Application Guide
How to Apply for Programme Assistant
at Forest Peoples Programme
🏢 About Forest Peoples Programme
Forest Peoples Programme is a unique human rights organization that works directly with forest communities across the globe to secure their rights and protect their environments. Unlike many NGOs, they operate through long-term partnerships with indigenous peoples and local communities, focusing on legal empowerment and policy advocacy. Working here means contributing to a rights-based approach to conservation that centers the voices of forest peoples themselves.
About This Role
As a Programme Assistant, you'll be the operational backbone supporting the Programme Coordinator and team in managing grants, tracking deliverables, and facilitating communication with partners and donors. This role is impactful because your administrative precision directly enables frontline work with forest communities—ensuring funding flows, reports are submitted, and partnerships run smoothly so that rights-based conservation can advance.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might start with checking emails to follow up on action points from a recent programme team meeting, then updating a tracker for donor reporting deadlines. You could spend the afternoon drafting a partnership agreement for a new grant partner in Southeast Asia, followed by a virtual check-in with the finance team to review budget expenditures. The role balances administrative tasks with collaborative communication, all from a remote setup.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Forest Peoples Programme Is Looking For
- Has 1-2 years of experience in the non-profit sector, ideally with exposure to international or human rights-focused work.
- Is proficient in grant administration—specifically drafting partnership agreements, monitoring budgets, and supporting donor reporting—not just general project coordination.
- Demonstrates exceptional attention to detail in written English, with experience taking minutes, drafting agendas, and managing knowledge systems.
- Can navigate remote collaboration tools effectively, as this role requires coordinating with teams and partners across different time zones.
📝 Tips for Applying to Forest Peoples Programme
Highlight any experience with donor reporting or grant management in the non-profit sector—specifically mention if you've worked with narrative/financial reports or partnership agreements.
Emphasize your ability to work remotely and asynchronously, since this is a remote role supporting an international team; mention tools like Slack, Trello, or Asana if relevant.
Tailor your resume to show how you've supported meetings and events in a non-profit context—include specifics like 'minuted quarterly donor check-ins' or 'coordinated virtual partner workshops.'
Research Forest Peoples Programme's current programmes (e.g., their work in the Amazon or Congo Basin) and reference one in your cover letter to show genuine interest.
If you have experience with budget tracking or financial oversight, quantify it—e.g., 'monitored a £200,000 grant budget'—as this role involves working with the finance team on expenditures.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Your experience in the non-profit sector, especially any work with international or human rights organizations, and why you're drawn to Forest Peoples Programme's community-led approach.", "Specific examples of how you've supported project administration, such as tracking deliverables, managing donor deadlines, or maintaining knowledge systems.", "Your proficiency with financial aspects of grants, like budgeting or reporting, and how you've collaborated with finance teams in past roles.", 'Your ability to facilitate communication in a remote setting, citing instances where you liaised with partners or coordinated multi-stakeholder meetings.']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Explore Forest Peoples Programme's website to understand their core programmes (e.g., 'Securing Community Lands' or 'Climate Finance and Forests') and recent publications or reports.
- → Look into their partnership model—how they work with indigenous groups and local communities—and be prepared to discuss why this approach resonates with you.
- → Review their donor base or funding sources (e.g., institutional donors like the EU or foundations) to grasp the reporting and compliance context you'd be supporting.
- → Familiarize yourself with key terms like 'Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)' or 'rights-based conservation,' as these are central to their mission.
💬 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 mention Forest Peoples Programme's focus on forest communities or human rights—this shows lack of research.
- Overemphasizing corporate or for-profit experience without connecting it to non-profit grant administration or project support.
- Failing to provide concrete examples of remote work skills or experience with tools like knowledge management systems, which are crucial for this part-time remote role.
📅 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 Forest Peoples Programme!