Programme Operations Internship, 300 Water Leaders in Oxford

Location: Oxford OX1 1XX, UK (remote/hybrid working options available for discussion)

Contract: Full-time internship opportunity (37.5 hours per week), starting mid August and finishing 18th December 2026

Pay rate: £14.50 per hour

Are you a bright graduate looking to take that important first step in your career? Are you someone seeking work where you can build real skills, take on genuine responsibility, and contribute to work with global impact? Global Water Intelligence (GWI), the world’s leading intelligence service on the global water industry, is looking for an enthusiastic and resourceful Programme Operations Intern to join the team behind 300 Water Leaders – a not-for-profit peer network connecting the CEOs of water and sanitation utilities across Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Caribbean.

In this role, you’ll support the delivery of a fast-growing programme of in-person workshops, webinars, regional co-development meetings and high-level international conferences, including the United Nation’s (UN) Water Conference in Abu Dhabi. You don’t need previous experience of the water sector – you should simply be willing to dive in, learn fast, and help us build a network that is genuinely changing how the world’s water utilities are led.

You’ll join a small, collaborative team and work closely with the Programme Manager, gaining hands-on exposure to programme management, funder relations and event coordination from day one. With comprehensive training and mentorship, you’ll quickly develop a full picture of how the 300 Water Leaders programme runs and begin taking ownership of projects within your first few weeks.

What you’ll be doing:

• Supporting the planning and delivery of 300 Water Leaders events, including regional workshops, webinars and co-development meetings held in person around the world.
• Coordinating logistics for CEO members attending in-person meetings, from invitations and travel arrangements to on-the-ground delivery.
• Managing senior stakeholders in the international water sector, from utility CEOs, development finance representatives and sector specialists.
• Helping to maintain and grow the 300 Water Leaders membership database, tracking pledges, engagement and network growth across regions.
• Supporting communications across the CEO WhatsApp community, LinkedIn and other member-facing channels.
• Helping prepare for the UN Water Conference and other major industry events where the 300 Water Leaders plays a critical role.

Required:

• Excellent organisational skills and great attention to detail.
• A confident, professional communication style, both written and verbal.
• A committed, proactive and resourceful approach to work.
• Willingness to travel internationally for events.
• A basic grasp of Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Foreign language skills (particularly French, Spanish and Portuguese).
• An interest in events or programme management.
• An interest in international development, sustainability or the water sector.

About GWI:

Global Water Intelligence is a specialist publisher of business intelligence on the global water sector, with offices in Oxford and Shanghai. Our research is used by utilities, investors, consultants, development banks, and policymakers worldwide. The 300 Water Leaders is an initiative of the Global Water Leaders Group, a not-for-profit sister organisation of GWI, which looks to bring together an international network of water utility CEOs who together share solutions to common global water challenges combatting the inherently local, fragmented nature of the industry.

To apply:

Please send your CV (one page maximum) and a short cover letter (one page maximum) telling us about an event you organised (at work, university, school or even a large family event) and how you went about it to make it a success.