37-009 I Internship - Locally Led Adaptation - People's Adaptation Plan

VACANCY TITLE: Intern, - Locally Led Adaptation - People’s Adaptation Plans

TEAM: Locally Led Adaptation

LOCATION: Dhaka, Bangladesh

LEVEL OF EFFORT: Full time – 40 hours per week

START DATE: As soon as possible

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 07 September 2025

WHO WE ARE
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is a leading international organization dedicated to addressing climate change and promoting adaptation action for resilient development. We collaborate with governments, International Financial Institutions (IFIs), businesses, and communities to develop and implement innovative solutions that strengthen resilience and support adaptation to climate change impacts.

Founded in 2018, our organization is based in regional offices across key global locations. Our Europe office is located in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in the largest floating office in the world. We also have regional offices in Kenya, Ivory Coast, Bangladesh, and Beijing, as well as a dedicated knowledge and research hub in Groningen, the Netherlands.

Our work encompasses high-level policy development, research, agenda-setting, and advocacy to drive faster and deeper climate adaptation. We collaborate closely with partners to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of results where they are most needed.

GCA’S GLOBAL HUB ON LOCALLY LED ADAPTATION

The impacts of climate change are most acutely felt by socially, economically, and politically disadvantaged and marginalized people and groups because of their higher vulnerability and lower adaptive capacity. Recognizing the highly localized nature of climate impacts; the importance of local adaptation action; the potential and creativity of communities to develop locally appropriate and innovative solutions; the ownership benefits of community-driven action; and the strong need for accountability to poor and marginalized communities affected by climate change, the GCA is strongly committed to addressing barriers to accelerating and scaling up LLA through the Global Hub on Locally Led Adaptation. The Hub aims to promote LLA at scale, with speed, to reduce climate risks for populations and sections of society that are most vulnerable to climate change. The activities of the Hub are guided by the eight Principles for Locally Led Adaptation.

GCA’s efforts to scale up LLA are focused on integrating locally led adaptation planning with traditional development investments, particularly by international financial institutions (IFIs).

GCA works with local partners to facilitate adaptation planning based on LLA best practice (documented, for instance, in this Guide). People’s Adaptation Plans are produced by vulnerable communities, based on community-led data collection and mapping efforts, and informed by scientific climate risk assessments. The planning process supports communities in understanding climate risks as a community, negotiating priorities, and designing solutions. The Plans are shared with associated IFI project teams to inform investments and used by communities to leverage local development funds. In some countries in Africa, the planning process is informing national efforts to embed adaptation in local development planning.

WHAT WILL YOU DO

Are you passionate about climate change adaptation and community-led planning? This internship offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the finalization of Locally Led People’s Adaptation Plans that place community voices and priorities at the center of climate resilience efforts. You will work closely with the Locally Led Adaptation Team to edit, rewrite, and finalize People’s Adaptation Plans using data-driven approaches that reflect local socio-economic and climate contexts.

This is a hands-on role for someone with strong analytical, technical writing, and data visualization skills who wants to deepen their expertise in local adaptation planning.

Key Responsibilities and Learning Outcomes

• Enhance your technical writing and editing skills by re-writing and finalizing real-world climate adaptation plans grounded in community priorities and lived experiences.

• Deepen your understanding of locally led adaptation (LLA) by working directly with community-driven data, plans, and narratives that highlight the voices of the most vulnerable and reflect the principles of LLA.

• Strengthen your data analysis skills by working with socio-economic, demographic, and environmental datasets using Excel and other tools to support evidence-based planning.

• Build your data visualization and presentation skills by developing tables, charts, and visual summaries that communicate key insights clearly and effectively.

• Gain hands-on experience in spatial planning by supporting the integration of maps and spatial data into adaptation plans; you will also have the opportunity to apply or develop GIS skills.

• Learn to navigate complex, multi-stakeholder processes by collaborating with field teams, technical experts, and editors to produce high-quality final outputs.

• Improve your project management and attention to detail through managing multiple documents, incorporating feedback, and ensuring alignment with templates and guidelines.

• Develop a portfolio of professional work that showcases your contributions to climate resilience planning at the local level.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree (or currently enrolled) in Environmental Studies, Geography, Climate Change, Urban Planning, Development Studies, or a related field.

• Strong technical writing skills in English, with the ability to synthesize complex data into clear and concise text.

• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Word.

• Experience working with large datasets and conducting basic socio-economic and demographic analysis.

• Comfort working with tables, maps, and visualizations to communicate technical information effectively.

• Familiarity with GIS tools (such as QGIS or ArcGIS) is a strong asset.

• Excellent organizational skills with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple tasks.

• Motivated, proactive, and eager to learn in a multicultural, fast-paced environment.

WHAT WE OFFER

Joining GCA means becoming part of a team that is making a global impact. GCA is dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive team. We warmly welcome applicants from all walks of life and do not discriminate in any of our programs or activities based on race, color, religion, sex, nationality, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression.

HOW TO APPLY

If this opportunity excites you, submit your CV via opportunities.gca.org by 07 September 2025. Please mention your earliest availability in your application.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES STATEMENT

GCA celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We look forward to welcoming your unique perspectives to our team.