U.S. Public Policy & Advocacy Intern

AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 38,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

Cencora is seeking a U.S. Public Policy & Advocacy Summer Intern to support policy research, advocacy project coordination, and the development of reusable team materials.

The role offers exposure to healthcare policy, federal and state government affairs, and the pharmaceutical supply chain, with a structured 10-week experience emphasizing written materials, meetings, and cross‑functional collaboration. Ideal candidates are pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's in political science, public policy,

Job description

Our team members are at the heart of everything we do. At Cencora, we are united in our responsibility to create healthier futures, and every person here is essential to us being able to deliver on that purpose. If you want to make a difference at the center of health, come join our innovative company and help us improve the lives of people and animals everywhere.

Job Details

The U.S. Public Policy & Advocacy Summer Intern will support the U.S. Public Policy & Advocacy team through policy research, advocacy project support, project coordination, knowledge management, and development of reusable team materials. This internship is designed as a structured, development-focused 10-week experience that provides exposure to healthcare policy, federal and state government affairs, legislative and regulatory processes, advocacy strategy, corporate stakeholder engagement, and the pharmaceutical supply chain. This role will support meaningful, project-based work aligned to real team priorities while building the intern's skills in research, writing, synthesis, professional communication, organization, data validation, project tracking, and cross-functional collaboration. The role is intended to support Cencora's early talent pipeline and align with future workforce planning and talent development opportunities. The intern will contribute to discrete, supervised projects involving advocacy resources, state-level footprint materials, shared resource organization, policy research, meeting preparation, and team infrastructure initiatives. Projects will be designed to encourage critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and development of tangible deliverables that support business objectives. The intern will maintain a project and accomplishment log throughout the internship and prepare a final presentation summarizing completed work, key deliverables, skills developed, and overall business impact.

Job Requirements

• Conducting research on federal and state policy issues, healthcare legislation, regulatory developments, congressional activity, trade association activity, and industry trends relevant to Cencora's policy and advocacy priorities.
• Drafting concise internal summaries, background documents, one‑pagers, biographies, briefing materials, meeting preparation documents, and presentation content for internal stakeholders under manager guidance.
• Supporting state‑level advocacy resource development by validating data, organizing information, identifying gaps or inconsistencies, and coordinating with internal stakeholders as needed.
• Assisting with maintenance of team trackers, shared resources, project logs, templates, repositories, meeting materials, and process documentation.
• Supporting organization and maintenance of shared team folders, onboarding materials, project resources, knowledge repositories, and other business‑critical documentation.
• Attending selected congressional hearings, industry briefings, internal meetings, team calls, and advocacy‑related events, and preparing concise summaries of key takeaways.
• Supporting planning and coordination for meetings, office visits, fly‑ins, briefings, advocacy activities, and special projects as assigned.
• Collaborating with colleagues across Public Policy, Federal Advocacy, State Advocacy, PAC, Corporate Responsibility, Marketing, and other business functions on assigned initiatives.
• Maintaining a task and project log that documents assignments, deliverables, accomplishments, and skills developed throughout the internship.
• Completing a final presentation summarizing project outcomes, business impact, professional development experiences, and recommendations for future work.

Required Knowledge

Basic understanding of U.S. government, public policy, political processes, legislative affairs, healthcare policy, business, communications, or related subject matter. Interest in healthcare, government affairs, advocacy, public policy, legislative affairs, stakeholder engagement, or the pharmaceutical supply chain. Ability to conduct research, analyze information, and synthesize findings into clear, concise written materials. Understanding of professional written and verbal communication, including proofreading, accuracy, and audience awareness. Strong attention to detail and commitment to producing high‑quality work products. Understanding of confidentiality, professionalism, discretion, and appropriate handling of sensitive information. Familiarity with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Teams, and SharePoint. Ability to organize information in a clear and accessible manner. Ability to work independently on assigned projects while collaborating effectively with team members. Ability to manage multiple priorities, adapt to changing business needs, and communicate proactively regarding workload and project status.

Required Experience / Relevant Coursework

Candidates should be currently pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant field, including but not limited to: Political Science Public Policy Government Public Administration Health Policy Healthcare Administration Communications Journalism Business Administration Economics International Affairs Law or Pre‑Law Data Analytics Public Affairs Related liberal arts, policy, business, or healthcare fields

Preferred Coursework or Experience

Coursework in U.S. government, legislative process, public policy, healthcare policy, political science, economics, communications, business, research methods, public administration, law, or data analysis. Experience conducting research, writing summaries, preparing presentations, organizing data, drafting reports, or supporting team projects. Experience using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, or SharePoint through academic, volunteer, internship, work, or student organization activities. Experience in policy, advocacy, government, communications, nonprofit, healthcare, business, legal, administrative, or research‑related settings preferred but not required. Experience collaborating in team environments, managing deadlines, organizing information, and communicating updates effectively. Demonstrated interest in healthcare policy, government affairs, public affairs, advocacy, legislative processes, political systems, community impact, or the healthcare supply chain.

What Cencora offers

We provide compensation, benefits, and resources that enable a highly inclusive culture and support our team members’ ability to live with purpose every day. In addition to traditional offerings like medical, dental, and vision care, we also provide a comprehensive suite of benefits that focus on the physical, emotional, financial, and social aspects of wellness. This encompasses support for working families, which may include backup dependent care, adoption assistance, infertility coverage, family building support, behavioral health solutions, paid parental leave, and paid caregiver leave. To encourage your personal growth, we also offer a variety of training programs, professional development resources, and opportunities to participate in mentorship programs, employee resource groups, volunteer activities, and much more. For details, visit https://www.virtualfairhub.com/cencora

Full time Salary Range*

Full time Salary Range* $37,752 - 56,650 *This Salary Range reflects a National Average for this job. The actual range may vary based on your locale. Ranges in Colorado/California/Washington/NewYork/Hawaii/Vermont/Minnesota/Massachusetts/Illinois State‑specific locations may be up to 10% lower than the minimum salary range, and 12% higher than the maximum salary range.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Cencora is committed to providing equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or membership in any other class protected by federal, state or local law. The company’s continued success depends on the full and effective utilization of qualified individuals. Therefore, harassment is prohibited and all matters related to recruiting, training, compensation, benefits, promotions and transfers comply with equal opportunity principles and are non‑discriminatory.

Cencora is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the employment process which are consistent with legal requirements. If you wish to request an accommodation while seeking employment, please call 888.692.2272 or email [e-mail]. We will make accommodation determinations on a request‑by‑request basis. Messages and emails regarding anything other than accommodations requests will not be returned .

Affiliated Companies: Affiliated Companies: AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation

Affiliated Companies

AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation Cencora is a leading global pharmaceutical solutions company that is committed to improving the lives of people and animals everywhere. We connect manufacturers, providers, and patients to ensure that anyone can get the therapies they need, where and when they need them. We’re a purpose‑driven organization, where all of our team members around the world are united in our responsibility to create healthier futures. We work together every day to help our partners bring their innovations to patients worldwide, creating unparalleled access and impact at the center of health.