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 New York State. New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) is the State’s affordable housing agency, dedicated to building, preserving, and protecting affordable housing and increasing homeownership across New York State. The Department of Empowerment, Compliance and Opportunity (DECO) promotes state contracting opportunities for Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs), Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses (SDVOBs), and historically undervalued businesses. This internship offers a unique opportunity to contribute to meaningful operational excellence and modernization initiatives within public service, developing practical skills applicable to careers in government, non-profit organizations, and organizational management.

The TL;DR
• Role: Internship
• Location: In-person, New York State

• Team: Department of Empowerment, Compliance and Opportunity (DECO), reporting directly to DECO leadership.
• Mission: This person will support DECO’s mission to promote state contracting opportunities for diverse businesses through regulatory compliance, contract oversight, technical assistance, and modernization initiatives.
• Tech Stack: AXI compliance platform, Microsoft Office, Excel, Word, PowerPoint

What You’ll Actually Do
• Strategic Project: Contribute to a semester-long strategic improvement project that directly supports DECO’s operational excellence and modernization initiatives.
• Process Optimization: Support comprehensive operational planning, workflow optimization, and continuous process improvement efforts across the department.
• Technology Modernization: Assist in the implementation of DECO’s technology modernization initiatives, gaining exposure to the AXI compliance platform and related business process improvements.
• Data Analysis & Reporting: Assist with performance measurement, dashboard development, data analysis, and the preparation of executive presentations, briefing materials, and reports.
• Capstone Presentation: Present a final capstone project summarizing accomplishments, recommendations, and lessons learned from the internship experience to DECO leadership.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Undergraduate or graduate student pursuing Public Administration, Public Policy, Business Administration, Organizational Management, Communications, Data Analytics, Political Science, Economics, or a related discipline. Career level: Entry-Level.
• Experience: Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Skills: Strong written and verbal communication skills; excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving abilities; ability to manage multiple assignments while maintaining attention to detail.
• Bonus: Demonstrated interest in government operations, public service, organizational improvement, or technology modernization; self-motivated, collaborative, and eager to learn in a fast-paced environment.