Communications & Programs Internship

Communications & Programs Intern

About National Park Trust

National Park Trust’s mission is to preserve parks today and create park stewards for tomorrow. Since 1983, the Park Trust has acquired many of the missing pieces of our national parks, benefiting 51 national park sites. Our national youth education and family initiatives, including our Buddy Bison Programs and National Kids to Parks Day, serve nearly 300 Title I schools annually and cultivate future park stewards. We believe that our public parks, lands, and waters should be cared for, enjoyed by, and preserved by all for current and future generations.

Position Overview

National Park Trust is looking for a talented and motivated Communications & Programs Intern to assist with the organization’s overall communications portfolio. This position is an excellent opportunity to gain experience in marketing, communications, and program development for a national nonprofit organization.

The Communications & Programs Intern is an essential member of the Communications team and has a strong focus on creative and storytelling online content creation.

The Communications & Programs Intern is responsible for creating informative and innovative social media and website content, implementing a robust social media strategy, creating digital graphics, and assisting in developing and implementing college and military-oriented programming. The ideal candidate must be able to multi-task, work in team and independent settings, and have excellent writing, presentation, and organizational skills. Ideal candidates also have a passion for parks and public lands or a willingness to gain a deeper connection with the outdoors.

This internship is ideally based in the Washington, D.C. area. A remote internship will be considered based on the applicant and experience. The current status for the National Park Trust office is a hybrid schedule of "working from home," and interns would be working in the office at least one day a week. In addition to communications and programs, the intern will gain exposure to a full range of activities for a small national nonprofit organization, from general management to program administration.

Responsibilities:

• Work closely with the Director of Strategic Partnerships & Communications, Communications Coordinator, Programs Coordinator, and PR and digital strategy consultants to execute the Park Trust’s comprehensive communications strategy.
• Assist the Communications Coordinator with developing, implementing, and managing social media content for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok
• Draft engaging, timely, and dynamic storytelling content and copy for the newsletter and website that is relevant and consistent with the Park Trust’s program, branding, and communication goals.
• Assist in researching current news, industry trends, relevant upcoming cultural moments to incorporate, and topics relevant to public lands.
• Perform some video editing and curation.
• As needed, assist with managing data and resources connected to our ParkPassport mobile app.
• Assist with military programming and the College Ambassador program as needed.
• Assist with other duties as assigned.

Skills and Qualifications:

• A passion for the Park Trust’s mission and vision 
• Actively pursuing a degree in Communications, Marketing, Environmental Studies, or related fields
• Self-motivated with strong writing, analytical, and communication skills
• A strong interest and proficiency in social media platforms (including TikTok and Instagram)
• Comfortable in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent organization skills
• Ability to work in a team or independently as needed
• Pays close attention to detail
• Flexible and able to problem-solve under pressure
• Proficient in Google Workspace and GSuite products
• Proficient in Canva
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel

Compensation:

This is a 30-hour per week (6 hours/day, 5 days/week) unpaid volunteer position; however, National Park Trust offers a stipend to cover living expenses and commuting. Internship stipends issued by the National Park Trust are not considered salary or meant as compensation but ­­­­ to help defray living expenses for an intern during the term of their appointment. The stipend amount will depend on the length of the approved internship.

To apply, please email your resume, writing samples, and cover letter to ivan@parktrust.org.