Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez Corporate Diplomacy Fellowship

Position: Carlos M. Gutierrez Corporate Diplomacy Fellowship
Location: Washington, D.C.
Reports To: Corporate Relations Coordinator

Purpose and Description

The Carlos M. Gutierrez Corporate Diplomacy fellowship is designed to provide graduate students with a deeper understanding of the relationship between business and foreign policy to prepare them for a career in international business or commercial diplomacy. One fellow a year will be selected through a competitive application process for a 6 month-long paid program. Fellows will work closely with Meridian’s corporate engagement team on co-authoring reports and communication products, policy research and outreach to corporate and diplomatic stakeholders, as well as help support engagement with the Meridian Corporate Council. Fellows will have the opportunity to grow their network by meeting high-level business government and diplomatic leaders and participating in meetings, roundtable discussions and other events. Responsibilities will vary depending on the schedule of events.

Secretary Gutierrez served as Meridian International Center’s Board of Trustees Chairman from 2014 until 2019. He served as the former United States Secretary of Commerce, former Chairman of the Board and CEO of the Kellogg Company. He has been a leader in international business through his public sector accomplishments at the Department of Commerce, promoting the United States as a trade partner around the world. Meridian is proud to announce the creation of this fellowship in his honor.

The Fellow can expect to gain further insight into the intersection between the private sector and diplomacy, as well as gain hard skills in corporate research, business development, event management, non-profit management, digital media, stakeholder engagement, as well as database management.

The Carlos Gutierrez Corporate Diplomacy Fellowship will begin in January 2020 and terminate in May/June 2020.

Essential Functions

Research

  • Conduct research on corporate prospects to assist with identifying funding sources;
  • Research the current global interests/involvement of specific corporations to help assist in event matching;
  • Research country specific issues to create one-pager briefing memos for senior level staff;
  • Research special projects and organize research information systematically;
  • Provide administrative support to development staff as needed.

Events and Audience Management

  • Assist in event planning and organizing for Corporate Council programs;
  • Support Corporate Relations staff with pre- and post-event database management;
  • Represent Meridian at various corporate-focused programs
  • Assist in setup, staffing, and breakdown of events as needed.

Communications

  • Generate content and writing program write ups for the Meridian website
  • Support Social media outreach on platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

Other duties and special projects as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience/Education

The fellowship is best suited for a student pursuing their undergraduate degree in their junior or senior year, or graduate degree with a focus and deep interest in International Business.

All applicants must:
  • Commit 29 hours per week to the fellowship
  • Be able to work on Mondays and either Thursday or Friday
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
  • Interest in global issues, international affairs, and private sector engagement / business development
  • Must be highly organized, detail-oriented, self-motivated and able to work in a dynamic and fast-paced environment
  • Comfort working in a diverse environment with people from all over the world
  • Strong organizational and writing skills; superb attention-to-detail necessary
  • Ability to efficiently manage time and prioritize between short term and long-term projects
  • Familiarity and comfort with online research and marketing tools
  • Computer proficiency in Windows based applications including Microsoft Word and Excel is mandatory; knowledge of database management applications, such as Salesforce, is preferred
  • Must show tact and discretion due to our constant engagement with high-level government, diplomatic, and business officials
  • Proven initiative and strong interpersonal skills
Physical Effort and Dexterity

Not applicable

Visual Acuity, Hearing, and Speaking

Excellent verbal and written command of the English language

Environment and Scheduling
  • Interest in working with an international not-for-profit professional exchange organization
  • Interest in working within a diverse work environment

This position is classified FLSA NON-EXEMPT.

Employer’s Statement and Rights

This position posting does not list all the duties of the job. If an offer is made, you will be presented with a detailed job description. Applicants will be evaluated based upon their demonstrated ability to perform the tasks listed above, and their education and experience. The employer has the right to revise this posting at any time. Neither this posting nor the job description is a contract for employment. Meridian is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

How to Apply

All applicants must submit a resume, cover letter detailing their interest in this fellowship, and a writing sample of 250 words answering the question: “How do you see the role of the private sector evolving in the global landscape?”

Interested and qualified candidates should send a resume, cover letter, and essay to Ms. Charlotte Watiez, Corporate Relations Coordinator, at cwatiez@meridian.org.

Only applicants including a resume, cover letter, and writing sample will be considered. Due to the volume of applications received, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted and provided an update on the status of their application

testimonials from past fellows