Political Internship
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition works to promote bicycling for everyday transportation. Our member-based grassroots organization is considered one of the largest, most active and effective advocacy groups in the country. For more than 40 years, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition has a proven track record of winning better bicycling improvements.
Position description
The Political Interns will work directly with our Advocacy Director and support SF Bicycle Coalition’s political endorsements process leading up to the November 2018 elections.
The SF Bicycle Coalition’s “Bike the Vote” endorsements and campaigning includes legislative research on ballot measures, candidate questionnaires for qualified candidates running for office and grassroots campaigning for endorsed measures and candidates. Our interns will help at every step of the process throughout the summer as voters gear up for important local races.
What you’ll learn:
- San Francisco politics, political processes and how to engage in local elections
- A behind-the-scenes look at San Francisco government and politics with respect to transportation policy and bike advocacy
- Effective endorsement processes, including grassroots campaign skills like canvassing and phonebanking, for local candidates and ballot measures
Responsibilities and duties include (but are not limited to):
- Drafting content for emails and our blog to promote Bike the Vote and engage our membership
- Managing and training volunteers to help Bike the Vote efforts
- Attend outreach to help get out the vote and support SF Bicycle Coalition’s endorsed ballot measures and candidates
Required skills or abilities:
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Experience in public and professional settings
- Some experience and/or knowledge of copy editing to produce high-quality communications
- Ability to work on tasks independently, set personal and professional goals and manage time productively
Desired skills or abilities:
- Ability to get around the city to attend meetings and/or perform outreach
- Comfortable riding a bike in an urban environment
- Passion for making San Francisco a better city for living and biking
Required dates for this internship include:
- Summer intern orientation; date TBD
Benefits:
- One year’s free membership to the SF Bicycle Coalition
- First-hand experience in one of the country’s oldest and largest bicycle advocacy organizations
- A behind-the-scenes view of a bustling nonprofit organization
- Ongoing professional development opportunities, including:
- Networking with SF Bicycle Coalition staff and professionals in a variety of fields, including but not limited to urban planning, transportation and nonprofits
- Training on and experience with nonprofit industry standard software (Salesforce, Basecamp, etc.)
- Presentations and trainings aimed at development of professional workforce skills
- Indoor bike parking provided
This unpaid internship offers a flexible schedule with a 10-15 hour/week minimum commitment. This is chiefly a Monday through Friday internship, with occasional evenings and weekends. Interns are expected to make a three-month commitment, which may be extended. While the position is not paid, we are happy to work with any academic requirements the intern may have to help them earn course credit for their efforts.
To Apply:
Write a compelling cover letter and resume, and submit using the form. Be sure to mention where you saw the internship advertised. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. People of color and women are strongly encouraged to apply. The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political orientation.
