What are the responsibilities and job description for the Business Operations & Finance Intern position at State of Iowa - Executive Branch?
Job Description
About the Role
The IP-Plan Intern will play a key role in supporting operational efficiency and financial transparency across the Iowa Department of Transportation. By assisting with software renewals that impact every division—from Administration to Road Design and Safety—the intern will help ensure uninterrupted access to essential tools and services throughout the DOT. Their support in streamlining equipment purchases will improve budget visibility while helping end users receive needed products more quickly. Additionally, the intern’s work on IP-Plan updates will provide valuable support to the finance team’s budget forecasting efforts and help coordinators better track labor costs associated with projects.
Key Responsibilities
Currently enrolled students in a degree program at an accredited educational institution.
About the Role
The IP-Plan Intern will play a key role in supporting operational efficiency and financial transparency across the Iowa Department of Transportation. By assisting with software renewals that impact every division—from Administration to Road Design and Safety—the intern will help ensure uninterrupted access to essential tools and services throughout the DOT. Their support in streamlining equipment purchases will improve budget visibility while helping end users receive needed products more quickly. Additionally, the intern’s work on IP-Plan updates will provide valuable support to the finance team’s budget forecasting efforts and help coordinators better track labor costs associated with projects.
Key Responsibilities
- Coordinate and distribute monthly financial, labor, and project status reports to FINCON, Portfolio Coordinators, and Project Sponsors for review and tracking.
- Assist with tracking and following up on all growth equipment requests under $10,000
- Prepare and present monthly aging reports during IT Equipment Meetings, providing visibility into equipment status and outstanding items.
- Analyze monthly purchasing reports to identify unpurchased items, communicate findings to leadership, and assist with follow-up actions as needed.
- Develop and distribute 90-day software renewal reports to support licensing and renewal planning activities.
- Review and approve software and maintenance renewals within Workday that fall under established plan line totals.
- Organized, collaborative, and able to manage multiple deadlines
- Interest in business management, finance, or accounting
- Proficient in Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Teams, SharePoint)
- Financial Analysis & Reporting Skills – Gain hands-on experience working with real financial, labor, and project data to support budgeting, forecasting, and leadership decision-making.
- Operational Process Improvement – Learn how to identify inefficiencies and contribute to streamlining purchasing, reporting, and renewal processes that impact a large enterprise environment.
- Project & Portfolio Management Exposure – Build an understanding of how projects are tracked, prioritized, and managed across multiple divisions, including visibility into resource and labor planning.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration – Work directly with finance teams, portfolio coordinators, and project sponsors, strengthening communication skills and learning how large organizations align across business units.
- Enterprise Tools & Systems Experience – Develop proficiency in Microsoft 365 tools and gain exposure to systems like Workday, enhancing your ability to navigate and support enterprise-level platforms.
Currently enrolled students in a degree program at an accredited educational institution.