Paid Summer Internship with the National Park Service

Paid Summer Partnership & Philanthropic Policy Internship with National Park Service

The National Park Service (NPS) Office of Partnerships and Philanthropic Stewardship (Partnership Office) is searching for an undergraduate or graduate student who is interested in an opportunity to participate in partnership and philanthropy policy research, re-visioning, and outreach while gaining hands-on learning and leadership experience.        

The NPS strives to encourage greater citizen engagement in national park programs and activities by collaborating with educational institutions, organizations, businesses, and federal, state, tribal and local agencies.   The Partnership Office helps the NPS and its partners create, enhance, and recognize their collaborative work through training, communication, and policy leadership.     

Responsibilities Include:   

·         Provide research, administrative, and analytical support for employees engaged in the re-visioning and rewriting of National Park Service policy documents related to fundraising, donations, and intellectual property.  

·         Strategize and outline a plan and methods to communicate policy changes to a wide range of stakeholders, including governmental and non-governmental employees and partners.  Duties may include creating visual products to communicate the progress, goals, and outcomes of policy re-visioning work, including PowerPoint presentations and posters.

·         Conduct research on applicable laws, regulations and policies related to partnerships and philanthropy.     

·         Conduct research and provide assistance in the development of new programmatic practices and policies to align with NPS goals pertaining to cause related marketing, co-branding, and brand alignment between the NPS and corporate and non-profit entities.   

·         Document findings and recommendations in written summaries, briefings and/or white papers.  Communicate findings and share recommendations with fellow employees.

·         Vet potential and current donors – both corporate and nonprofit organizations, using research gathered from online library databases and government databases.

·         Assist with corporate partnership projects related to the NPS Centennial Anniversary. Work with the Partnership Office, Centennial Office and National Park Foundation on corporate partnership activations as they relate to the Centennial.

Qualifications:

This internship is designed for current undergraduate or graduate students who have a strong interest in, or are seeking a degree in, government and politics, public policy, policy research and development, public-private partnerships, or related areas.

This position requires,

·         Knowledge or experience in marketing and partnership and philanthropic policy.

·         Strong communication skills; oral and written.

·         Skills in policy research, analysis, and formulation.

·         Ability to express findings in well researched documents, white papers, and briefings.

·         Experience using online library databases to conduct research on various companies and nonprofit          organizations.

Candidates should possess excellent organizational and interpersonal skills; have strong attention to detail, and an ability to prioritize and complete multiple assignments.

The Partnership Office is located in the NPS Washington Support Office at 1201 I Street NW, Washington DC 20005.  The two closest metro stations are Metro Center and McPherson.  Bus transportation is also conveniently located in close proximity to the office.

This part time (16-20 hours per week maximum) internship will run from the end of May (or sooner if available for an earlier start date) to the end of the summer, with a possibility to extend through the fall semester.  Interns will be paid $14.00 per hour.  

Application Procedures

To apply, please submit an electronic cover letter, resume, and professional and/or educational references, and a one-page writing sample to Kathryn Hopps, Program Director for Experiential Learning, at khopps@umd.edu.

For additional information about this position, please phone or email Jackie Dostourian, NPS Washington Partnership Office, at 202-354-2182 orJackie_Dostourian@nps.gov.  

Best consideration date is April 30.