Positions in Development

CHINA

1 position as a project officer in an established microfinance consulting NGO, working primarily on capacity-building projects for Microfinance Institutions (MFI) in China. The NGO provides consulting and technical assistances to MFIs with a focus on improving the lives of women in rural areas. Fellows will split their time between the main office in Beijing and MFIs in more rural provinces, mainly Ningxia. Applicants should be willing to work in the field and have strong Chinese skills. Previous experience in market research, web technology, or technical assistance preferred.

2 positions teaching in an elementary school in Yongfeng, a small rural village located in Shaanxi Province. Yongfeng lies at the foot of the Huashan mountain range, about 45 minutes outside of Xi'an, and provides numerous opportunities for biking, hiking, and exploring life in rural China. For what it lacks in amenities, Yongfeng makes up for with adorable students, passionate coworkers, and the ability to make a real difference. Applicants should be prepared for tough living conditions, and have strong Chinese language skills.

SRI LANKA

1 position with a small NGO engaged in increasing employment opportunities in the East and North of Sri Lanka. This NGO is carrying out a project to extend financing to small- and medium-sized enterprises in the East and North of Sri Lanka. The goal is to expand economic activity and employment opportunities in the region. Background in civil engineering or accounting/finance would be useful for project evaluation. This post would require extensive work in the field and extensive contact with local citizenry.

1 position with a large NGO engaged in improving life through management of water resources. This position would likely be in a communications function, with the purposes of promoting and disseminating the organization’s research. Primary duties will involve a role in office communication activities such as PR materials, documents, reports, presentations and workshops, assistance on small grant proposal writing and supporting program staff and consultants. The Fellow should be well organized and have excellent written and oral communications skills. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about water resource management and how global, regional and national initiatives and competing agendas play out in development issues as critical as water. This post is situated at the headquarters of the water research organization in Colombo.

1 position with a commercial bank engaged in supporting economic progress and opportunities for the people of Sri Lanka. This commercial bank has branches and banking operations throughout Sri Lanka. Depending on the Fellow’s background and interests, this Fellowship could be in IT, product R&D, banking, mobile banking, ag lending, or microfinance. The post is situated at the headquarters in Colombo. This would be an “immersive” experience in that the work place is nearly entirely Sri Lankan.

1 position with a small and new NGO with the goal of eliminating slum living in Sri Lanka. This relatively new NGO focuses on improving the lives of the poor in Sir Lanka through improved housing stock and the mortgage lending programs that make that possible. The Fellow would be an integral member of a small team that would leverage the NGO’s capital base into loan guarantee programs to support bank lending to Sri Lanka’s poorer communities. This post is situated in Colombo, with travel to the project areas. This post is suited for a Fellow who is good at the “building of bridges” that is central to PiA’s purpose.

1 position with a NGO engaged in micro-finance lending to improve people’s lives. This NGO is the Sri Lankan micro-finance arm of a global NGO focused on improving the lives of children. Depending on the Fellow’s interests and background, the position could be in IT, product development, or lending and portfolio management. This position should provide the Fellow with a deep, hands-on exposure to micro-finance. This post is situated at the Colombo headquarters of the organization. 

1 position with a financial research firm engaged in analysis of corporate debt and equity. This firm provides “out-sourced” research capabilities for financial institutions in Europe and the US. The Fellow would work with the internal research teams as the “native speaker” expert in editing and writing quality. There should be some scope for the Fellow to work in financial analysis as well. The Fellow would be one of very few foreigners in a firm staffed by about 200 young, highly educated Sri Lankans. In that sense, this “immersive” post would be an excellent platform for building bridges between East and West. Based in Colombo.