Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Black Student Internship Program

🎯 Role Definition

We are recruiting a hands-on Program Manager/Coordinator to design, implement, and scale a Black Student Internship Program that drives equitable access to career-launching work experiences. The role owns recruitment and outreach to historically underrepresented Black college and high-school students, builds employer partnerships, manages curriculum and professional development content, supervises mentors, tracks outcomes and program impact, and ensures inclusive, supportive placements that increase retention and long-term career success. The ideal candidate combines program management, DEI expertise, partnership development, and data-driven evaluation to deliver high-quality internship experiences that advance organizational diversity goals.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Coordinator or Specialist
University or College Career Services Advisor
Early-career Program Coordinator within non-profit or corporate social responsibility teams

Advancement To:

Senior Program Manager, Diversity & Inclusion
Director of Early Talent Programs
Head of Campus Recruiting or University Partnerships

Lateral Moves:

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Program Lead
Talent Acquisition / Early Talent Recruiting Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Design and implement the end-to-end Black Student Internship Program strategy, including mission, goals, timeline, selection criteria, and measurable success metrics to increase access, retention, and conversion to full-time roles.
Lead targeted recruitment and outreach campaigns at HBCUs, community colleges, MSIs, campus organizations, and community partners to attract high-potential Black students for summer and year-round internship placements.
Develop and maintain employer partnerships by sourcing diverse internship opportunities across business units, negotiating role scopes, schedules, stipend and housing support, and ensuring inclusive onboarding practices.
Create a structured application, selection, and matching process that evaluates candidate potential, aligns student skills with business needs, and mitigates bias in screening and interviewing.
Build and execute a comprehensive pre-internship curriculum (virtual and in-person) covering workplace readiness, professional communication, resume and interview coaching, DEI orientation, and employer expectations.
Design and facilitate ongoing professional development workshops and technical trainings (e.g., project management, Excel, coding fundamentals, communications) tailored to the needs of Black student interns.
Recruit, train, and manage a diverse mentorship and supervision network (including employee mentors, internship supervisors, and alumni mentors) and provide resources and training for inclusive mentoring practices.
Serve as the primary internal liaison with hiring managers and HR/compliance teams to create clear internship role descriptions, performance objectives, onboarding plans, and feedback loops.
Monitor intern performance through regular check-ins, goal setting, mid-point and final evaluations, and coordinate corrective actions or additional supports when necessary to promote success and retention.
Track program KPIs such as application conversion rates, internship completion, intern satisfaction, hiring conversion to full-time, and long-term retention to drive continuous improvement.
Oversee stipend, housing, travel, and expense administration for interns; manage vendor relationships and payment workflows in compliance with organizational finance policies.
Design and manage digital application platforms, CRM systems, and candidate tracking processes to ensure efficient data capture, privacy compliance, and transparent communication with applicants.
Build and maintain a robust alumni pipeline and post-internship career support program that includes mentorship continuation, networking events, recruiting alerts, and job placement assistance.
Create marketing and communications content (email, social media, campus flyers, employer collateral) that amplifies program visibility, highlights success stories, and attracts high-quality candidates and partners.
Manage budgets for program activities, professional development, events, and outreach initiatives; prepare regular financial reports and forecasts for stakeholders.
Lead program evaluation and reporting to executives, funders, and community partners by producing qualitative and quantitative impact summaries, case studies, and recommendations for scale.
Ensure all program activities adhere to legal, compliance and accessibility standards (e.g., labor laws, student privacy rules, ADA accommodations) and coordinate with legal/HR as needed.
Foster an inclusive cohort culture by organizing cohort-building activities, safe-space dialogues, restorative practices, and support resources that address the unique experiences of Black students.
Coordinate virtual and in-person events—orientation, mid-summer check-ins, culminating presentations, networking nights, and graduation ceremonies—to showcase intern contributions and strengthen employer relationships.
Collect and analyze longitudinal data on participant outcomes (course completion, internships-to-hire, salary progression) to inform strategic improvements and demonstrate ROI to funders and partners.
Identify and apply for relevant grants, sponsorships, and philanthropic funding to support program expansion, scholarships, and wraparound services for interns.
Create contingency and risk management plans for common internship logistics issues (housing delays, payroll challenges, supervisor conflicts) and lead rapid response to ensure student safety and continuity.
Collaborate closely with campus partners, faculty, student groups, and community-based organizations to co-create programming, ensure culturally responsive support, and establish shared recruitment pathways.
Drive continuous improvement of program materials—onboarding guides, mentor toolkits, evaluation templates, and playbooks—ensuring they are accessible, bias-aware, and aligned with organizational DEI goals.
Prepare and deliver regular stakeholder updates including dashboards, presentations, and executive briefs that translate data into actionable strategy adjustments.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
Serve as an ambassador for the program at external conferences, recruitment fairs, and community events to build brand recognition and strategic partnerships.
Mentor junior staff and interns supporting program operations, providing professional development and cross-training to scale capacity.
Maintain a resource library with templates, best-practice guides, and relevant academic research on diversity internships and student success.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Program design and management: proven experience producing program frameworks, curricula, and measurable outcomes for student internship initiatives.
Applicant tracking and CRM proficiency: hands-on with platforms such as Greenhouse, Handshake, Salesforce, or Slate for managing candidate pipelines and partner relationships.
Data analysis and reporting: ability to create dashboards, analyze cohorts, and generate insights using Excel, Google Sheets, or BI tools (Tableau, Looker, Power BI).
Budgeting and financial administration: experience building program budgets, tracking expenses, managing stipends, and reporting against financial targets.
Workshop and curriculum development: craft blended learning modules, facilitator guides, and assessment materials for professional development.
Event planning and logistics management: coordinate multi-stakeholder in-person and virtual events, including scheduling, vendor management, and accessibility accommodations.
Compliance and HR liaison skills: knowledge of internship classification, labor compliance, background checks, and privacy regulations.
Grant writing and fundraising basics: experience preparing proposals, sponsorship packages, and donor reports.
Digital marketing and communications: competency with email marketing tools, social media campaigns, and content creation to drive candidate engagement.
Learning management systems (LMS) and collaboration tools: familiarity with Canvas, Google Workspace, Slack, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams for program delivery and communication.

Soft Skills

Cultural competency and empathy: demonstrated sensitivity to the experiences and barriers faced by Black students and ability to create psychologically safe spaces.
Relationship building and stakeholder management: aptitude for building trust with campus partners, employers, funders, and community organizations.
Coaching and mentoring: ability to guide students through career development, provide constructive feedback, and help interns build confidence.
Strong written and verbal communication: concise, persuasive communicator who can produce reports, emails, presentations, and training materials.
Problem-solving and adaptability: resourceful under tight timelines and able to pivot when logistics or partner requirements change.
Project management and organization: consistently manages multiple concurrent workstreams and deadlines with attention to detail.
Strategic thinking and continuous improvement mindset: uses data to iterate program elements and scale impact.
Facilitation and public speaking: comfortable leading panels, workshops, and career-readiness sessions for large and small groups.
Conflict resolution and de-escalation: skilled at mediating intern-supervisor issues and resolving interpersonal challenges constructively.
Leadership and influence: able to mobilize cross-functional support and advocate for organizational investment in equitable early-career programs.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Education, Social Sciences, Business, Human Resources, Public Policy, or related field OR equivalent professional experience in program management or campus recruiting.

Preferred Education:

Master's degree in Higher Education, Organizational Management, Public Administration, Social Work, or an MBA with DEI focus is a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Education, Student Affairs, or Higher Education Administration
Human Resources, Organizational Development, or Business Management
Sociology, Public Policy, or Social Work

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–7 years of progressive experience managing student, early talent, or diversity-focused programs.

Preferred:

5+ years leading internship programs, campus recruiting, or DEI initiatives with demonstrated impact in recruiting and retaining underrepresented students.
Experience working directly with HBCUs, community colleges, or multicultural student organizations.
Track record of building employer partnerships, administering stipends, managing budgets, and delivering measurable outcomes.