About Us

Free to Run’s mission is to advance gender equity globally through running. We are a registered nonprofit/nongovernmental organization that has been operating community-led programs for adolescent girls and young women since 2014. We are known for delivering long-term, youth-led, progressive running, leadership, rights, and health programs directly to adolescent girls and young women living in protracted conflict zones. However, the longer-term impact of our work is building enduring social change - decreasing barriers to public participation, increasing women in leadership, and making power structures more equitable and inclusive. Free to Run identifies as an organization working at the intersections of feminism, human rights, development, and humanitarian interventions. 

The organization is in a position of significant growth, in terms of our strategy, reach, impact, and operating budget. In 2024, we embarked on a new three-year strategic plan that positions us to reach 50,000 people by 2026. We will meet this goal through our work across three strategic pillars: direct service (EMPOWER), capacity building for local, women-led NGOs (EQUIP), and building a global movement of activists who are passionate about gender equity and running (MOVE).  

Position Overview

Free to Run seeks a program Intern to work with Free to Run staff on facilitating Life Skills sessions and coaching running participants of adolescent girls and young women preparing to compete in a race (5K - marathon). Additionally, the Iraq Intern helps in developing program activities and projects for the Iraq office, supporting external communications, and administrative tasks. The position is part time capacity.

Core Accountabilities

1. Support Free to Run Programs in Iraq (70%)
   
   • Implementing the day-to-day activities of Free to Run’s program areas in Sinjar.
   • Organizing and leading running and physical activities in Sinjar (liaising with participant’s families; liaising with, and supporting, volunteers; direct training of team during running sessions; coordinating team drivers; tracking participants’ attendance and performance; coordinating volunteer schedules; translation (Arabic – English); liaising with camp management and implementing partners where appropriate)
   • Assist with the implementation of sport activities such as running and hiking
   • Coach sessions of marathon training for girls and young women who are new to sport
   • Support logistics and operational aspects of the program 
   • Support monitoring and evaluation analysis of the program
   • Conduct outreach activities
   • Contribute to social media content, including photos and videos
   • Design and lead an event or activity, focusing on exercise for women
   • Work closely with the Iraq Senior Program Officer to ensure all aspects of the program are adequately staffed and supported
   • Provide general office and administrative support in Iraq
   • Other tasks as assigned
2. General Support and Preparation (30%)
   
   • Assist Free to Run staff on administrative tasks
   • Assist Free to Run staff with operational tasks
   • Participate in weekly team meetings

Location (Duty Station)

The Program Intern position is based in Erbil with frequent travel to Sinjar.

Working Hours

The Program Intern position is a part-time role estimated at 20 hours per week. Due to the nature of the organization’s business, hours may fluctuate outside regular core hours (9:00 am-13:00 pm), with the possibility of some nights or weekends, depending on the needs of the organization.

Qualification, Education, Experience, Skills and Competencies

Below is what we are looking for as we evaluate applications.  Candidates don’t need to have all these experiences and competencies but should be able to display strengths across multiple areas. 

Qualifications requirements

Education: Current university student or recent university graduate of either a Masters or Bachelors in a relevant field (Physical Education and Sport Science, international relations, humanitarian aid, women’s/gender studies). 

Language: Excellent command of spoken and written Arabic and Kurdish. Knowledge of English is preferred.

Experience/Knowledge

• Keen knowledge of facilitation skills , running and athletic training. This position is ideal for track or cross-country runners and coaches or anyone who has experience training themselves or others for preparing for a running race
  Passion for Free to Run’s mission, including the power of sport, working with women and girls, and youth-led projects
  2-5 years of experience working with girls and young women directly (ideally in a sport setting but others considered acceptable as well)
  Ability to manage priorities, work independently and collaboratively, and accept constructive feedback
  Familiarity with social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)
  Knowledge of Iraq/Arab culture or NGO sector preferred
  Knowledge of and ability to teach basic nutrition for athletes
  Knowledge of and ability to teach basic injury prevention.

Skills, Abilities and Approach

• Ability to run with participants at moderate distances
• Ability to endure extreme heat
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated intercultural communication and negotiation skills
• Results orientation; ability to organize self under the pressure of a dynamic and quickly changing environment
• Ability to perform in an office environment with professional respect for colleagues 
• Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace to manage documents, spreadsheets, scheduling, etc.

Free to Run is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We don’t just accept differences — we celebrate, support and thrive on them for the benefit of our team, our programs, and our organizational strength. We are proud to be an affirmative action employer, committed to diversity, equity and inclusion of ALL people in our hiring and employment practices. We encourage applications from people who have non-dominant identities based on race, ethnicity, migration status, ability, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class, etc.

To Apply for this Position: Prepare a cover letter expressing your interest and CV/resume in PDF form and upload them as separate documents through this link (https://freetorun.org/program-intern-sinjar). The deadline for submission of application is 22 of January 2026.

Please Note: 

• Only short listed candidates will be contacted.
• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and suitable candidates may be shortlisted before the application deadline. The Positions will remain open until filled by a qualified candidate.