Office of the Mayor Communications & Leadership Intern

Work. Serve. Thrive. With the City of Durham
 Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve. 
 
 
Hourly Rate:  $22.95 per hour
Duration:  August - January (2027)
Workdays/Hours: This internship is primarily in-person with some flexibility for telework.  Hours flexible with availability requirement of 8:30 am-5 pm EST. Monday - Friday.  Intern will work approximately 15 hours per week. Occasional evenings and weekends may be required to support the Mayor at City Council meetings, community events, press events, special initiatives, and other official activities.  Because the work of the Mayor’s Office is often driven by public meetings, community events, and emerging issues, schedule flexibility and reliability are important expectations of this position.

The Office of the Mayor Communications & Leadership Internship provides a motivated college or graduate student with a meaningful, hands-on introduction to executive leadership, municipal government, public service, strategic communications, and community engagement.

This is an opportunity to work directly alongside the Mayor and senior staff and gain firsthand experience in the operations of a mayoral office. This position provides opportunities to help tell the story of the City, engage directly with residents and community partners, support the Mayor’s priorities, and build a professional portfolio of meaningful public-service work.

Because interns may have access to confidential information, constituent matters, internal discussions, and other sensitive City business, exceptional discretion, professionalism, integrity, and sound judgment are essential.

This internship is designed for a student who wants more than a traditional office internship. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to see local government in action, contribute to meaningful community initiatives, work directly with the Mayor’s Office, engage with residents and stakeholders, and develop tangible professional experience in public service.

The ideal candidate is someone who is curious, dependable, creative, intellectually engaged, and passionate about making a positive impact in their community.  This position is especially well suited for a student who wants to understand how ideas become initiatives, how government responds to community needs, and how effective leadership and communication can help move a city forward.

Key Responsibilities
The intern will support the Mayor’s Office across communications, leadership, policy, constituent services, and project coordination. Responsibilities may include:

• Communications & Digital Engagement
  • Draft, design, and schedule engaging social media content for Instagram, X, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
  • Research, write, edit, and help develop the Mayor’s monthly community newsletter.
  • Capture photographs, video, quotes, and other multimedia content at community
  • Events, press conferences, meetings, and official engagements.
  • Assist with developing communications materials, including press releases, public announcements, event briefs, community updates, newsletters, talking points, and other outreach materials.
  • Monitor and analyze social media and digital engagement metrics and prepare reports that help inform future communications strategies.
  • Help maintain and strengthen the digital presence and public-facing communications of the Mayor’s Office. 
• Executive & Leadership Support
  • Prepare briefing materials, reports, policy memoranda, presentations, correspondence, talking points, and other materials for the Mayor and senior staff.
  • Conduct research on policy issues, community priorities, municipal initiatives, and emerging topics relevant to the Mayor’s Office.
  • Attend City Council, committee, board, and community meetings and prepare meeting, summaries, notes, action items, and follow-up documentation.
  • Support leadership initiatives, community engagement efforts, special events, and other strategic priorities of the Mayor’s Office.
  • Assist with special projects and assignments requiring research, coordination, writing, and follow-through.
• Project Management & Coordination
  • Support project management activities by maintaining timelines, tracking deliverables, coordinating next steps, preparing meeting materials, and documenting action items.
  • Assist with coordinating projects involving City departments, community organizations, governmental partners, educational institutions, businesses, nonprofits, and other stakeholders.
  • Help monitor project progress and communicate outstanding needs, deadlines, and follow-up items to appropriate staff.
    
• Constituent & Community Engagement
  • Assist with constituent services by researching resident inquiries, identifying appropriate resources, coordinating responses, and documenting follow-up.
  • Engage respectfully and professionally with residents, community leaders, organizations, City staff, and external partners.
  • Support efforts to strengthen communication between the Mayor’s Office and the broader Durham community.
  • Participate in community events and outreach activities that advance the Mayor’s priorities and the City’s public-service mission.
• Other Duties
  • Perform additional duties, projects, research, and special assignments as directed by the Mayor, Chief of Staff, or other senior staff.
    

• Be currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program in Public Administration, Public Policy, Political Science, Journalism, Marketing, Business Administration, Communications, Leadership Studies, or a related field.
• Demonstrate an interest in public service, civic leadership, communications, or local
  government.
• Demonstrate strong analytical, research, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Be able to exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality.
• Be able to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrate professionalism, reliability, initiative, and a willingness to learn.
  

• Knowledge of the Durham community.