Fall 2026 - Communication Intern, Education and Work (Paid)

Democracy Fund; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 24,796 - 27,552; Part time

Job summary

New America’s Education & Work programs seeks a Communications Intern to assist in developing communications activities to raise the programs’ public profile using a variety of media tactics and channels. The intern will join a three-person Ed & Work communications team and gain mentorship.

Ideal candidates can commit 18–25 hours weekly, start in September, and stay through December 11, 2026, with possible extension.

Qualifications

• Interest or relevant experience in journalism, public relations, and/or marketing strongly preferred.
• Strong narrative writing skills and ability to craft social posts and media pitches.
• Experience or interest in managing social media for an organization.
• Ability to work in a hybrid, collaborative team and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency with collaborative platforms and basic HTML familiarity preferred.
• Willingness to learn new systems and processes.

Responsibilities

• Create media lists and track media hits using Meltwater and project spreadsheets.
• Manage Ed & Work’s social media accounts (Bluesky, LinkedIn); draft and schedule content; Canva is a plus.
• Draft and assemble the weekly Education & Work update newsletter.
• Provide light analytics for donor reports and site updates with media mentions.
• Update landing pages and add media mentions on the website.
• Support special projects and light administrative duties.

Skills

Journalism experience

Public relations experience

Marketing experience

Social media management

Strong writing skills

Tools

HTML

Canva

Meltwater

Job description

New America’s Education & Work programs (Ed & Work programs) seek a Communications Intern to assist in the development of communications activities to raise the programs’ public profile and that of its staff using a variety of media tactics and channels. The Ed & Work communications team is committed to providing mentorship and valuable learning opportunities where the intern can develop and become an integral member of a three-person Ed & Work communications team.

The ideal candidate will be able to dedicate between 18 to 25 hours per week to the role and ideally begin around the second week of September. The candidate should be available through the week of December 11, 2026, with the potential option to extend depending on the needs of the Ed & Work communications team and the interest/availability of the candidates.

Responsibilities:

• Assist in the creation of media lists through Meltwater, tracking media hits in Meltwater and our media spreadsheet, and pulling together relevant stakeholder lists for individual product launches and general project outreach needs.
• Assist in the management of Ed & Work’s social media accounts (i.e., Bluesky and LinkedIn), including drafting and scheduling content, in consultation with the Senior Associate; experience in creating video assets for social media and working in Canva is a plus.
• Draft and build weekly Education & Work Weekly Update newsletter in consultation with the Communications Director.
• Provide simple analytics support in pulling links and other information for donor reports.
• Update landing pages and add media mentions on the website.
• Special projects and other light administrative duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Interest or relevant experience in journalism, public relations, and/or marketing experience strongly preferred, plus interest or relevant experience in education and workforce development;
• Strong narrative writing skills and able to synthesize longer texts into social media/newsletter-length posts and media pitches;
• Experience or interest in managing and monitoring social media accounts for an organization;
• Ability to take initiative and to collaborate and communicate effectively in a hybrid team;
• Excellent time-management skills, including the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines;
• Detail-oriented and organized, with ability to creatively problem-solve and anticipate needs;
• Familiarity with collaborative platforms for scheduling, document sharing, and task management;
• Experience working with HTML and other online publishing applications preferred; and
• A can‑do attitude, ability to take initiative, and willingness and ability to jump in and learn new systems and processes as needed.

The hourly rate will be between $18 to $20, depending on experience.

New America is an equal‑opportunity employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce at all levels of the organization thereby creating a culture that allows us to better serve our clientele, our employees, and our communities. We value and encourage the contributions of our employees and strive to create an environment where everyone can reach their full potential and drive outstanding results. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, gender identity or expression, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal law. This policy applies with regard to all aspects of one’s employment, including hiring, transfer, promotion, compensation, eligibility for benefits, and termination.