Paid Internship with Appalachian Regional Commission (Dupont Circle area) -- Apply by May 31st!

Vacancy Announcement Number: ARC 2016-3

Closing Date: May 31, 2016

Salary Range: $15.00–$20.00/hour

Location: Appalachian Regional Commission (Dupont Circle area)
1666 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20009

Length of Service/Tour of Duty: Full-time temporary during the summer, with the possibility to continue into the fall on a part-time basis. Start date is as soon as possible.


Background

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a small federal-state partnership that works to create opportunities for self-sustaining economic and community development and improved quality of life in the Appalachian Region. The Commission consists of a federal co-chair who is appointed by the president, and the governors of the 13 Appalachian states; the Region consists of 420 counties in those states. The Commission awards grants and contracts to nonprofit organizations and units of government within this area. These grants may be for physical infrastructure; education and training; civic capacity building and leadership development; entrepreneurship and business development; and health care. The Commission, based in Washington, D.C., comprises approximately 50 technical and professional staff supporting grant-making, advocacy, and knowledge-building functions to assist the Appalachian Region.


Position Information

This intern position will report to the director of the Division of Regional Planning and Research, who will coordinate his/her work duties and schedule. The purpose of the position is to assist with verification of performance metrics on grants that have been closed out. The intern will follow up with grantees after project closeout to obtain actual performance results to the extent possible. This information will then be entered into ARC's grant management database (ARC.net) and the annual Performance Accountability Report (PAR).The intern will work closely alongside research staff performing the following duties:


Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop a list of ARC grantees whose projects have closed between one and four years prior.
• Communicate directly with grantees via email, phone, Skype, or other mechanism to obtain, verify, and validate actual performance metrics and gather information on the outcomes and long-term impact of selected projects.
• Compare actual reported metrics with proposed measures and final measures, then update existing files accordingly.
• In a few cases of outliers, develop deeper profile or case study of the ARC project based on information provided directly from grantees.
• Update performance metrics in ARC.net for use in future program evaluations conducted by external reviewers. ARC staff will develop protocol for interviews and follow-up documentation and verification of metrics.
• Report this information in the PAR and other venues as appropriate, including ARC's budget justification document.

Requirements and Qualifications

Candidates should be undergraduate or graduate students currently enrolled in college or university.
Work is required to be performed at ARC offices in Washington, D.C. There is a possibility that travel in the Appalachian Region may be authorized as necessary for the task.

Applicants will be evaluated to determine if they meet the minimum qualification requirements and the extent to which their application demonstrates the following knowledge, skills, and abilities, including one or more of the following:

Knowledge or experience in:

• regional planning
• public administration
• program evaluation
• public policy
• general data analysis
• economic development
• geography
• Appalachian studies
• Microsoft Office Suite and other software

Skills required:

• Critical thinking
• Analytical ability
• Strong written and oral communication

How to Apply

Applicants should submit a resume and a cover letter addressing the qualifications shown above by email to hr@arc.gov.