Strategic Response Intern

Position Title: Strategic Response Intern

Department: Strategic Response Unit (SRU)

Who we are: The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) is one of the Nation’s preeminent Housing Finance Agencies and one of the State’s ten largest financial institutions. Our mission is to finance the creation and preservation of affordable housing across the state. IHDA oversees more than 20 federal and state programs on behalf of the state of Illinois and serves as one of the state’s primary resources for housing policy and program administration. For over 50 years, IHDA has led the state in financing and supporting affordable housing.

At IHDA we strive to create and maintain a work environment that promotes diversity, recognition and inclusion. IHDA is committed to hiring and investing in individuals of diverse talents and backgrounds to ensure a range of perspectives and experiences inform and guide our work of financing affordable housing in the state of Illinois.

Summary: This position is housed within the Strategic Response Unit (SRU), which is actively processing applications for the Court-Based Rental Assistance Program (CBRAP) along with planning future emergency housing support programs post-COVID. The Intern will be assisting the Data and Reporting and Compliance Teams in reviewing applications, supporting program outcome reports, performing potential fraud investigations, reviewing/creating/analyzing current reporting, coordinating with IT for maintenance and troubleshooting and helping with department training initiatives. Additionally, the Intern will support SRU’s Delivery Operations Team, Grant Management, and Customer Relations teams as needed.

Responsibilities:

• Prepares, analyzes, and organizes data in Excel, including generating and managing reports.
• Ensures the accuracy and completeness of applicant information and documentation.
• Works closely with team members to identify and resolve discrepancies or issues within the application data.
• Facilitates data-sharing with internal/external stakeholders and acts as a liaison between end users, vendors, and other Information Technology Systems functions to coordinate system support solutions.
• Provides support in ensuring compliance with program guidelines and regulatory requirements.
• Assists with research and data entry tasks related to compliance monitoring.
• Fulfills complex and time-sensitive ad hoc data requests to help IHDA and partners make informed decisions.
• Supports the development of processes and testing of new software functionalities designed for program application review.
• Proactively follows up on previously noted data issues to ensure proper and timely resolution.
• Communicates with applicants (via email or phone) in both English and Spanish, as needed, to gather missing information or clarify application details.
• Creates and implements system data-testing protocols.
• Participates in leading / creating team meetings and training sessions to gain further knowledge of government programs and compliance processes.
• Assists with scheduling meetings, preparing meeting agendas, and taking minutes during team or compliance meetings.
• Supports the Compliance Team Leads in various day-to-day operations to ensure smooth and efficient workflows.
• Participate in IHDA and external partner meetings and seminars.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
  
  
  

Experience:

Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, formulas, power query) is required as well as academic and/or professional experience with software applications such as Tableau Spotfire or PowerBi. Analytical thinking and attention to detail are musts. Previous experience or familiarity with government programs or similar regulatory environments is a plus. The following skills are strongly desired: strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to work independently as well as part of a collaborative team; excellent organizational and time-management skills; and the ability to adapt to new software systems and learn quickly. Ideally sophomore or junior in Public Administration with Data Analytics /Information Systems. Bilingual in English and Spanish is preferred.

Physical Requirements:

Alternating between sitting, standing, and walking. Ascending and descending stairs. Crouching and stooping. Pushing and pulling. Reaching overhead or below. Repetitive tasks movements (filing, keyboarding, copying). Lifting, carrying, and moving objects of up to 10 -15 pounds.

IHDA’s Summer Internship Program Highlights:

• Paid Internship
• Open to college students (must be an actively enrolled undergraduate or graduate student at the time of applying)
• Full-time hybrid internship program that runs from June – August (typically 10 weeks)
• You will receive on-the-job training from industry experts
• Participate in workshops to gain insight on key departments at the Authority
• Participate in IHDA’s Mentorship Program
• Attend outings to connect with fellow interns
  
  
  

EOE