Join Us
At Synergy, a commitment to working together brings beneficial outcomes for all
A career with us gives you the opportunity to make a real, positive difference to businesses and communities alike, using your unique skills and perspective to address some of the world’s most important challenges. With offices in the UK, France and South Africa, we are a diverse, passionate and welcoming team, united by our strong belief in our shared values, which empower us to deliver first-class results.
What we are looking for
- The ability to drive actionable change in leading organisations and ambitious startups across the private, public and investor realms.
- A genuine passion for sustainability, with an in-depth understanding of related issues and solutions.
- A firm grasp of how businesses and societies interact and influence one another.
- Proven, first-class analytical skills.
- Strong emotional intelligence.
What we offer you
- The chance to help tackle some of the world’s most pressing issues, including sustainability, human rights, and land and livelihoods.
- A values-driven workplace where environmental, social and financial sustainability are at the heart of what we do.
- An outstanding group of highly skilled, experienced and inclusive colleagues to work alongside and learn from — our South African arm is recognised as a Level 2 BBBEE company.
- A well-rounded benefits package, with shared rewards when we succeed together.
- The opportunity to shape the future of Synergy via our employee ownership model.
What success means to us
- Empowering the most vulnerable members of society to work alongside us on projects that really matter.
- Resolving conflicts and delivering positive impacts through thoughtful mediation, pragmatic problem solving and tailored strategies.
- Bringing the benefits of business to people and their communities.
- Contributing to systemic change for the better through improved policies.
- Unlocking career opportunities for people in social development with in-depth pathways and expert training.
- Ensuring human rights grievances are treated seriously and resolved fairly and transparently.
Our Internship Programme
Synergy’s award-winning internship programme is a paid opportunity available across our global offices in Oxford, Paris, and Johannesburg. It offers the chance to gain hands-on experience working alongside our team and developing your skills in social performance consultancy, with a particular focus on human rights assessments.
Recognised as a Gold Standard Internship Host by the University of Oxford, we tailor our programmes to suit your learning goals and passions. Our dynamic work environment means you will be involved in a variety of meaningful projects across our specialist areas, giving you the chance to put your learnings into practice in real-life situations.
What are the aims of the internships?
- To develop your general workplace and sector-specific skills.
- To best prepare you for your transition into a working environment.
- To inspire you to bring your fresh ideas and innovation to the social impact sector.
What do you look for?
- Current students in environmental or social sciences (e.g. environmental science, labour and working conditions, international development, human rights, economics, geography or political science). Other disciplines may be considered for particularly strong applicants.
- A general understanding of, and interest in, the social and environmental challenges facing the natural resources sector.
- A genuine interest in our work, approach and values.
- Proven qualitative research and analysis skills, including the ability to quickly find, analyse and synthesise information from the web.
- Fluency in English, with strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Additional languages are not essential but are a definite plus e.g. French.
- Enthusiastic, reliable team players who enjoy collaborative working.
How long is the internship for?
Our internship programmes last from one week up to one year, with both part-time (from a few hours per week) and full-time options available.
Opportunities in our United Kingdom and France offices:
- Micro internship: 1 week (5 days)
- Summer Internship: 3 months
- Extended Internship: 6 months – 1 year
Opportunities in our South African office:
- Extended Internship: 6 months – 1 year
Where can I hear about your internship openings?
Internship opportunities for all of our offices can be found on LinkedIn, while openings in our South African office are also advertised on Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, Indeed and Graduate24.com.