Job Description
Fellowship period: 9 months from February 2026
Hours: 2 days a week, flexible (dedicated days, or hours spread over 5 days)
Location: Remote (with travel to up to two key events as required)
Reporting to: IEFG ED
Host organisation: Global Dialogue (IEFG fiscal host)
Job Summary:
This nine-month IEFG Advocacy Fellowship offers a unique opportunity to shape the collective
voice of education philanthropy at a pivotal moment for international development. With the
2030 SDG deadline approaching, IEFG members are seeking to act differently: moving beyond
‘fill-anthropy’ to strategic, coordinated advocacy that drives meaningful systemic change. The
Fellow will support the development and initial implementation of IEFG’s advocacy strategy,
preparing briefings, messaging, and content, and helping coordinate building a library of stories
that ‘education works’, all under the mentorship of IEFG-member advocacy leads and global
education advocacy specialists. We are looking for an early-career professional with strong
research and communication skills, a strategic mindset, and a keen interest in global education
policy and multi-stakeholder collaboration, offering a hands-on opportunity to influence how
philanthropy engages in shaping the future of education.
Background
The International Education Funders’ Group (IEFG) is the largest global network of philanthropic
actors funding education in low- and middle-income countries. IEFG supports its 100+ current
members in learning (from the latest evidence and from each other) and in making strategic
connections to advance their education grantmaking. We enable collaboration to drive the
amplified impact of education philanthropy on education outcomes.
Education philanthropy’s collective voice as committed to education is needed and appreciated,
as highlighted by the IEFG community’s statement at this year’s Financing for Development
conference. Concern is growing that the case for investing in education hasn’t been fully won.
IEFG members have an incredible portfolio of partners demonstrating that education
investments work. Now the challenge is to make this case where it’s needed, embedding
education into the reflexes of decision-makers and showing that education underpins all other
global goals: economic, climate, and political. This will also require elevating the sub-sector
advocacy messages into an aligned case for education. As discussions for the post-2030 agenda
advance, IEFG wants to bring a coherent, strategic philanthropic voice to the table across our
network of over 100 funders. You will bring expertise and energy to help crystallise and amplify
this collective philanthropic voice. You will gain experience in shaping collective messages and
influencing the future of education.
You will work within the small IEFG team, currently spread across five countries, and report
directly to our Executive Director, while also working closely with other Core Team staff. Your
work will be steered by the IEFG’s Professional Peer Group of IEFG advocacy and policy leads.
We also offer mentorship by a global education advocacy specialist. We have an excellent team
working culture and work flexible hours to ensure a healthy work-life balance, appreciating our
different time zones. IEFG is currently housed at Global Dialogue, registered as a charity
(1122052) and a limited company (05775827) in England and Wales.
Job Summary
You will be responsible for the following tasks:
1. Mapping out our members’ advocacy intentions, abilities, and key advocacy
moments
Not all IEFG members actively engage in advocacy, but there is potential for strength in collective
voice through the IEFG. The successful candidate will therefore conduct an initial assessment of
who amongst our members actively participates in advocacy and how and where they see their
strategic priorities. As Fellow, you will be responsible for the following:
• Initial Assessment & Data Collection
o Design and implement a series of conversations to assess member advocacy
endeavours, capturing:
â–ª Current advocacy activities
â–ª Existing government relationships and policy influence channels
â–ª Previous advocacy wins and lessons learned
o Create a skills and assets inventory documenting:
â–ª Members with direct access to key decision-makers (ministerial level, UN
agencies, regional bodies)
â–ª In-house or contracted capabilities (policy research, media relations,
comms/advertising)
â–ª Members willing to provide advocacy training or mentorship to others
â–ª Available advocacy tools and resources that could be shared
• Key Moments Calendar & Opportunity Mapping
o Build on IEFG’s event map to develop a shared IEFG dynamic 18-month advocacy
calendar featuring global moments (UNGA, G7/G20, World Bank/IMF meetings,
COP summits), regional opportunities (AU Summit, ASEAN meetings, European
Development Days), education-specific events (Education World Forum, GPE
replenishment, UNESCO conferences), member-specific moments (board
meetings, strategy reviews, anniversary celebrations), national policy windows
(elections, budget cycles, education plan reviews)
o Create opportunity assessment scorecards for each moment evaluating:
â–ª Potential for education to be on the agenda (high/medium/low)
â–ª Number of IEFG members with access or influence
â–ª Media attention and public engagement potential
2. Strengthen education philanthropy’s collective presence and collective voice at key
global events
The Fellow will work closely on this task with the IEFG Senior Lead for Philanthropic Coalitions,
and with IEFG-member advocacy and policy leads, supporting coordination across the network
while helping to ensure messaging is consistent, compelling, and capable of driving sector-wide
alignment and shared mission. This role requires initiative, creativity, and bold ideas, and is
about shaping a more strategic, aligned, and influential presence for education philanthropy.
You will lead the organisation of IEFG’s participation at two key moments in 2026 identified as
valuable for education philanthropy to bring a joint voice (e.g. the Education World Forum 2026,
UNGA 2026), ensuring education philanthropy’s voice is coherent, visible, and impactful.
Building on the IEFG Core Team’s experience of supporting philanthropic presence at key events,
you will be responsible for the following:
• Pre-event coordination:
o Create a shared event preparation toolkit with templates for speaking points,
elevator pitches, and Q&A responses
o Develop a pre-event poll template to map which members are attending and
their specific advocacy priorities
o Organise virtual prep sessions/session templates (2-3 weeks before events) to
align messaging and practice key talking points
o Create visual one-pagers/infographics summarising education philanthropy’s
impact for quick distribution
• During events:
o Create a plan for real-time coordination hubs (WhatsApp group or Teams
channel) for event-attending members
o Document key conversations and commitments in a shared tracker
o Coordinate social media amplification with pre-drafted tweets and LinkedIn
posts
• Post-event follow-up:
o Compile a comprehensive event report template with key takeaways and action
items
o Track and coordinate follow-up communications with new contacts made at
events
o Create a lessons learned document to improve future event participation
3. Build a bank of ‘Education Works’ stories
Collect, research, and synthesise a compendium of compelling examples of effective education
progress that philanthropy funds. These cases will provide evidence and inspiration for
advocacy, helping funders, media, and policymakers understand what works, why it matters,
and how strategic investment in education drives real-world impact. You will help transform
these examples into a shared resource on the IEFG website for briefings, campaigns, and
external communication, reinforcing coherent messaging and a unified voice for education
philanthropy. In detail, the successful candidate will be responsible for the following:
• Content creation:
o Develop 20-30 standardised case study templates (1 page each) following a
consistent format
o Create short video testimonials (2-3 minutes) featuring beneficiaries from funded
programmes
• Organisation and accessibility:
o Develop a quick reference guide matching stories to specific policy arguments
o Design social media asset packages for each story (graphics, captions, hashtags)
The IEFG Fellowship Offer
IEFG will tailor a structured learning offer to your specific interests and needs, to which you will
dedicate 20% of your time in addition to the professional learning that the tasks above will bring.
We will ensure that you have the support and resources necessary for your growth and
development in the field of education philanthropy. Your professional development journey with
IEFG will be drawn from options below:
Building relationships across education philanthropy industry experts: you will regularly interact
with industry experts and thought leaders in the field of education philanthropy, particularly
those working on advocacy and policy. These connections can provide valuable insights,
knowledge and connections for your future career.
Training and Workshops: IEFG is connected to a wide range of partners who deliver workshops
and webinars on philanthropy and international development cooperation. We will support you
to develop a bespoke learning journey across these, drawing out the lens of education
philanthropy.
Mentorship Program: We can potentially pair you with a mentor from within IEFG membership,
as an experienced professional in the field. Mentors will provide guidance, support, and advice,
helping you navigate your career path and develop your skills.
Professional Conference: You will have the opportunity to attend IEFG Together 2026 in Jordan,
the annual convening of education philanthropy. You may have further opportunities to attend
education-related summits or conferences within your role of enabling collective advocacy by
funders. These events offer exposure to the latest trends, innovations, and best practices in the
sector, as well as networking opportunities.
Access to Resources and Reports: We will provide you access to a wide range of resources,
reports, case studies, and publications related to education philanthropy. This access will
deepen your understanding of the sector and support your research and knowledge-building
efforts.
Skills and experience required:
– Early-career professional with a strong interest in ideally all three of global education,
international development, and advocacy.
– Excellent research and analytical skills, with the ability to synthesise complex data from
multiple sources into clear, actionable insights.
– Strong writing and communication skills, including the ability to craft concise, persuasive
messaging for diverse audiences (funders, policymakers, media).
– Experience or demonstrated interest in policy, advocacy, or strategic communications;
familiarity with global education policy debates is a plus. Experience with philanthropy is
not necessary: we’ll provide this!
– Ability to take initiative, work independently, and bring bold ideas to shape strategy and
influence outcomes.
– Comfortable collaborating remotely across multiple time zones and coordinating input
from a range of stakeholders.
– Comfortable working in dynamic, sometimes ambiguous contexts, where tasks,
priorities, and buy-in may not always be fully defined, and able to push initiatives forward
proactively.
– Organisational skills to manage multiple tasks, events, and deliverables on tight
timelines.
– Interest in storytelling and evidence-based advocacy, including translating research,
data, and case studies into compelling presentations and communication materials.
– Ability to build relationships and work collaboratively with peer networks, philanthropic
members, and external experts.
– Proactive learner, open to mentorship from senior advocacy leads and global education
specialists.
Duration and compensation:
Work schedule: Two days a week (flexible: you can either nominate these days or work a few
hours per day across 4-5 days).
Pro rata salary: £30,000
Structured learning opportunity to build knowledge and relationships across education
philanthropy.
Note: IEFG is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. Candidates
from underrepresented backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Application Process: To apply for this Fellowship, please submit your CV, a cover letter outlining
your relevant experience and interest in the role, and contact information for two professional
references, which will only be contacted with your permission after the interview process, which
will comprise an interview with members of the Secretariat and a separate task, both of which
can be undertaken online. Applications should be sent to info@iefg.org with ‘IEFG Advocacy
Fellow’ in the subject line.
