Public Policy & Government Relations Internship

InterAction is a convener, thought leader, and voice for NGOs working to eliminate extreme poverty, strengthen human rights and citizen participation, safeguard a sustainable planet, promote peace, and ensure dignity for all people. It is the largest alliance of U.S.-based international development and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations with a combined donor base of $15 billion annually. Members operate globally and advocate to overcome poverty and exclusion by advancing social justice and basic dignity for all. Located in Washington, D.C., InterAction aims to give each member the collective power to speak and act on issues of common concern.  

InterAction’s Policy and Government Relations [PGR] Team is seeking a highly motivated student or recent graduate to intern with our Washington, D.C. office to support our development and policy work for the spring semester. 

InterAction’s PGR teams offers internship opportunities to motivated individuals with a passion for global change. Our team advocates for the public policy priorities of InterAction and its members, primarily with the U.S. Congress and the executive branch. Our team portfolio includes work on Food Security and Agriculture; Water, Hygiene and Sanitation; Budget and Appropriations, Civic Space, and Humanitarian Policy and Practice Advocacy. 

Interns will be paid according to D.C. minimum wage ($17.95 per hour as of July 1st). We anticipate the internship will last from mid-January through April with flexible start and end dates. Interns will work up to 32 hours per week.  

Applicants must be located in DC, Maryland, or Virginia and have the right to work in the US for the duration of the internship. InterAction maintains a hybrid work environment and employees are eligible to telework three days a week and work in the office two days a week. Interns will be expected to follow the office hybrid schedule unless additional accommodations are required and put in place. 

Responsibilities for the PGR Intern will include:  

• Attend and summarize hearings and briefings on Capitol Hill, working group meetings, and events hosted by InterAction members
• Provide administrative support for meetings and briefings at InterAction and on Capitol Hill including scheduling, tracking RSVPs, and developing and distributing advocacy materials
• Contribute to strategy development, advocacy outreach, and coalition/member engagement
• Research and brief on legislative action that affects the international development community
• Other duties as desired or assigned.

During the internship, you can expect to acquire the following knowledge and skills:  

• Familiarity with advocacy strategy development and implementation in the US and abroad
• Experience using a variety of advocacy tactics
• Increased knowledge of civil society, public policy, international development, and more
• Improved knowledge of how to build working relationships in Washington, DC
• Exposure to managing fast-paced coalition politics and trade-offs amongst a large consortium of non-profit organizations
• Familiarity with tools available for Congressional research
• Understanding of the pressing issues within the non-profit sector vis-à-vis InterAction's members and access to leading member NGOs
• Professional development support in the form of informational interviews with staff, feedback on resume, networking opportunities, access to meetings and events, and more

Qualifications of the ideal candidate: 

• Bachelor’s degree (or working towards one) in government, public policy, international relations, international development, or another related field
• Able to commit to at least 4 days a week of work (32 hours per week)
• Ability to write quickly, clearly, and effectively, and the ability to copy edit
• Basic knowledge of the legislative and election processes
• Experience and/or basic knowledge about congressional appropriations processes is a plus
• Self-starter and self-motivated
• Fluency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, etc.), Adobe
• Computer skills in Salesforce, graphic design, data management/analysis or related computer programs is a plus
• Interest or curiosity about policy and the international non-profit sector

• Commitment to teamwork, good interpersonal skills, can-do positive attitude, and professional etiquette

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status. 

To Apply:  

Please include your resume and cover letter in your application. The position will remain open until filled, but applicants who submit their applications before Friday, January 2nd, will be prioritized for review. Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered for this position.  

All applicants must be able to provide documentation that they are legally eligible to work in the United States for an extended period. Due to the volume of applications, only finalists will be notified. No phone calls please!