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VolunteerMatch Communications Internships provide unpaid educational opportunities for college- and graduate-level interns to apply their communications and public relations skills in a dynamic and socially beneficial professional environment with a leader in the independent sector.

Learn about our service at www.volunteermatch.org.

In addition to getting hands-on experience about the nonprofit sector, Web software as a service (SaaS) social enterprise, and communications for national constituencies, interns will interact with a variety of professionals within both VolunteerMatch and our community of organizations, volunteers, and business service clients.

Among the projects that interns may be assigned to work on are:

Writing and content development – Brainstorming ideas and drafting articles for our four monthly newsletters; Researching and updating of entries for VolunteerMatch’s upcoming blog on volunteer engagement; new pages on VolunteerMatch’s public Web site; Materials for member recruitment and fundraising.

Web community management – VolunteerMatch’s community stretches beyond www.volunteermatch.org to third-party social networking sites, client communities, third-party blogs, and beyond. Interns take responsibility for “owning” elements of our Web community, creating strategic plans for expanding and serving those communities, delivering targeted messages in support of product releases, and responding to community concerns as they develop.

Public relations – Interns work closely with the Director of Communications to create and respond to media interest in public service, our programs, and our network. With over 3,600 press hits in 2007 representing the diverse interest in VolunteerMatch, our Interns will have a chance to partner with mainstream and grassroots media professionals in telling the story of volunteering in America and the critical role VolunteerMatch is playing to remove the barriers that keep people from engagement.

Marketing and communications – Interns may be responsible for executing membership awareness, prospecting, and expansion campaigns ranging from our extensive Google AdWords campaigns, to video PSA development, to direct mail. Interns will also learn analytical approaches to recognize and leverage trends in awareness to increase recruitment and retention rates overall. Interns may also be asked to track and analyze online use of VolunteerMatch.org by members and identify and develop affinity groups of highly engaged members who are ready and interested in playing leading roles in the VolunteerMatch community.

Competitive analysis and market research – Working closely with senior staff, interns may have an opportunity to research the competitive marketplace and develop proposals to help VolunteerMatch maintain its leading position in the sector.

REQUIREMENTS:


* Excellent writing and editing skills
* Research skills
* Technical proficiency with Web services, Web tools, and standard workplace technology
* Desire to know or experience in working with nonprofit organizations
* Interest in social activism, advocacy, online organizing
* Great internship for business, political science, communications, or other multi-disciplinary majors
* Energetic, engaged in extra-curricular activities that demonstrate leadership, ability to work independently, learn quickly and operate in a fast-paced environment under ambiguous circumstances
* Use of email systems, social networking, computer skills, understanding of customer relationship management systems or databases such as Salesforce, Vertical Response, or custom content management systems are a bonus.
* Communications, marketing, public policy, English, or business background preferred
* MBA and Masters candidates strongly encouraged to apply
* HTML and graphic design skills are highly recommended

TIME COMMITMENT:

* Minimum of 15-20 hours of work per week
* Fall (September to December), Spring (January to April), and Winter (3-4 weeks) internships now available
* Onsite only in our office in San Francisco’s Chinatown
* College credit available

APPLICATION DEADLINES:

Fall: 9/1/08
Winter: 11/15/08
Spring: 12/15/08
Summer: 4/15/08

TO BE CONSIDERED:

VolunteerMatch conducts a telephone interview with candidates for internship opportunities. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Please email your resume and cover letter to: internships@volunteermatch.org.