External Affairs Intern

GIRL SCOUTS HEART OF NJ•Newark, NJ

1d•$20 - $20•Remote

About The Position

Kickstart your career this summer with a paid External Affairs Internship at Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey, through the NJ Career Accelerator Internship Grant Program (CAIGP)! Are you passionate about public policy and community advocacy? Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey (GSHNJ) is seeking an External Affairs Intern to support the launch and growth of our newly established External Affairs Department, reporting to the Vice President of External Affairs. Joining this dynamic team, you will contribute to expanding large-scale program opportunities and advancing advocacy and coalition-building efforts. You will gain hands-on experience in nonprofit leadership and systems thinking, while gaining exposure to statewide advocacy work and strategic initiatives that directly support girls’ leadership and access to opportunity. Who We Are... GSHNJ is one of four Girl Scout Councils supporting the New Jersey area. We service all of Hudson, Essex, Union, Somerset, Hunterdon, and portions of Middlesex and Warren counties. We operate offices in Newark, Westfield and North Branch, NJ; and maintain camp properties in Maplewood, Hillsborough, and Middleville, NJ. The Mission... Building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. Here at GSHNJ, we offer every girl a chance to do something amazing! Through our programs, we inspire girls to explore new opportunities, develop essential life skills, and embrace leadership roles.

Requirements

Ability to work part-time (15-20 hours per week) for at least 10 weeks between June 2026 and August 2026.
Current NJ undergraduate or graduate student, a recent NJ college graduate (May 2025 – May 2026 graduates), or a permanent NJ resident currently pursuing an undergraduate degree out-of-state.
Pursuing or holding a degree in Public Administration, Public Policy, Political Science, Nonprofit Management, Urban Studies, Communications, Sociology, Education Policy, Business Administration (with interest in nonprofit or social impact work), or a related field (with a strong interest in advocacy, community engagement, or nonprofit leadership) is preferred.
Ability to research state and local issues (STEM, mental health, education) and summarize findings into clear briefing materials.
Experience or comfort using tools to track legislative issues, advocacy coalitions, and partner organization networks.
Strong writing skills to capture program success stories that can be used for advocacy, funding, and public visibility.
Ability to assist with data collection and research to support advocacy efforts and coalition-building.
Strong interpersonal skills to gather internal information and support coordinated outreach with external partners.
Ability to engage with external stakeholders and represent the council in a professional manner.
A collaborative spirit, but also able to work independently.
Become a registered member of Girl Scouts and maintain membership for duration of internship.
Position is 80% remote; a reliable internet connection is required.
Attend an orientation prior to the start of the internship through the Career Accelerator Internship Grant Program.

Responsibilities

Advocacy & Coalition Building Support research related to state and local policy issues impacting girls and youth (e.g., out-of-school time, education, STEM, mental health).
Assist with advocacy tracking tools, legislative research, and relationship mapping.
Support coordination with advocacy coalitions and partner organizations.
Help prepare briefing materials, talking points, and summaries for meetings and public hearings.
Large-Scale Program & Partnership Support Assist in tracking and documenting large-scale programs and signature events with external partners.
Support outreach preparation for partners, sponsors, and collaborators.
Help capture program impact stories that can be leveraged for advocacy, funding, and visibility.
Data Collection, Research & Systems Development Support data collection related to partnerships, advocacy efforts, and program reach.
Assist in organizing shared trackers, databases, and internal tools that support cross-departmental coordination.
Help document processes and workflows for the External Affairs Department as it is being built.
Cross-Departmental Support Assist in gathering information from internal departments to support coordinated external engagement.
Support development of internal guidance tools (e.g., “when to engage External Affairs”).
Participate in meetings and planning sessions to gain exposure to nonprofit leadership and strategy.
Performs other duties as necessary or assigned.