Government and Community Relations Intern

ROLE OVERVIEW and PURPOSE

The Government and Community Relations Summer Intern will participate in a structured, paid internship program at Neighborhood Healthcare, designed to provide hands-on experience and professional development while supporting the organization’s mission of serving the community. We are looking for a motivated and detail-oriented intern to support our External Affairs team. In this role, you’ll play a key part in building and maintaining Neighborhood Healthcare’s internal legislative intelligence — tracking elected officials, monitoring policy developments, and creating legislative scorecards that help our team engage strategically with local, state, and federal representatives. This is a meaningful, hands-on opportunity to see how government relations functions within a mission-driven healthcare organization, and to directly contribute to Neighborhood’s growth into Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. This is a full-time(40 hours/week), 8 week internship. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Internship Responsibilities

• Research and track legislators and policies at the local, state, and federal levels relevant to Neighborhood Healthcare’s service areas
• Develop and maintain legislative scorecards for elected officials in our key regions
• Support the External Affairs team in building and maintaining a centralized, organization-specific database of elected officials and community leaders
• Assist with strategic outreach and communication efforts with elected officials and community stakeholders
• Contribute to dashboard development and/or research briefs summarizing legislative findings

Internship Structure

• Onboarding: Orientation to Neighborhood Healthcare, policies, expectations, and professional development goals
• Rotational Assignments: Intern will complete assignment with the External Affairs department
• Internship Review & Capstone: Final reflections, exit interview, and presentation of key learnings and recommendations

TRAINING & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROVIDED

• How Government Affairs operates within an FQHC and non-profit environment 
• Methodology, research, and communication skills
• How to effectively conduct outreach and communicate with elected officials

SUPERVISION & SUPPORT STRUCTURE

• Internship Coordinator will oversee the intern's experience, provide leadership coaching, and conduct final reflections and the exit interview 
• Project Mentors will provide structures feedback twice weekly, plus informal mentorship throughout the internship
• Intern and Project Mentors will co-create goals and outcomes to ensure a meaningful and impactful experience

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

• Undergraduate or graduate students (or recent graduates) with an interest in political science, public policy, communications, journalism, or non-profit work
• Strong research and organizational skills 
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) preferred

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Familiarity with the legislative process
• Ability to work independently and take initiative

Compliance(Safety & HIPAA)

• Follow all safety procedures as outlined in Neighborhood Healthcare’s Illness and Injury Prevention Plan (IIPP) and report any injuries and/or unsafe conditions immediately
• Maintain privacy of all patient, employee, and volunteer information, accessing such information only on a need-to-know basis for business purposes
• Comply with all regulations regarding corporate integrity and security obligations
• Report any behavior and/or activity that is unethical, fraudulent, or unlawful

Pay Range: $22 - $27.96 per hour, depending on experience.

Compensation Disclosure: The posted salary range reflects the designated pay grade for this position. While this range represents the broader classification of the role, actual compensation will be based on several factors, including but not limited to: the candidate’s overall knowledge, skills, and experience, market data and industry benchmarks, internal equity within the organization, Budgetary considerations and organizational needs. As a result, placement within the range is not guaranteed, and the full pay grade range may not be utilized.

Salary : $22 - $28