Who We Are
The Bureau of Governmental Research (BGR) is a private, nonprofit research organization dedicated to informed public policy making and the effective use of public resources for the improvement of government in the New Orleans metropolitan area. We are an independent, constructive, objective voice in the local policy landscape. Since 1932, BGR has helped make government more effective, efficient, transparent and accountable for the public’s benefit.
The Research We Do
Our nonpartisan research focuses primarily on five policy areas:
- General administration and structure
- Government finance, including taxation, pensions, budgets and contracting
- Infrastructure, such as streets, water, sewer, drainage and flood control
- Essential services and core systems, such as public schools, parks and recreation, public transportation, and criminal justice
- Public involvement in the private sector, such as economic development, city planning and zoning laws, and tax exemptions
What You Will Do
You will gain valuable experience by helping us execute multi-channel communications campaigns for public policy research reports. At the same time, you will help the public, policymakers and the news media learn about and engage with our research and events on public policy topics important to the New Orleans area. You will also support our broader organizational effort to track results and effectiveness of our communications and facilitate our work on several special projects.
On a day-to-day basis, you will work directly with our Vice President & Research Director and collaborate with our President & CEO and other BGR staff. Responsibilities generally will include:
- Report Communications. Help research staff develop and execute assignments for the communications plan for new BGR report releases. Assignments will vary for each report, but may include drafting direct email, media releases, social media posts, webpages, infographics and other public-facing communications.
- Social Media. Collaborate with BGR staff on developing ideas for and drafting social media posts, including images/videos. Assist as needed with posting to BGR’s social media accounts.
- Website Updates. Assist with updating and maintaining various content on BGR’s website.
- Metrics. Assist with maintaining and analyzing internal dashboards of key metrics for BGR communications and the implementation of BGR report recommendations.
- Special Projects. Collaborate with BGR staff on special communications projects.
Who We Are Looking For
BGR’s Communications Internship offers a unique opportunity for graduate or undergraduate students pursuing a career in mass communications, journalism, public administration or public policy.
The ideal candidate is forward-thinking and self-motivated, is interested in local public policy, understands our mission and voice, writes clearly and concisely, thinks creatively about using communications technology and social media, works effectively as a member of our team, offers and receives constructive feedback, and can manage tasks with professionalism and attention to detail.
We are looking for internship candidates who can use their skills, talents and creativity to advance our work. We also value your experience with any of the following:
- Microsoft Office, including PowerPoint
- Social media platforms
- Canva
- Adobe InDesign, Photoshop and other Creative Cloud applications
- Data visualization tools, such as Google Data Studio or Microsoft PowerBI
- Video editing/production software
- WordPress
We Are Flexible
BGR internships can be performed for course credit or compensation. If paid, the Communications Internship offers a rate of $15 per hour for a minimum of 20 hours of work per week. If you are selected for the internship, we will work with you to develop a specific work schedule and the duration of the internship. Our office is located in downtown New Orleans at the K&B Plaza building (1055 St. Charles Avenue, Suite 200).
How to Apply
Please send an email to careers@bgr.org explaining your interest in the BGR Communications Internship and attach your resume, at least two writing samples, and a link to a portfolio of your communications work (such as social media graphics, presentations or other content) on Google Drive, Dropbox or similar file storage service. In your email, please specify the season and year for which you wish to be considered:
- Spring (January – May); apply by November 15
- Summer (May – August); apply by March 15
- Fall (August – December); apply by July 15
The application period for Summer 2024 closed on March 15, 2024.
Unfortunately, as of February 1, 2024, BGR cannot accept applications for the Fall 2024 season. Please check back later about internships for 2025.
As noted above, we will tailor the start and end dates and weekly hours of the internship to fit the selected candidate’s availability.
We look forward to hearing from you! If you have any questions, please contact Stephen Stuart, BGR’s Vice President and Research Director, at sstuart@bgr.org or (504) 525-4152 ext. 105.