ECDAN is Recruiting Four Knowledge Fellows to Complete Advocacy Projects in 2025

Calling all early-career ECD professionals! ECDAN's flagship Knowledge Fellows program, now in its fifth year, is accepting applications for the 2025 cohort. The program is an exciting opportunity for aspiring leaders from around the globe to receive professional development, mentorship, and networking connections while working on a project that advances ECDAN’s goals. Fellows will receive a stipend of US$2,000 and complete their projects from May to November 2025. The application process is now open and submissions will be accepted until the deadline on Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

ECDAN is committed to enhancing its capacity-strengthening efforts particularly for local advocates and connecting global-regional-national efforts to catalyze change at the country level. The 2025 Fellows will create advocacy materials in line with the network’s strategic priorities and influencing opportunities in the areas of climate change, childcare, parenting, and financing.

This is a wonderful opportunity for talented early-career professionals with a background in ECD advance their professional goals while contributing to the development of an advocacy resource to benefit the field. We invite you to read the criteria below to determine if you are eligible or share this opportunity with someone who might be a good fit.Learn More

Who is eligible to apply?

Received a Master’s degree within the past three years.
Not currently in the process of completing a PhD thesis.
Available to commit 6 to 10 hours per week from May to November 2025.
Interested and experienced in the field of ECD.
Comfortable writing and communicating in English.
Demonstrate integrity and transparency by producing their own original work without the use of plagiarism or Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools.
Willing to meet at least once a month with an assigned mentor and participate in monthly cohort meetings.
Experienced with analyzing information from multiple sources and compiling insights in a digestible and usable format.
Have strengths or interest in communications, policy advocacy, or creating advocacy materials for social change.
Capable of being self-directed yet responsive to feedback. Proactive in initiating communication and following up if needed.

Note: Fellows can work remotely from anywhere and do not require a work visa for any country.

Since the Knowledge Fellows program started in 2021, a total of 26 Knowledge Fellows from 18 countries have completed the program.

Join this impressive group!

To strengthen the capacity of ECDAN partners and ECD stakeholders at global, regional, and country level to create actionable change in policies, financing, and programming, ECDAN co-creates and disseminates advocacy materials. These materials include policy briefs, messaging frameworks, resource packs, infographics, stakeholder maps, video stories, and more. In 2025, there are four thematic priorities for ECDAN’s advocacy that Knowledge Fellows can contribute to: climate change, childcare, parenting, and financing. Each theme has one potential project described in the application instructions. Applicants must select the project from the list that most aligns with their interests, capabilities, and experience and articulate this rationale in their application.

Selected Knowledge Fellows will complete one of these advocacy projects, under the supervision of the ECDAN Secretariat and with the support of an assigned mentor. Additional responsibilities include:

Develop a work plan with milestones and timelines, breaking down the steps to complete the project.
Schedule and hold monthly meetings with the assigned mentor to solicit guidance and feedback on work produced. Proactively communicate and follow up if needed.
Gather and analyze relevant information, data, resources, and reference material.
Connect with various stakeholders to ensure the project responds to identified gaps and needs.
Share learning and progress on a regular basis with other Knowledge Fellows in the cohort and the Secretariat.
Complete the agreed deliverable (written work), and ensure it meets quality standards.
Prepare and deliver a presentation with the main insights and messages from the project in a global dissemination webinar. Fellows may also be invited to share their insights with ECDAN working groups and partners in other meetings.
Provide feedback on the fellowship experience, contribute to improving the program, and remain connected to ECDAN as ECD champions.

What is the application process?

Interested candidates should read and follow the instructionscarefully. Note that using AI to complete the application or draft application content is prohibited. Applicants should complete the following steps:Applications will be accepted until Tuesday, April 1, 2025.Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the next steps in the selection process, which includes the submission of a writing sample, the completion of an assignment, and an interview. The fellowship starts in May and lasts through November 2025.

Learn More

Read the application instructions carefully. For equity and fairness, no specific questions will be answered on an individual basis; however, there will be an office hours session held on Zoom prior to the deadline. Questions can be sent in advance to info@ecdan.org and will be answered in that session.

This position was originally posted by ECDAN and has been curated by PurposePhil Career. To apply, please visit the original listing on the link. We are not affiliated with the employer organization of this job ad or consultancy, and provide this curated listing as a service to our users.

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