Commonwealth launches Young Professionals Programme

The Young Professionals Programme gives qualified young people the opportunity to contribute to the Commonwealth’s work in international development and democracy, and to build their skills in a culturally diverse, professional environment.

The programme demonstrates our ongoing commitment to youth empowerment and our recognition of young people as partners and leaders in development.

About the programme

Young Professionals will be based at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, taking up two-year positions in areas of work such as economic policy, human resources and youth. During this time, they will provide technical and administrative support to programmes and operations.

In addition to living in one of the world’s leading cities, Young Professionals will benefit from a structured programme of professional development and mentoring, working with high-level decision-makers and technical experts.

Eligibility

To be considered, a candidate must:

be aged 27 years or younger at the close of the application
be a national of a Commonwealth member country
possess a strong Bachelor degree or higher level degree in a field relevant to the position
have at least one year of work experience in a field relevant to the position
have excellent English language and interpersonal skills, and
be able to work in a multicultural and diverse environment.

Selection process

Recruitment commenced on 28 October 2014 and will be staggered over subsequent months. There are 27 positions currently designated for young professionals – around 10% of the total staff of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

The recruitment process comprises a variety of selection exercises and interviews over two stages. Stage 1 includes written and technology exercises, while Stage 2 is primarily interview-led, via Skype.

Candidates will be assessed according to their relevant qualifications and experience. In keeping with Commonwealth Secretariat guidelines, the geographic and gender balance of the total number of Young Professional positions will also be considered.

If successful, a candidate will have two weeks to confirm their intention to take up the position. Contracts cannot be deferred or postponed. Please note that each applicant may submit a maximum of three applications to the Young Professionals Programme.