Institute of Politics

Overview of the IOP:

Founded in 2013 by David Axelrod, the Institute of Politics, a non-partisan, extracurricular organization at the University of Chicago, aims to inspire and cultivate the next generation of political and public service leaders. Four core programs form the heart of the Institute: civic engagement opportunities that enable students to experience politics-in-action through political exploration trips, leadership training, service programs and voter engagement projects; visiting fellowships where distinguished political officials, policymakers, journalists, diplomats and others are in residence on campus during an academic quarter; political and public service internships that provide students with paid, substantive career development opportunities; and a continuous series of public events featuring leading political figures sharing their insights on key issues of the day.

Internship Summary:

The IOP House Intern program offers students the opportunity to work closely with IOP staff to facilitate operations and programming, playing a central role in supporting the IOP's many activities and initiatives. Interns gain valuable knowledge and skills in public and social service as well as in specific program areas.

The IOP is hoping to hire a Marketing and Communications Graduate Assistant to work 10-15 hours per week supporting the IOP’s Communications Department in developing and implementing communications and marketing strategies, including brand management, event publicity, community engagement efforts and digital/social media management. This position assists the communications team with the integration of the communications needs of the Institute’s various initiatives, including its four core programs: the Speaker Series, Fellows Program, Civic Engagement Program, and Career Development Program. The Marketing & Communications GA will focus on researching, designing and implementing outreach campaigns; assisting with social media marketing campaigns and publicizing IOP programs; handling constituent data, and helping develop specialized reports. This position reports to the Institute’s Communications Director.

Responsibilities:

• Works closely with the Communications Director and other Institute leadership in the development and execution of strategies to amplify the IOP’s programming through all forms of media (print, social, etc.).
• Develops marketing materials, newsletters, and social media content.
• Organizes and produces weekly Institute email newsletters and initiative announcements 
• Designs and executes outreach campaigns to engage all corners of the University of Chicago campus
• Designs and executes one-off and long-term community outreach campaigns
• Works with partners across campus to ensure that IOP programs are publicized widely
• Supports the development and production of marketing and communications materials for various initiatives
• Tailors social media content for different platforms
• Creates social media toolkits for speakers and guests
• Assists in media relations and Speaker Series event coverage and staffing
• Supports strategic engagement with students, alumni, partners and community members
• Helps with the production of the IOP’s annual report and other donor materials

Required Qualifications:

• Strong time management and organizational skills
• Strong writer with a knowledge of how to effectively discuss political issues for different audiences
• Knowledge of current social media trends
• Knowledge of digital communications best practices including website development, social media, data maintenance, and email marketing
• Excellent communication skills are required for the effective delivery of the Institute’s vision, mission and brand
• Knowledge of and passion for politics and igniting in young people a similar passion
• Collaborative in nature, with a proven ability to be a valuable part of a team
• Flexible and agile in problem-solving
• Ability to work with minimal oversight; self-directed, resourceful and highly motivated

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud and Microsoft Office, as well as social media and CMS/CRM tools
• Experience in the production of marketing and communication materials and
• Experience with website coding
• Social media graphic design experience

Compensation: $20/hour