Policy Intern

Policy Intern, Healthcare Anchor Network

Location: Remote

Application Deadline: June 27, 2025

Policy Internship, Healthcare Anchor Network

The Healthcare Anchor Network is hiring for a remote, part-time (15 to 20 hours per week), paid intern position to support the work of the organization. The internship will focus on public policy research, analysis, writing, advocacy, and communications. The intern will work directly with the Healthcare Anchor Network team and will have the opportunity to participate in policy discussions, conference calls, and meetings with middle and senior management from healthcare institutions from around the country. For further details, please see the position description below.

The deadline for applications is June 27, 2025. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Healthcare Anchor Network (HAN) Background

The Healthcare Anchor Network (HAN) catalyzes health systems individually and collectively to leverage their hiring, purchasing, investing, and other key institutional assets to create stronger local economies that sustain healthy communities. We call this intentional commitment—to apply an institution’s place-based economic power in partnership with community to create mutual benefit—the anchor mission.. HAN supports health systems in implementing the anchor mission by raising the bar for best-in-class practices, accelerating adoption among individual organizations through an action-oriented framework, and fostering unique sector collaborations to scale social impact. HAN members are leading a health systems movement to universally adopt the anchor mission framework to create pathways for economic mobility and prosperity for low-income residents while building more resilient local economies and positively impacting their health and well-being.

Since 2017, HAN has coordinated the work of the Aligning to Advance Policy (AAP) initiative group, which seeks to advocate for policies at the local, state, and federal level that help foster healthy communities and ensure a vibrant local economies.

Internship Description:

Daily activities will primarily support the work of the HAN Aligning to Advance Policy (AAP) initiative group. The intern will conduct policy research, analysis, writing, advocacy, and communications on social determinants of health issues particularly affordable housing and workforce development. Secondary activities include providing communications work, and administrative and operational support for the AAP work and whole HAN team. The intern will also help the HAN team in advancing objectives through learning and applied experience and will have the opportunity to participate in learning opportunities across the organization. A list of learning areas and opportunities can be found below.

For more information about the Healthcare Anchor Network, please visit our website (healthcareanchor.network).

Learning Objectives and Deliverables:

• Research, analyze, and write policy documents on social determinants of health issues
• Communications with and coordination of HAN members regarding the work related to the AAP initiative group
• Policy discussions, conference calls, and meetings with health system staff or other relevant stakeholders related to the AAP initiative group’s work
• Government relations work
• Events associated with advancing policy ideas
• Assist with HAN communications
• Administrative and operational support for the AAP work, including Policy Day, as well as the HAN team’s work as needed

Required Qualifications:

• Demonstrated interest in community economic development, health equity, economic democracy, and/or other social justice issues
• Experience with public policy research and writing
• Holding or pursuing a bachelor’s degree in political science, public affairs, economics, public health, social sciences, or another related field

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience with government relations or government/elected offices
• Familiarity with coordinating and maintaining coalitions or networks is a plus
• Familiarity with health or the social determinants of health issues is a plus

The internship is for undergraduate and graduate students and will last 4 months at a minimum, with a start date in early September (with some flexibility to accommodate semester schedules and holiday breaks). Preference will be given to candidates who are graduate students and can commit to continuing the internship through the Spring 2026 semester. The internship requires an ability to commit to 15-20 hours/week, and while we will work with the intern to set the days and times of work, these should be consistent week to week. Interns will need to have their own working computer and internet connection. The position will receive a $25.00 hourly stipend. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

If interested, please send a resume, cover letter, and a 1-4 page writing sample* to the Healthcare Anchor Network at jobs@anchornetwork.org. Please include

“Policy Internship, Healthcare Anchor Network” in the subject line.

*You may shorten longer writing samples for this purpose

Non-Discrimination

The Healthcare Anchor Network values all employees and job candidates as unique individuals, and we welcome the variety of experiences they bring to our company. As such, we have a strict non-discrimination policy. We believe everyone should be treated equally regardless of race, sex, gender identification, sexual orientation, national origin, native language, religion, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by law.