Operations Internship

~ The Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) is a national, membership-based nonprofit committed to reducing the health, safety, and environmental impacts of consumer products across their lifecycle with a strong focus on sustainable end-of-life management. ~

Headquartered in Boston, Mass., we take a unique product stewardship approach to solving waste management problems by encouraging product design changes and mediating stakeholder dialogues.

With 47 state environmental agency members, along with hundreds of local government members from coast-to-coast, and 95 corporate, business, academic, non-U.S. government, and organizational partners, we work to design, implement, evaluate, strengthen, and promote both legislative and voluntary product stewardship initiatives across North America.

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/ProductStewardship. Follow us on Twitter @ProductSteward. 

Position Overview 

We're offering an Operations Internship opportunity within our innovative environmental non-profit organization in the fall/winter of 2014. The time commitment is approximately 12 to 20 hours per week with a possibility of additional hours or a full-time opportunity during breaks.

PSI is conducting cutting-edge work on waste management and product sustainability, and seeks an upbeat, energetic, and dedicated individual who thinks creatively, works well independently and collaboratively, and thrives in a fast-paced entrepreneurial atmosphere.

PSI's Operations Intern will primarily assist in the implementation of initiatives to improve the organization's operational efficiency and financial capacity. All PSI interns work on a variety of tasks, which allow them to become informed about current programs across an array of product categories and industries.

PSI staff members assist interns in developing one or two specific projects for which the intern can take primary responsibility. There are significant learning opportunities pertaining to substantive initiatives, although interns also perform some administrative assignments, as do all staff. 

Responsibilities

Potential tasks might include: 

• Assist in the development and writing of operational protocols, work processes, and work flows.
• Support the implementation of project management software. 
• Maintain and enhance CRM software and increase the client contact database. 
• Support development initiatives such as writing grant applications, developing relationships with new funders, writing business proposals, and tracking and pursuing new funding leads.
• Help develop organizational tools to help the PSI development team streamline and keep track of its many initiatives.
• Assist in ongoing business operations to ensure a continued high level of financial management and office management.
• Engage with members/partners and other stakeholders, as needed, by phone, email, or in person.
• Other tasks as needed. 

Qualifications 

• Exceptional analytical skills: candidate must have the ability to identify a problem and create a workable solution; create a set of steps to implement a process for achieving a desired outcome; develop a more efficient and productive way to complete a task or objective; and collect, analyze, and synthesize significant quantities of data. 
• Excellent project management, time management, and organizational skills.
• Strong writing skills: writing must be clear, concise, logical, and grammatically correct.
• Ability to stay focused and deliver high quality results in a fast-paced, deadline-driven, constantly changing work atmosphere.
• Degree in business administration and management with a concentration in nonprofit management, general management, management information systems, operations and technology management, and/or organizational behavior.
• Familiarity with project management systems (strongly preferred). 
• Self-starter who shares ideas and actively tries to identify solutions to problems rather than just identifying the problems or waiting for someone else to provide the solutions.
• Interest in, and basic understanding of, environmental issues that businesses and governments are facing, particularly as they relate to consumer products and waste generation. 
• Proficient with MS Excel, MS Word, MS PowerPoint. 
• Substantial experience with database software such as MS Access or similar (preferred).

To Apply 

Please use the email address below to send a resume, cover letter and one or two relevant writing or work samples electronically to to Amanda Nicholson. 

Please address all of the following in your cover letter: 

• Are you able to reliably meet the minimum time requirement?
• Why are you interested in working on product stewardship issues?
• Why are you interested in interning for the Product Stewardship Institute?
• What in your academic or professional experience makes you uniquely qualified for this position?
• What do you hope to gain from this experience?

Note: Application due date is September 30, 2014, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so apply early! 

~ The Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. ~