The Children's Defense Fund is an organization deeply committed to our Leave No Child Behind mission and to ensure that every child has a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage into adulthood with caring families and communities. For 40 years, CDF has combined advocacy, public education, policy development, leadership training and other efforts to protect children and encourage preventive investment in children before they get sick, drop out of school, suffer family breakdown, or get into trouble.

The Communications Department develops and articulates key public messaging for all of CDF’s strategic priorities, campaigns and rapid response needs. The department is comprised of three basic teams: the Media Relations Team, the Online Communications Team, and the Publications Team. These teams work together under the Vice President of Communications and the Deputy Director of Communications and in close cooperation with all other CDF departments and state offices to promote CDF’s brand and publicize its priorities through outreach to media, blogs and online social networks, print and online publications, online advocacy and email marketing, website content development and other promotional materials.

Interns in this department will assist the Media Relations, Online Communications and Publications Teams, but are encouraged to indicate a particular area of interest within those categories if one exists.

Primary Responsibilities

• Media monitoring and summarizing relevant news coverage of CDF and relevant issue areas.
• Video recording, editing and production.
• Set up and promotion of press conferences, speeches, Congressional briefings, and other public events.
• Assist with drafting media advisories, press releases, pitch calls to media for events and briefing memos.
• Research for briefing memos, op-eds and other publications.
• Assist with online communications and CDF’s social networking sites.
• Assist with archiving CDF videos from past events and conferences.
• Helps maintain department financial records, including internal department financial reimbursements, travel vouchers and contracts with vendors.

Preferred Experience/ Qualifications:

• Organized.
• Strong writing and editing skills.
• The ability to multitask.
• The ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Familiarity with social networking sites.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• A commitment to CDF’s mission and work.
• Undergraduate and graduate students majoring in communications, journalism or political science fields are encouraged to apply.
• A minimum commitment of 15 hours per week.

How to Apply for the CDF Internship Program

Application Components

Each applicant must submit the following

• CDF Internship Application
• Cover Letter
• Two (2) Recommendation Letters
• Resume
• Writing Sample

Please send application materials, either by mail, email, fax, or online form.

Children's Defense Fund
Attn: Internship Coordinator
25 E Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
Fax: 202-662-3570
Email: cdf_interns@childrensdefense.org

The Children’s Defense Fund is an Equal Opportunity Employer.