COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS INTERN

OVERVIEW

A popular year-round destination, Governors Island is a 172-acre island in the heart of New York Harbor located between Lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn waterfront. For almost two centuries, the Island was closed to the public, operating as a military base for the U.S. Army and, later, the Coast Guard. Today, an award-winning new park is complemented by dozens of unique historic buildings, educational and cultural facilities, a rich arts and culture program and a 22-acre National Monument managed by the National Park Service. Looking ahead, the long-term vision for Governors Island focuses on continuing to expand year-round public access by enlivening it with transformative public art and culture, extraordinary recreational and open space, and research and education dedicated to addressing the global climate crisis

POSITION

The Trust for Governors Island seeks a Communications and Public Affairs intern for summer 2025. Working closely with the entire Public Affairs team, which oversees communications, marketing, community engagement, and public programming for Governors Island, this position will support efforts to engage a diverse audience of New Yorkers during the Island’s busiest season. This is an exciting opportunity to work in one of New York City’s most dynamic public places and learn about nonprofit marketing and communications, community relations, and public affairs.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Build and execute content to drive engagement across Governors Island’s social and digital marketing channels.
• Assist with collecting and analyzing social and other digital analytics to inform content strategy and development.
• Support the Public Affairs team in promoting Governors Island as an accessible and dynamic destination, including promoting its park, recreational activities, public programs, art installations, and food and beverage operators.
• Support team with needs related to a wide variety of events, activities, and programs.
• Special projects as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• High school graduate or equivalent currently enrolled in a bachelor’s, associate, or certificate program with a focus on marketing, communications, journalism, public relations, or related fields.
• Non-traditional interns who are looking to re-enter the workforce or change careers will also be considered; this may include those who have previously graduated from college.

Experience:

• Experience and success developing, creating, and executing engaging content for social media, email campaigns, and websites in a nonprofit or similar setting.
• Passion and interest in public space, New York City parks, climate justice, nature, public art, and/or cultural programming is preferred.

Skills and Abilities:

• Attention to detail with strong organizational skills and demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively, multi-task, set priorities, and meet deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills—you're a creative storyteller who can get audiences excited, break down complex ideas into engaging and easily digestible content, and tailor messaging based on audience and media type.
• Familiarity with developing content (in a professional or personal capacity) for social platforms including Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
• Familiarity with web management and email marketing tools, Adobe Creative Suite, CapCut, and/or Canva a plus.
• Interest or experience in video production a plus.
• Proficient in using Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint or similar software.

Salary: $19-22 per hour

Location and Schedule: All positions are located on Governors Island in New York City. Applicants should be available to work in-person through the summer and can expect a start date in May 2025.

TO APPLY

Please send a brief cover letter and resume as a single PDF document to jobs@govisland.org with “2025 Communications and Public Affairs Intern” in the subject line. No phone calls please.

We realize that not all applicants match 100% of the qualifications for a role. If you meet many but not all the criteria and feel you may be a good fit for this role, we encourage you to apply.

The Trust for Governors Island values the importance of inclusion, accessibility and a diverse pool of applicants. The Trust for Governors Island does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, genetic information, marital status, membership in an employee organization, military service, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including gender identity), sexual orientation, sexual and other reproductive health decisions, or other non-merit factor.

ABOUT THE TRUST FOR GOVERNORS ISLAND

The Trust for Governors Island (The Trust) is a nonprofit corporation created by the City of New York. It is responsible for the redevelopment and operation of 150 acres of Governors Island. The Trust's mission is to realize the full potential of Governors Island, demonstrating a bold vision for public space. For more information, visit www.govisland.org