Business Development Intern

Forward·Inc; Amsterdam; Hybrid; EUR 5,600 - 8,400; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

International environment

Hybrid setup: 2 days in office, 3 days

Travel and related expenses covered

Job summary

Forward·Inc is seeking a Business Development Intern in Amsterdam to support funding and partnerships behind our entrepreneurship programs for newcomers.

You will research potential funders, help prepare proposals, maintain our pipeline in HubSpot/monday.com, and assist in meetings and conferences. The role suits a recent graduate or final-year student with English fluency and a proactive, team‑oriented mindset. Start October 2026 for about six months.

Qualifications

• Fluent English with strong communication skills.
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Responsibilities

• Research potential funders and partner organisations.
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Skills

Fluent English

Communication skills

Tech-savvy

Proactive

Adaptable / flexible

Networking

Dutch language (plus)

Education

BSc in Business Administration / Entrepreneurship

MSc in Business Administration / Entrepreneurship

Tools

HubSpot

monday.com

Canva

Job description

Do you want to see how the partnerships and funding behind social impact actually come together? As our new Business Development Intern, you will work alongside the team that builds the partnerships and funding behind Forward·Inc's entrepreneurship programs for people with a forcibly displaced background.

In this role, you support the Business Development team in its day-to-day work with funders and partners. You help research potential funders and partner organisations and draft the outreach that opens new conversations. You keep our pipeline and trackers up to date, and you support the team in preparing for the meetings and international conferences where many of our partnerships begin.

This position is a good fit for a recent graduate or a final-year student with an interest in fundraising, partnerships and the wider non-profit sector. We are looking for a proactive and flexible team player who is comfortable moving between different tasks and who wants to combine detailed, hands‑on work with social impact. It is a strong opportunity to build your professional experience and your network while making a real difference for people rebuilding their careers in a new country.

About the Organisation:

Forward·Inc is a Netherlands-based, internationally operating organisation devoted to helping newcomers pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions. We do this by empowering them to launch, grow, fund, and sustain their own businesses. We believe in the incredible talent of people with refugee backgrounds, their value to society, and their potential to build bridges across communities.

Job Type : Intern Full-time (40h/w)

Time period : Start date: October 2026. Duration: approximately 6 months.

Language: Full working proficiency required (written & spoken) in English. Arabic and Dutch are a plus.

For non-EU nationals: permission to work in the Netherlands or enrollment at a university is required.

For EU-nationals: already living in the Netherlands, we cannot support with relocation efforts.

Please note:

• To apply for this role, you must be located in the Netherlands, within a 1-hour commute to Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
• We do not accept unsolicited applications outside the recruitment process and channels.

Vision 2050

By 2050, Forward·Inc aims to establish 20 national and regional self-sustainable refugee entrepreneurship networks, supporting over 100,000 businesses and connecting 1 million entrepreneurial refugees worldwide. We empower refugees and host communities to ensure they live in strongly connected societies that thrive.

Overview of the Role

• Support Forward·Inc's Business Development team in securing the funding and partnerships behind our entrepreneurship programs for people with a forcibly displaced background and locals in fragile states
• Work across the full cycle of business development, from researching potential funders to helping prepare proposals and outreach
• Gain hands‑on experience of how a growing international non‑profit builds relationships with foundations, corporate partners and institutional donors
• Work with the team's core tools, including HubSpot, monday.com and Canva, to manage information and produce materials
• Suited to a recent graduate or final-year student with an interest in entrepreneurship, fundraising, partnerships and the non‑profit sector

Responsibilities of the Role

• Research potential funders and partner organisations to support the team's outreach
• Help prepare outreach messages, proposals and other business development materials
• Keep the team's pipeline and trackers up to date
• Prepare background research and briefing notes ahead of meetings
• Provide general support to the Business Development team as needed

Commitments:

• You have a strong conviction to empower entrepreneurs to build and grow their businesses.
• You empathise with entrepreneurs who do so without connections and startup capital and who come from a different cultural background.
• You are not afraid to roll up your sleeves and work alongside entrepreneurs. You go beyond giving advice and provide practical support;
• You are an all-rounder and able to support Forward·Inc in its vision, mission and objectives.

Must-have requirements

• You are fluent in English.
• You have a finished BSc or MSc degree in Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, or similar fields
• You are a good communicator who gains energy from networking and meeting people.
• You are tech‑savvy;
• You have a proactive, entrepreneurial, results‑oriented attitude with an ability to work effectively in a fast‑paced organisation;
• You are flexible and can deal well with a lot of uncertainty. You have a solution‑focused mentality.
• You are allowed to work in the Netherlands

This is NOT the role for you if

• You struggle with accountability: If you often overlook tasks or shy away from taking responsibility for your work and others, this may not be the best fit.
• You avoid challenging situations: If you're quick to give up when faced with limited resources or obstacles, or prefer not to engage in conversation, this role may not align with your strengths.
• You’d rather not spend time on desk research and detailed work. A good part of this role is careful research and getting the small things right, so it works best for someone who enjoys that kind of focused work.
• Staying organised isn't your strength. You'll be looking after several trackers, documents and deadlines at once, and it helps to be someone who likes keeping things in order.
• You prefer to wait for directions. This role suits someone who enjoys taking initiative, spotting opportunities and following up on them, rather than sticking only to set tasks.
• You don't enjoy collaboration: If working closely with diverse individuals and understanding their unique backgrounds isn't your preference, this position may not be ideal for you.

What we offer

• Paid holiday (2 paid holidays for each full month worked)
• International environment
• Connection outside working hours
• Remote days to work outside of the NL
• An additional day off to celebrate your birthday
• Hybrid setup - 2 days a week at the office and 3 days remotely

Perks

You join an amazing team with colleagues from the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Egypt, Lebanon, Indonesia, Portugal, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Tunisia, and Ireland. We are deeply committed to Forward·Inc’s mission and ensure teamwork makes the dream work.

Remuneration

we provide an internship compensation of 500 EUR for BSc graduates and 750 EUR for MSc graduates, based on 5 days per week. Travel and other business-related expenses are fully covered.

Location

Amsterdam or Rotterdam. We work 2 days a week at the office (Monday AMS & Thursday RTM) and 3 days remotely. You need to live within one hour travel distance of 1 of the office locations.