Middle East Birches Peacebuilding Fellow

The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is a Quaker organization with over 100 years of experience building peace in communities worldwide. Founded during World War I by Quakers who aimed to serve both humanity and country while being faithful to their commitment to nonviolence, AFSC has worked throughout the world in conflict zones, in areas affected by natural disasters, and in oppressed communities to address the root causes of war and violence.  AFSC and the British Friends Service Council received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947 for their efforts in helping to feed and rebuild Europe after the devastation of two world wars.   

The Birches Peacebuilding Fellow will work closely with the International Program staff to provide programmatic, administrative, and organizational support to further the peacebuilding goals articulated in AFSC’s strategic plan. This includes core support for AFSC’s Just Peace thematic work, and possible support for the Global Civic Space Initiative and global peacebuilding convening through the Dialogue and Exchange Program (DEP).

The Just Peace goals include a vision for high-impact peacebuilding, to change the narrative around militarism and violence, the development and popular acceptance of alternatives to violence, influencing key decision‐makers and non‐traditional allies globally to choose peaceful transformation of conflict, protecting civic rights, amplifying civil society, and building social cohesion.

SUMMARY OF PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES  

The Middle East programs are committed to advocating for the rights and well-being of migrants by collaborating with various groups who take a principled approach. Migrants in the Arab region have significant challenges including limited access to employment opportunities, exploitation under restrictive sponsorship systems, lack of legal protections, social discrimination, inadequate access to healthcare, and the risk of deportation, particularly when facing instability and conflicts in host or transit countries. Many are experiencing harsh working conditions and potential abuse. Unstable political situations in Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine have exacerbated these conditions. New refugee communities from the Horn of Africa and East Africa are increasingly using the Middle East as a transit hub.

AFSC’s Middle East office in Jordan has created a collaborative space that empowers local organizations and leaders to engage in independent, people-centered advocacy rooted in community realities. Our goal is to empower refugees so that they are more effective at advocating for humane and just migration policies that affect their own lives.

Due to this context, our assignment will build on the Birches Fellow's first-year accomplishments, including consultations with partners and communities to lay the foundations for collective impact. In the second year, the Birches Fellow will have five areas of focus:

• Foster cross-regional learning and advocacy to highlight shared challenges and unique dynamics along migration routes that go from Middle East to North Africa and to the Horn of Africa. We will share expertise and resources to address migration challenges.
• Identify and network with local civil society organizations (CSOs) and leaders who are operating along migration routes and assess their capacities, reach, and barriers to amplifying migrant voices.
• Collaborate with refugee leaders on creative outputs, including short videos, written communications, art, and social media campaigns that will successfully elevate migrant experiences to policy makers. Practically, the Birches Fellow will lead training sessions that enhance storytelling and promote the dissemination of editorial content.
• Develop a joint project that builds the connections of refugee organizations and leaders that promotes coordinated advocacy.
• Advocate for humane migration policies at critical places like the United Nations, the European Union, and with local governments, while countering anti-migrant narratives and misinformation. The content and research, led by the Birches Fellow, will be used to influence EU policymakers and raise awareness about the realities of migration.  

FELLOW LEARNING GOALS  

The Fellow will gain capacity in the following areas:  

• Enhance skills for developing tools and research that produce high quality, actionable and shareable information.  
• Learn essential skills for operationalizing strategic goals in a nonprofit program management context.  
• Develop an understanding of the challenges and opportunities present in designing effective peace and civic rights programs for the transformation of systems of oppression around the world.  
• Drafting and finalizing professional reports and presentations.
• Qualitative and quantitative data collection, analysis, and presentation.
• Program approaches in peacebuilding thematic areas: migration, political and organized violence, business and peace, election violence prevention, and overall approach on changing the narrative on militarism.
• Cross-cultural communications with staff.
• International non-profit program management and culture.  
• Innovative international peacebuilding initiatives and strategies.  

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Recently graduated college or university students (by June 2025), preferably from the U.S., will be prioritized for this fellowship. Other recent graduated B.A. or M.A. students also will be considered. In a cover letter (2 pages maximum), please specify your background and interest, preferred country, language skills, and what kind of projects you are interested in undertaking with AFSC and partners. Resumes will be reviewed on a rolling basis through March 3, 2025.

EXPERIENCE:

1. Strong reading, writing, and analytical abilities.
2. College Degree in Peacebuilding, International Relations or equivalent field. Competitive GPA required.
3. Strong research skills and the ability to distil key points/themes out of large amounts of information.
4. Strong skills using Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and web-based platforms.  
5. Ability to work both independently and in a team.  
6. Excellent oral and written English language skills, including the ability to clearly document work and write reports.   
7. Ability to prioritize workload and yet remain flexible to shifting needs.  
8. Strong attention to detail.  
9. Understanding of and commitment to the principles, concerns, and considerations, of AFSC in regard to issues of race, class, nationality, religion, age, gender and sexual orientation, and disabilities.    
10. Demonstrated ability to work and communication with diverse staff and demonstrated cultural sensitivity.

OTHER REQUIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

1. Fluency in Arabic. 
2. Familiarity with qualitative and quantitative research and analysis a plus.  
3. International non-profit experience a plus. Experience living and working in the Global South.   
4. Experience in designing or facilitating trainings (in person or online) a plus.  
5. Ability to prioritize workload and adapt easily to changing situations and priorities.  
6. Commitment to Quaker values and testimonies.  Understanding of and compatibility with the principles and philosophy of the American Friends Service Committee including non-violence and the belief in the intrinsic worth of every individual.

Compensation: $28,000 stipend to cover salary and housing expenses plus medical benefits.   There are no life insurance benefits, short-term or long-term insurance benefits with this position. AFSC does participate in unemployment, worker’s compensation, and social security. 

The American Friends Service Committee is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified persons are encouraged to apply regardless of their religious affiliation, race, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability.

AFSC’s Central Office and some of its offices in the U.S. are unionized workplaces. This position is not represented.

The American Friends Service Committee is a smoke-free workplace.