Communications & Marketing Intern

This is a one-year, full-time, paid Internship Program.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Arlington County requires all applicants to thoroughly complete each section of the application, including prior job responsibilities, duties, and supplemental questions. While you may attach a resume, it will not replace a completed application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Arlington County's Department of Human Services (DHS) is seeking a creative and organized Communications & Marketing Intern to join the Director's Office Communications Team. This position supports enterprise-wide communications, marketing, outreach, and engagement initiatives by developing content, coordinating communications projects, improving internal processes, and assisting with executive and cross-divisional communications. The selected candidate will gain hands-on experience supporting high-impact communications that enhance collaboration, strengthen community engagement, and improve how DHS communicates with employees, partners, and residents.

Major Job Duties:

• Supporting enterprise-wide communications by coordinating project intake, assisting with communications planning, and ensuring messaging aligns with Director's Office priorities;
• Developing content for digital, print, web, email, social media, presentations, and other communications platforms to support departmental initiatives;
• Designing visual communications materials, templates, and marketing assets using Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, and other design tools;
• Supporting the development and continuous improvement of communications systems, workflows, templates, and resource libraries to improve efficiency, consistency, and scalability;
• Drafting, editing, and coordinating executive communications, reports, presentations, announcements, and other internal and external communications materials;
• Conducting research, gathering and analyzing communications data, and tracking performance metrics to support communications planning and continuous improvement;
• Assisting with planning, promoting, and supporting community outreach events, public engagement activities, and departmental initiatives;
• Collaborating with staff across DHS divisions to support coordinated messaging, stakeholder engagement, and cross-functional communications projects;
• Maintaining communications assets, project documentation, and shared resources to support department-wide communications efforts; and
• Performing other job-related duties as assigned.

The ideal candidate has experience supporting marketing and communications through content creation, digital engagement, and process improvement, with strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills. They communicate effectively with diverse audiences, translate complex information into clear and engaging content, and are comfortable using social media platforms, content management systems, and design software such as Canva and Adobe Creative Suite. The successful candidate is collaborative, detail-oriented, and demonstrates initiative, sound judgment, and a willingness to learn new technologies and communications practices.

Location: Sequoia Plaza, 4th floor, 2100 Washington Blvd, Arlington, VA 22204
Arlington County

Arlington County is an innovative local government in Northern Virginia seeking motivated candidates for one-year internship opportunities across multiple departments. These roles are ideal for recent graduates and current graduate students with limited professional experience who are looking to kickstart their careers.

Interns gain hands-on experience supporting key County initiatives while participating in a structured cohort-based development program. Throughout the year, interns work under the mentorship of senior staff, contributing fresh ideas, improving processes, and leveraging technology to enhance organizational effectiveness, all while familiarizing themselves with a public-sector environment.

Minimum Qualifications: Recent, 2025 and/or 2026 college graduates earning either a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree* in the area of consideration prior to the start date of the Cohort Program (Sept. 2026) must have:

• No professional-level work experience (less than one year) in the internship field; and
• You may be a currently enrolled student in a Master’s degree program related to the internship, but you must not have significant professional-level work experience in the internship area and must be available to work during designated hours.

Degree Requirements: Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Public Health, Business/Public Administration, or related discipline.

Desirable Qualifications: Preference may be given to applicants with one or more of the following:

• G.P.A. of 3.0 or above is preferred and applicants may be asked to provide certified official transcripts; 
• Advanced degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Public Health, Business/Public Administration or a related field;
• Experience and proficiency using Microsoft Office Suite including Excel and PowerPoint;
• Experience researching, understanding, and interpreting technical and policy-related documentation;
• Experience interacting with multiple levels of staff and to express ideas clearly, verbally and in writing, to a variety of audiences;
• Experience working in a public health agency or another human services environment; and/or
• Bilingual, fluent and literate, in English and Spanish.

Special Requirements

Background Check: A pre-employment criminal records check will be conducted. It will include checks of the following: criminal record, driving record, education, professional licensure, and credit history. You will be required to sign a release authorizing the County to obtain your background information.

Please complete each section of the application including the supplemental questions. Your responses to the supplemental questions are required because they provide us with specific information necessary to evaluate your qualifications for this position. These responses are considered part of the selection process. A resume may be attached; however, it will not substitute for a completed application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please do not write "see resume" as a response to the questions.

Additional Information

Work hours: This is a full-time position (40 hrs/week) Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm with some flexibility and telework opportunities available upon prior approval from the supervisor. This is not a fully remote opportunity. Employees will be expected to be in the office at the discretion of the Supervisor and needs of the agency as well as to attend in-person classroom training.

Applicants may be asked to provide certified official transcripts.

All Cohort Interns are eligible for County government employee benefits that include health, dental and leave.

Arlington County is committed to advancing diversity, equity, access, and inclusion across all our services, activities, and programs. Learn more about our commitment.

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