Intern, Special Projects, Operations, University of Maryland

WRI Overview 

World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity and human well-being. We are working to address critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade in order to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean. 

Internships at WRI are learning experiences designed for current students, recent graduates, or other candidates who wish to gain knowledge about a specific area of our work. We strive to attract diverse, intellectually-driven candidates who have a passion for sustainability and development. WRI provides many internship opportunities throughout the year in all our programs.  

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices.   

Program Overview 

The Operations Department’s main responsibilities are to identify our organizational needs and direct resources within and across WRI’s international offices. Our mission is to ensure each office and program is adequately supported to produce deliverables for funders on-time and on-budget while maintaining compliance with US Government and funder regulations. The Department includes the Accounting, Finance, Grants & Contracts, IT, Human Resources, Facilities and Sustainability Teams.   

Internship Summary 

The Operations Department is seeking an intern to help the Finance Team to comprehensively design and implement special projects and support change management across the Institute, a $150 million mid-sized environmental not-for-profit think tank.  Special projects will focus on streamlining systems and processes to scale our operational capacity with WRI’s growth. In developing these projects and resources, the intern will research industry best practices, brainstorm solutions unique to WRI, and incorporate monitoring and maintenance mechanisms to ensure initiatives are successfully implemented and widely adopted.   

Learning Outcomes 

The intern will gain experience in the following areas:  

• Understanding non-profit financial management 
• Assisting in the design, implementation and management of projects 
• Identifying process gaps within WRI’s network, brainstorming solutions to process issues, and testing possible solutions 
• Collecting, analyzing, and presenting data to inform management decisions 
• Utilizing accounting, financial management, and project management software including IBM Cognos, TM1, and Salesforce 
• Instituting new policies and growth management for an international nonprofit 
• Developing accountability mechanisms for processes already in place  
• Documenting lessons learned in the successes and failures of implementation, dissemination, and usage of new resources/processes 
• Past examples of internship special projects include developing a policy communications tool, contributing to the strategic reserve policy calculations and presentation, and creating PowerBI dashboards to present institutional financial trends 

Internship Qualifications 

• University Sponsored: You must be a student currently enrolled in the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland.   
• Familiarity and experience with institutional processes  
• Ability to analyze and synthesize information 
• Excellent research skills 
• Excellent writing skills 
• Well-organized and efficient 
• Ability to work calmly and enthusiastically under high pressure 
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently as well as part of a team 
• Ability to think creatively 
• Strong oral communications skills 
• Highly responsible, self-motivated 

Preferred qualifications 

• Knowledge of change management  
• Familiarity and experience with Salesforce or other CRM software 
• Proficiency with Office 365 Suite 

General Internship Requirements 

• Applicants must have personal health insurance coverage.  
• U.S. work authorization is required for this opportunity. WRI does not sponsor interns for visas. 

Compensation  

• University Sponsored: Students will receive compensation from their university program.   

Duration and Location  

• This is a full-time summer internship with start date options of May 17, June 1, or June 16, 2021 based on the student’s availability and need for the project.   
• This is a remote-based internship with the option to work out of the Washington D.C. office once it reopens.    
• WRI will provide a laptop for the duration of your internship. 

How to Apply 

Applicants must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered. 

The World Resources Institute (http://www.wri.org) is an environmental and development research and policy organization that creates solutions to protect the Earth and improve people’s lives. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, it is WRI’s policy to recruit, hire, and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, parental status, protected veteran status, or disability. WRI’s global agenda requires a staff that is diverse – with respect to race, gender, cultural, and international background. Diverse perspectives and experience enhance the way WRI selects and approaches issues, as well as the creativity and applicability of WRI’s policy research and analysis. WRI, therefore, encourages applications from U.S. minorities, persons from other countries (especially developing nations), and from women of all backgrounds.