Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Program Intern

🎯 Role Definition

The Program Intern is a cornerstone of our program team, acting as a dynamic and engaged partner in the planning, execution, and continuous improvement of our core initiatives. This is an immersive learning experience, not just a line on a resume. You will be entrusted with meaningful projects that directly impact our program's success and will collaborate closely with Program Managers, cross-functional teams, and external stakeholders. This role offers a unique vantage point into the entire program lifecycle, from strategic conception to impact analysis. This role requires a motivated, detail-obsessed individual who is passionate about our mission and eager to develop a robust skill set in program and project management.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Current undergraduate or graduate students seeking practical, credit-bearing, or paid experience.
Recent university graduates aiming to apply academic knowledge in a real-world setting.
Career changers with strong organizational skills looking for an entry point into program management.

Advancement To:

Program Coordinator
Associate Program Manager
Junior Project Manager

Lateral Moves:

Project Analyst
Communications or Marketing Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Provide hands-on coordination and administrative support for the day-to-day operations of key programs, ensuring all activities run smoothly and align with project timelines.
Act as a central communication hub for program participants, professionally handling inquiries, disseminating important information, and fostering a positive and supportive community.
Conduct thorough research on emerging industry trends, potential partnership opportunities, and relevant subject matter to inform program strategy and content development.
Assist in the end-to-end planning and execution of program-related events, including workshops, webinars, and community meetings, managing logistics from scheduling to post-event feedback collection.
Develop and format professional, high-quality program materials, including PowerPoint presentations, informational one-pagers, participant handbooks, and formal reports.
Meticulously maintain and organize all program documentation, including project plans, meeting minutes, contact databases, and performance data, within our shared digital platforms.
Support the program evaluation process by collecting, cleaning, and compiling both quantitative and qualitative data from surveys, interviews, and performance metrics.
Track program deliverables and key performance indicators (KPIs) using project management software, helping to prepare regular progress reports for internal and external stakeholders.
Draft compelling and clear communications, such as newsletters, email updates, and website content, to keep stakeholders engaged and informed of program milestones.
Manage complex scheduling for the program team, coordinating across multiple calendars and time zones to arrange meetings and key check-ins.
Actively participate in strategic planning sessions and team brainstorming meetings, contributing fresh perspectives and documenting key takeaways and action items.
Assist in the development and refinement of training materials and onboarding resources for new program participants or team members.
Collaborate with the marketing and communications team to gather success stories and testimonials that showcase the program's impact.
Support budget management activities by tracking program expenditures, processing invoices, and assisting with financial reconciliations and reporting.
Help to strengthen the program's community by facilitating online discussions, managing communication channels, and identifying opportunities for deeper engagement.
Liaise with external vendors and partners to coordinate services, ensuring timely delivery of goods and adherence to contractual agreements.
Systematically gather feedback from participants and stakeholders to identify areas for program improvement and innovation.
Take ownership of a capstone project, defined in collaboration with the Program Manager, that addresses a specific program need and delivers a tangible outcome.
Support grant proposal development and reporting by gathering necessary data, statistics, and narrative content.
Monitor and analyze participant engagement across various program activities, providing insights and recommendations to the program team.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to answer pressing questions from leadership.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap by documenting current data collection processes and identifying opportunities for improvement.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements by gathering user stories and defining success criteria.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering or development teams, gaining exposure to agile methodologies.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

High proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite (especially Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and/or Google Workspace (Sheets, Slides, Docs).
Experience with, or the ability to quickly master, project management and collaboration tools like Asana, Trello, Slack, or Microsoft Teams.
Strong digital research capabilities, including the ability to efficiently find, synthesize, and cite information from diverse online sources.
Foundational data analysis skills; comfort with manipulating spreadsheets, creating charts, and drawing initial insights from data sets.
Familiarity with virtual meeting platforms (Zoom, Google Meet) and experience with scheduling and facilitation features.
Basic understanding of content creation for digital platforms, including social media or blogs.

Soft Skills

Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a talent for tailoring messages to different audiences with clarity and professionalism.
Impeccable organizational skills and a profound attention to detail; you are someone who double-checks their work and thinks ahead.
Superb time management and prioritization skills, with a proven ability to manage multiple competing tasks and deadlines without sacrificing quality.
A proactive, "can-do" attitude combined with a strong sense of ownership and the ability to work effectively with minimal supervision.
A natural collaborator with strong interpersonal skills, capable of building rapport and working effectively with a diverse range of people.
High level of adaptability and a solution-oriented mindset when faced with ambiguity or unexpected challenges.
An insatiable curiosity and a genuine eagerness to learn, ask questions, and grow professionally.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Currently enrolled in a Bachelor's degree program or a recent graduate (within the last 12 months).

Preferred Education:

Currently pursuing or recently completed a Master’s degree.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Business Administration, Management, Public Administration, Communications, Social Sciences, International Relations, or a related discipline.
We welcome applicants from all fields of study who can demonstrate strong transferable skills and a clear passion for our work.

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

0-2 years of relevant experience. This can include prior internships, significant volunteer roles, leadership in student organizations, or extensive class projects.

Preferred:

Previous experience in an office setting or a role that required project coordination, event planning, or direct communication with stakeholders is highly desirable.