enables innovation, complexity, beauty, wonder, and resilience. The long history of discrimination, prejudice and exploitation of differences, in the United States and around the world, has led to deeply embedded injustices and inequalities in structures, institutions, and mindsets (both conscious and unconscious) that must be acknowledged and addressed to advance justice and equity today. We commit to a culture of learning and growth, in which we strive to understand and address our intrinsic biases and inspire our colleagues to do the same. This commitment includes being self-reflective, open to respectful and constructive feedback, and eager to learn about areas of growth and improvement. We commit to fostering space internally to facilitate courageous conversations in a safe, compassionate, and respectful way. We commit to leverage our position as conservationists and conveners to elevate, make space for, and emphasize historically underrepresented voices and perspectives with humility, openness to learning and recognition of complexity and nuance, especially related to culture and power dynamics.
Location:
US Remote (though being located in DC area a plus) - WWF employs interns in all states with the exception of: Alabama, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Wyoming.
Compensation:
Paid - $25 per hour
WWF is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace and requires all US-based staff to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. WWF will consider requests for accommodation from the vaccine requirement based on disability, medical contraindication, sincerely held religious belief, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.
To Apply:
For those interested in applying to this position, please include a cover letter on how this specific FLW position would support your career ambitions, as well as a short (max 5 pages) writing sample.Submit cover letter and resume through our Careers Page, Requisition #IN-24025Due to the high volume of applications, we are not able to respond to inquiries via phone
As an EOE/AA employer, WWF will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicantโs race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status. WWF values diversity and inclusion and welcomes diverse candidates to apply.