Advocacy Intern
About SAMS
SAMS Foundation’s mission is dedicated to delivering life-saving services, revitalizing health systems during crisis, and promoting medical education via a network of humanitarians in Syria, the US, and beyond. SAMS began in 1998 as a medical society that bridged knowledge between Syria and the US, transitioning into a humanitarian response organization in 2011 amidst the Syrian uprising. Aside from the US and Syria, SAMS has registered branch offices or local affiliate entities in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Greece, Turkiye, Ukraine, and the occupied Palestinian territories. In 2024, SAMS provided some 4.4 million medical services for 1.46 million people, through a network of over 100 health facilities and more than 2,400 health workers in northern Syria, southern Turkey, the Attica region of Greece, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Gaza, Morocco, Libya, and Ukraine.
Position Summary
The Advocacy Intern will support the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) Foundation’s advocacy efforts related to Syria, with a particular emphasis on health policy and humanitarian issues. Based in Washington, DC, the intern will work closely with the Advocacy Manager to support research, policy tracking, and content development. This internship is designed to be both learning-oriented and execution-focused, providing hands-on exposure to humanitarian advocacy, policy analysis, and stakeholder engagement, while also requiring the intern to actively support and carry out core advocacy tasks in coordination with the Advocacy Manager.
Key Responsibilities
• Support and learn from desk-based research on U.S. policy toward Syria, health policy, donor priorities, and relevant regulatory developments by reviewing policy documents, public statements, and humanitarian analysis.
• Track and synthesize updates from key stakeholders, including U.S. government agencies, Congress, UN agencies, donors, and humanitarian coordination forums, to support timely internal briefings and situational awareness.
• Contribute to the preparation of background notes and reference materials used in policy briefs, briefing memos, and talking points, gaining exposure to advocacy and congressional briefing processes.
• Support the drafting, formatting, and quality review of advocacy materials, working closely with the Advocacy Manager to ensure clarity, consistency, and alignment with SAMS messaging.
• Maintain and update internal advocacy tracking tools (e.g. Engagement Tracker, Events Tracker) to document meetings, events, and outreach, and to support institutional learning and coordination.
Qualifications
• Currently enrolled in or recently graduated from a degree in public health, international relations, political science, public policy, or a related field.
• Strong interest in humanitarian advocacy, health policy, and the Syria context.
• Strong research and writing skills in Arabic and English, with the ability to summarize complex information clearly and concisely.
• Good organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team-based environment.
• Familiarity with humanitarian or development organizations, or prior experience supporting research, events, or advocacy activities (academic, volunteer, or internship experience).
• Interest in policy analysis, humanitarian diplomacy, and civil society engagement.
Send your recent CV copy and cover letter with “Advocacy Intern” in the subject line to careers@sams-usa.net.