Intern – Operational Excellence

Job Description

Strategic Operations & Public Service Intern | New York State Homes & Community Renewal

The Tone:
This is an internship at New York State Homes & Community Renewal, located in Albany, NY. The company is the State’s affordable housing agency, dedicated to building, preserving, and protecting affordable housing and increasing homeownership across New York State. This role is within the Department of Empowerment, Compliance and Opportunity (DECO), which works to promote state contracting opportunities for Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs), Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses (SDVOBs), and historically undervalued businesses. The intern will contribute to important initiatives that support the department’s mission, gaining practical skills applicable to careers in government, nonprofit organizations, and organizational management.

The TL;DR
• Role: Internship / Volunteer
• Type: Temporary
• Location: In-person, Albany, NY

• Team: Department of Empowerment, Compliance and Opportunity (DECO) leadership
• Mission: This person will support DECO’s operational excellence, modernization, and compliance efforts to foster diverse business participation in state contracting.
• Tech Stack: AXI compliance platform, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)

What You’ll Actually Do
• Project Participation: Participate in a semester-long strategic improvement project that directly supports DECO’s operational excellence and modernization initiatives.
• Operational Support: Support the department’s operational planning, workflow optimization, and continuous process improvement efforts.
• Technology Implementation: Assist with the implementation of DECO’s technology modernization initiatives, including gaining exposure to the AXI compliance platform and related business process improvements.
• Research & Analysis: Conduct research on best practices related to supplier diversity, public administration, and government operations.
• Communication & Documentation: Prepare executive presentations, briefing materials, reports, and various communications for internal and external stakeholders.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Entry-Level. Undergraduate or graduate student pursuing a degree in Public Administration, Public Policy, Business Administration, Organizational Management, Communications, Data Analytics, Political Science, Economics, or a closely related discipline.
• Experience: No specific years required. Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint is necessary.
• Skills: Strong written and verbal communication skills; excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving abilities; and the capacity to manage multiple assignments while maintaining attention to detail.
• Bonus: Demonstrated interest in government operations, public service, organizational improvement, or technology modernization; and a self-motivated, collaborative, and eager-to-learn approach to working in a professional environment.