Communications Intern

Summer 2024

About NYC Kids RISE:

NYC Kids RISE is a nonprofit organization working with the City of New York and NYC Public Schools, formerly the NYC Department of Education, to manage the Save for College Program (the Program), a community tool New Yorkers can use to build wealth in their neighborhoods, no matter their family income or immigration status. Through the Program, eligible students enrolled in an NYC public school (including participating charter schools), starting in kindergarten, automatically receive a free NYC Scholarship Account with an initial $100 by NYC Kids RISE on their behalf, invested in an NY 529 Direct Plan, and opportunities to receive additional rewards over time. Their families can open and connect their own college savings account on their child’s behalf, and communities can contribute to groups of these NYC Scholarship Accounts as both a targeted and universal platform for community-driven asset-building in every neighborhood. This approach draws from a variety of best practices and disciplines across the fields of asset building, child savings accounts, financial empowerment, education, community wealth building, urban poverty, neighborhood effects and social capital research, collective impact, and more. 

Read more about NYC Kids RISE and the Save for College Program and listen to stories from partners who helped build the platform during its pilot phase from 2017 to 2022.  You can also view recent articles in the New York Times, Fast Company, the Wall Street Journal, and the NYCHA Journal; and read more about NYC Kids RISE theory of change in a report by the Urban Institute. 

After a successful pilot phase in the communities of School District 30 in Queens, the NYC Kids RISE Save for College Program expanded citywide during the 2021-2022 school year. Today, more than 200,000 students participating in the Program, across more than 1,000 elementary schools, have an NYC Scholarship Account for their educational futures.

Position Summary:

NYC Kids RISE seeks a highly organized and detail-oriented Communications Intern to support various projects across the organization with a focus on digital content development, graphic design, video editing, and social media strategy. Reporting to the Senior Manager of Communications, Design + Language Access, and supporting the Managing Director of Communications + Intergovernmental Partnerships, the Communications Intern will gain exposure to working cross-functionally with multiple teams with an eye toward multiple stakeholders including students, families, schools, and neighborhoods.

The Communications Intern will support and elevate the social media presence of the NYC Kids RISE Save for College Program to showcase the universal, community-driven wealth-building platform in action across New York City and support engagement with diverse audiences. 

The ideal candidate will have experience with developing, producing, and editing engaging social media content; managing cross-platform content strategy and channel engagement for an organization/brand; possess graphic design and video editing skills; have knowledge of New York City neighborhoods, organizations, and communities; and have a deep desire to advance NYC Kids RISE’s mission. 

This is a Temporary position that averages 8 weeks/40 hours a week starting in early June 2024. There is flexibility in determining the exact end and start dates.

Responsibilities will include, but not be limited to: 

• Recording, editing, and producing social media content for the organization’s channels 
• Supporting social media growth strategy, campaigns, research, and content organization
• Creating workflows for cross-team social media planning and workflows using organizational project management tools  
• Developing and managing a social media content calendar 
• Organizing social media content partnerships and collaborations 
• Supporting with organic and paid social media strategy
• Monitoring and reporting on social media analytics, trends, and engagements
• Supporting the design of related marketing, informational, and event graphics and other digital materials 

Qualifications: 

• Experience: 1-2 years of relevant professional experience, particularly in communications, social media management, and graphic design. Exposure to or previous experience working in marketing, public relations, or in organizations in the fields of government, financial institutions, asset building and financial capability, community development, education and/or community organizing can be comparable.
• Technical:
  • Experience managing Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and other social media channels for an organization/brand
  • Demonstrated ability to capture and edit high-quality photo and video content
  • Demonstrated proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Lightroom, Premiere Pro)
  • Ability to work creatively within a brand framework and guidelines, and adapt designs for different issues, objectives, and audiences. 
  • Strong grasp of new and emerging digital technologies, and enthusiasm towards optimizing digital content best practices to maximize engagement
  • Experience using email marketing platforms (Constant Contact)
• Communication: Detail-oriented professional with demonstrated written, verbal, and presentational communication skills for various types of audiences. Strong interpersonal skills, high levels of emotional intelligence and tendency to identify and amplify strengths in teammates.
  • Bilingual (written and verbal) in Spanish or one of the following: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian, Urdu, a plus. 
• Project Management: Highly organized with proven ability to work cross-functionally, including ability to track, manage, and execute work streams toward completion.
• Strategic Thinking and Problem-Solving: Creative, adaptable, flexible, and effective problem solver in fast-paced settings
• Collaborative Spirit: Enjoys working as part of a team and able to also work independently; able to have direct but empathetic conversations with leaders and staff at all levels of the organization; able to incorporate feedback effectively; and comfortable with multi-tasking in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines. 
• NYC Kids RISE currently maintains a hybrid work environment where staff work both from home and in the office, as determined by the staff member's preferences as well as the needs of our organization and the specific responsibilities of individual roles and teams. Our offices are based in Long Island City (Queens, NY). 
  • The Communications Intern must be available to work in person at events across the five boroughs of New York City, Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm, and potentially some weeknights and weekends, as needed. 

To apply, a cover letter and resume are required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Please list the name of the position, “Communications Intern,” in the cover letter. This full-time internship averages 8 weeks/40 hours a week. It can start between June 3rd, 2024, and end on August 30, 2024 (there is flexibility on the end and start dates). Compensation is set at $25/hour.

NYC Kids Rise is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate in employment on the basis of basis of gender, religion, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, marital status, caregiver status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, military status, unemployed status, or any other characteristic protected by law.