Application Guide
How to Apply for Pacific Engagement Fellow
at One Family Foundation
🏢 About One Family Foundation
One Family Foundation is a small, agile family foundation based in the Netherlands that incubates social innovation projects and startups. It stands out for its hands-on approach to tackling global issues like poverty, environmental restoration, and inclusion, offering employees the chance to shape impactful initiatives from the ground up in a collaborative, mission-driven environment.
About This Role
As a Pacific Engagement Fellow, you will support the Regional Coordinator in engaging with governments and ecosystem partners across the Pacific, leading policy recommendations and advocacy strategies. This role is impactful because it directly contributes to shaping collaborative solutions for pressing issues in a geopolitically significant region, allowing you to influence policy and build partnerships that drive systemic change.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve reviewing policy briefs from Pacific governments, drafting advocacy materials for the Regional Coordinator, and scheduling virtual meetings with ecosystem partners across different time zones. You could spend part of the day conducting research on regional political developments and the rest coordinating with team members via Slack or Zoom to align on strategy.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who One Family Foundation Is Looking For
- A graduate in public policy, international relations, development studies, or political science with 2–3 years of experience in public policy, government affairs, or international development.
- Deep familiarity with the political, governmental, and socio-economic context of Pacific Island countries, including knowledge of regional institutions like the Pacific Islands Forum.
- Strong research, writing, and organizational skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information into actionable policy recommendations.
- Comfortable working independently in a virtual, multicultural environment, with excellent cross-cultural communication skills.
📝 Tips for Applying to One Family Foundation
Tailor your resume to highlight specific experience with Pacific Island countries or regional organizations, such as internships or projects involving the Pacific Islands Forum or national governments.
In your cover letter, explicitly connect your academic background and work experience to the foundation’s mission of collaborative solutions for poverty, environmental restoration, and inclusion.
Demonstrate your research skills by including a brief policy memo or writing sample relevant to the Pacific region, such as an analysis of climate change impacts on Pacific economies.
Mention any experience working remotely or in multicultural teams, as the role is virtual and involves diverse stakeholders.
Research One Family Foundation’s current projects and mention how your skills could contribute to a specific initiative they are incubating.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your understanding of Pacific Island political and socio-economic dynamics, backed by specific examples or coursework.', 'Your ability to conduct policy research and draft advocacy strategies, with a sample of your writing if possible.', 'Your alignment with the foundation’s values of collaboration, innovation, and addressing global issues like poverty and environmental restoration.', 'Your experience working independently in a remote setting and your comfort with virtual communication tools.']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Review One Family Foundation’s website and any published reports or blog posts to understand their current projects and philanthropic approach.
- → Research the Pacific Islands Forum, its member states, and recent policy priorities such as climate resilience and sustainable development.
- → Familiarize yourself with key stakeholders in the region, including national governments, NGOs, and regional development banks.
- → Learn about the foundation’s incubation model—how they support startups and what success looks like for them.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic application that doesn’t reference the Pacific region or the foundation’s specific mission.
- Overlooking the remote, multicultural aspect—failing to demonstrate cross-cultural competence or self-discipline.
- Focusing solely on academic achievements without showing practical experience in policy or advocacy.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to One Family Foundation!