External Relations and Communications Spring Internship (Washington, DC)
Start Date: Early-January 2021
End Date: Mid-May 2021, with the possibility of extension
Application deadline November 1, 2020
IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, the internship is currently foreseen to be virtual/remote to begin, with the possibility of transitioning to an office-based internship when and if conditions permit.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is a unique intergovernmental organization founded by the United States, Canada, and European countries to bring like-minded market democracies together to build better policies for better lives. Our goal is to shape policies that foster prosperity, equality, opportunity and well-being for all. We draw on almost 60 years of experience and insights to better prepare the world of tomorrow.
Together with governments, policy makers and citizens, we work on establishing international norms and finding evidence-based solutions to a range of social, economic and environmental challenges. From improving economic performance and creating jobs to fostering strong education and fighting international tax evasion, we provide a knowledge hub for data and analysis, exchange of experiences, best-practice sharing, and advice on public policies and global standard-setting.
As part of the Organization’s Directorate for Public Affairs and Communications, the OECD Washington Center leads the Organization’s external relations in the United States and Canada, where our Interns play a pivotal role in our daily mission to increase the impact and influence of the Organization’s work by liaising closely with government agencies and legislative staff, business and labor groups, think tanks, civil society, and the media to provide trusted analysis and information on a broad range of economic policy challenges.
Our Internship Program is designed to bring highly qualified and motivated students with diverse backgrounds into the Organization and provide a valuable learning experience that integrates students’ knowledge with professional skills development and networking, in a fast-paced international environment with support and guidance from experienced professionals.
Typical Intern Responsibilities Include:
Interns assist in the mission to increase the impact and influence of the OECD’s work in North America through targeted public affairs and media activities. Interns are members of a team responsible for directing the OECD’s external communications and outreach to government agencies, business and labor groups, civil society and the media.
Communications
- Draft newsletters, press releases, social media content, as well as other communications designed to engage our target audiences.
- Create eye-catching graphics, videos, and manage livestreams.
- Maintain calendar of upcoming visits and report launches.
- Use Mailchimp to design and send approved external communications.
- Manage contact database, proactively updating contact information and exporting lists in advance of campaigns to ensure optimal reach.
Policy and Media Monitoring
- Produce daily news summary for HQ by gathering relevant news articles, editorials, opinion pieces and mentions of the OECD
- Track metrics related to our activities, including outreach meetings, visits by OECD staff to the U.S. and Canada, media requests and coverage, mentions, etc.
External Relations
- Prepare memos, briefing packages and biographies ahead of meetings.
- Participate in —and report on—meetings, public presentations and Congressional hearings related to OECD priorities.
- Receive and draft responses to external queries from government, media and the general public seeking information.
- Organize public events, including handling guest lists and invitations through Eventbrite, room set-up, catering and other logistics.
- In addition, Interns can expect to be involved in special projects with Washington and Paris-based colleagues. Recent trainees have assisted with the visits of the OECD Secretary-General and other senior OECD officials.
Requirements
- Applicants must be enrolled in a university program leading to a graduate/undergraduate degree for the duration of the internship.
- While full-time candidates will be given preference, candidates with part-time schedules will be given full consideration.
Desired Profile
- Genuine interest in public policy and communications.
- Broad intellectual appetite and a sense of humor.
- News-junkie, familiar with a wide range of current US policy debates (tax reform, education, inequality, etc.)
- Fluent English speaker with superior drafting skills.
- Highly developed critical thinking, problem solving and analytical skills.
- Technical aptitude and experience with Adobe Spark, Canva, InDesign, Final Cut, etc is a plus.
- Very comfortable interpreting statistical data, graphs, charts.
- Able stay organized in a fast-paced setting, regularly monitoring and responding to email, instant messages, and calls.
- Able to plan ahead, follow-up, and follow through.
- Able to distill complex ideas and data into relatable content for social media and newsletters.
- Confident in dealing with phone calls and emails from external sources, independently taking steps to determine what information is being sought, and by whom.
- Capable of working in a multicultural and international team environment.
What we offer
- An inclusive workplace.
- Contribution to living expenses of approx. USD $818 per month (Contribution is pro-rated for part-time interns)
- Flexibility to balance class schedules and other responsibilities.
- External networking and learning opportunities.
- Guidance and formal feedback from your supervisor at regular intervals.
- Hands-on experience in a leading international organization.
Our office is located at the OECD Washington Center in downtown Washington (Metro: Farragut West). The OECD Washington Center observes U.S. Federal Holidays.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a communications/external relations internship. If you are interested in a research/policy analysis internship please visit http://oe.cd/264 to see opportunities at our headquarters in Paris, France.