Description

INTERNSHIP TITLE: Compliance Due Diligence Internship
INTERN WORKSITE LOCATION: Edinburgh, UK
DATES OF INTERNSHIP: Starting as soon as possible, 2-3 months (depending on availability and hours per week, to be agreed)
HOURS PER WEEK: flexible, minimum of 20 hours, up to 4 days per week  
FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR THE INTERNSHIP: GBP £13.45 per hour (for UK, exc London), in line with Real Living Wage 
DEPARTMENT: Compliance

Mercy Corps responsibilities

For the duration of this internship assignment, the intern will receive:

• Training and supervisory support
• Access to Mercy Corps online tools
• All other tools, materials and communication requirements for this project
• Access to Mercy Corps’ learning courses
• Space for professional development and own initiative

Intern responsibilities

The intern will remain responsible for all costs associated with:

• Accommodation, travel and living expenses

ABOUT MERCY CORPS

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in over 30 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.

The breadth and impact of our programmes make Mercy Corps a unique and truly rewarding place to work. Our teams are proud of what we achieve in the field and we are always looking for talented individuals who share our passion and commitment.  

ABOUT THE COMPLIANCE TEAM 

The Compliance, Governance and Risk department ensures that Mercy Corps fulfils its responsibility to donors, partners and other stakeholders, and is in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. The award compliance team is across multiple locations globally. This internship is based out of our Edinburgh office to align with direct supervision from a team member and additional mentorship from the team based in Edinburgh.

Internship Description

This internship offers a unique opportunity to support the Compliance Department in strengthening and streamlining donor due diligence processes across the organisation providing the intern with insight into policies, processes and approaches across various departments. 

Many funders undertake due diligence on Mercy Corps prior to or as a condition of funding. Mercy Corps maintains suites of information to support with these requests across various departments. The intern will lead the consolidation, review and update of standard due diligence responses, develop a donor due diligence Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), assess opportunities for AI-enabled automation, and support compliance-related updates associated with organizational rebranding and change initiatives. In addition, the intern will provide ideas to design a centralised repository for completed due diligence exercises, helping improve efficiency, consistency, knowledge management, and stakeholder responsiveness.

The role will involve engaging with other teams across Mercy Corps departments (Award Management, Finance, Technical, Ethics, etc.) throughout the internship. The role will have the opportunity to join meetings (primarily calls) with colleagues across various departments and countries. 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:  

• Understand Mercy Corps approach to compliance, particularly with regard to donors and the funding environment, and how we collaborate across departments.
• Gain an understanding of how a compliance team works in a global humanitarian and development organisation.
• Develop document review, research and potentially automation skills.
• Be exposed to grants and funding requirements, as well as projects, in a not for profit / humanitarian setting.
• Build communication, planning and organisational skills.
• Gain experience in a multicultural work environment, coordinating and communicating with a global team across different time zones and geographies, many of whom operate in complex, challenging environments 

DELIVERABLES:

• Consolidate current standard due diligence responses and recent due diligence exercises
• Update suite of standard due diligence responses, including reviewing current package, coordinating with relevant functions to get updated responses
• Develop SOP for donor due diligence process
• Scope opportunities for automation or tools which can support a more efficient process 
• Potentially deliverables in relation to rebrand related activities for due diligence responses and/or for ongoing organisational due diligence exercises
• Develop repository for completed due diligence exercises

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE:

We are looking for someone who is excited by our vision and mission and the opportunity to help us deliver on a current organisational initiative. The ideal candidate is a highly organised and analytical student or recent graduate with an interest in compliance, governance and/or process improvement. They should possess strong research, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams, work independently, and explore innovative solutions such as AI-enabled process automation. We believe this is an ideal opportunity for an internship as it provides exposure to several thematic areas within an international NGO.  The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

• University degree in progress or recently completed, ideally in Law, business or a related subject.
• Some experience working with policies and procedures and/or contracts would be beneficial.
• Fluent in English; excellent writing skills in English.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Strong multi-tasking, organisational and prioritisation skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Highly developed computer skills and strong familiarity with Microsoft Office, experience with technology solutions/automation tools would be a plus.
• Demonstrated sensitivity to people and cultures globally.

Mercy Corps interns represent the agency both during and outside of work hours and are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and Mercy Corps policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Application process

Candidates interested in this internship should submit a CV and a short statement of interest (no more than one page) prior to the closing date of 28 August 2026 at 5pm (BST).  In your statement, you are encouraged to discuss any experiences relevant to the role.  You may wish to describe your career interests (specifically as they relate to humanitarian and / or development) and discuss your previous work and educational experiences demonstrating these interests.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview with two team members, which will include a range of experience, competency and motivation questions.

All applicants should be able to demonstrate the ability to work in the UK by the start date of the internship.