Internship – Office of the Commissioner

Job Description

About the Role
This is an executive intern position for the summer of 2026 (June 1, 2026 – August 14, 2026) within the Commissioner’s Office of the Tennessee Department of Human Services. The chosen candidate will assist with a wide range of projects and assignments related to policy, research, and outreach for departmental strategic initiatives and projects, contributing to the department’s mission to strengthen Tennessee by strengthening Tennesseans.

What You’ll Do
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative research to inform executive decision-making.
• Analyze organizational data, industry trends, benchmarking reports, and policy impacts.
• Synthesize complex information into concise executive summaries.
• Develop briefing materials, white papers, and issue analyses.
• Evaluate program effectiveness and recommend data-informed improvements.
• Assist in brainstorming, planning, coordinating, and tracking executive-level strategic initiatives that may involve cross-divisional collaboration, policy development, and/or community engagement.
• Support development of project timelines, milestones, and deliverables.
• Monitor progress against implementation plans and identify risks or delays.
• Prepare status updates, dashboards, and executive-ready reports.
• Coordinate meetings, document action items, and follow up on assigned tasks.
• Other duties may be assigned as needed.

You’re a Good Fit If You
• Possess a bachelor’s degree and are currently pursuing a graduate degree.
• Are a recent college graduate, masters student, or doctoral student.
• Are in good academic standing with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Have strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.
• Have the ability to plan and execute projects with limited supervision or instruction.
• Have familiarity with Microsoft Office products.
• Have the ability to handle sensitive/confidential information.
• Possess professional judgment and executive presence.

Bonus Qualifications
• A bachelor’s degree in a human services, social services, law, or related field preferred, but a project management or business management field might be considered.
• General knowledge and understanding of research tools and data analysis platforms is preferred.

Role Highlights & Compensation
• Salary: School Credit (unpaid)
• Working 20-37.5 hours per week
• Location: Nashville, TN
• This is a Hybrid position
• Some travel may be required
• Internship Term: June 1, 2026 – August 14, 2026
• All participants are required to present details of their internship experience to executive staff at the end of the internship term.
• Work Location: Andrew Johnson Building 710 James Robertson Parkway Nashville, TN 37243