Intern - Project Management

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR Research Center, is seeking an enthusiastic and motivated intern to support the Program Management Office (PMO). The internship is designed for learners who wish to gain practical exposure to project management procedures, staff time management processes, and reporting practices within an international organization. The internship will be based at IWMI's headquarters in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Scope of internship

The internship will provide practical exposure to IWMI’s project management cycle for research projects and PMO-related operational processes. The intern will gain exposure to IWMI’s project management cycle for research projects; learn through practical use of ERP, Power BI, and other software systems related to staff time tracking and gain exposure to project budget information maintained in ERP. The intern will interact with staff based at IWMI headquarters in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and regional offices across Asia, Africa, and Europe, gaining experience in a multicultural work environment.

During this internship, the intern will assist in the following areas:

• Support the Program Management Office (PMO) team in staff time tracking activities and gain practical experience in portfolio and project management processes.
• Assist in updating staff time requests in the relevant databases, master files, and systems under the guidance of assigned PMO staff.
• Support follow-up activities related to staff time sheet submissions and updates, while learning about staff time management processes.
• Assist in maintaining staff time projection records and performing routine data validation checks to improve data accuracy.
• Contribute to the preparation of PMO reports, summaries, and data extracts related to staff time utilization, budgets, and project management information.
• Provide administrative and analytical support to Portfolio Managers and PMO staff in addressing day-to-day operational requirements.
• Participate in PMO initiatives and meetings as appropriate to gain exposure to project portfolio management practices, systems, and tools.

Requirements

• Undergraduate or fresh graduate with a degree in Project Management, Finance, Commerce, Business Administration or a related discipline.
• Some learning, exposure or knowledge of finance and budgets.
• Computer literacy and proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel and Word.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
• Ability to comprehend and work with complex written material and data.
• Strong attention to detail, self-motivation and ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Integrity, confidentiality and professionalism in handling institutional information.

Benefits

IWMI will provide a monthly stipend to the selected candidate during the internship period.

The duration of the internship is 06 months with the possibility of extension for another 6 months based on requirements of IWMI, and availability of funds as well as performance. This is a nationally recruited internship and only Sri Lankans are eligible to apply.

To apply, visit Applications must be submitted by 24:00 (Colombo time) on 24 August 2026 (Monday).

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is an international, research-for-development organization that works with governments, civil society and the private sector to solve water problems in developing countries and scale up solutions. Through partnership, IWMI combines research on the sustainable use of water and land resources, knowledge services and products with capacity strengthening, dialogue and policy analysis to support implementation of water management solutions for agriculture, ecosystems, climate change and inclusive economic growth. Headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, IWMI is a CGIAR Research Center with offices in 17 countries and a global network of scientists operating in more than 55 countries.

IWMI believes that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. We offer a multi-cultural, multi-color, multi-generational and multi-disciplinary working environment. We are consciously creating an inclusive organization that reflects our global character and our commitment to gender equity. We, therefore, encourage applicants from all cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, and gender identities.