Business & Community Development Intern at Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation in Madison, WI

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

Position Description

Position Title: Business & Community Development Intern

Department: Business & Community Development

Reports to: Senior Economic Development Director

Position(s) Supervised: N/A

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Position Summary

The WEDC Internship program is designed to offer the intern broad exposure to economic development, community development, real estate redevelopment, historic preservation, and program management and evaluation. The Business & Community Development Intern primarily supports staff and external customers to accomplish tasks with little direction required.

Responsibilities

The Business & Community Development Intern will spend a majority of their time in these activities:

Provide support to administer the Historic Tax Credit (HTC) program.
Work with eligible entities throughout the state to apply to the HTC program.
Work with customers who have received HTC assistance to ensure ongoing performance and support of their award.
Perform program evaluation and benchmarking research.
Independently respond to questions and inquiries from internal and external sources concerning the HTC program.
Assist in the maintenance of the HTC program application, implementation manuals and guides.
Follows the prepared guides and manuals to ensure the accuracy and completeness of their work.
Collaborates with state agencies on the deployment of the HTC program.
Attend organization and division meetings as schedule permits.
Other projects as assigned.

Education and Experience

Current enrollment in a degree program related to WEDC services including, but not limited to: Economics, Political Science, Public Administration, Planning or Urban Development.
Some relevant or equivalent experience in a professional services environment is preferred.

Skills and Talents

Ability to organize work, balance multiple priorities, and manage a variety of projects in a fast-paced, flexible work environment.
Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, organization skills, sound reasoning, independent judgment, and initiative to accomplish tasks with little or no direction.
Requires advanced computer skills with Microsoft Office Suite and other software or applications associated with assigned work.
Strong written and verbal communication skills to deal effectively with senior executives, as well as diverse groups of people internal and external to the organization.
Position is performed remotely. Will require regular update calls and virtual meetings with the hiring manager.
Requires a high level of confidentiality, discretion, and professionalism.

Other Requirements

Based on the responsibilities of this position, this position may need to lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
Occasional travel to the main office is expected based on role responsibilities, as well as for collaboration and team-building opportunities, depending on the employee’s schedule and business needs.

WEDC DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION & BELONGING STATEMENT

WEDC must be a diverse and inclusive organization reflective of the businesses, communities, and people in Wisconsin and beyond. We believe that diversity drives innovation and commit to create an inclusive, equitable and diverse workplace where our differences are celebrated as drivers of our organization’s performance.

TO SUPPORT A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE WORKFORCE AT WEDC, WE WILL WORK TO ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING GOALS:

Increase WEDC’s racial diversity, specifically with Black/African American, Native American and Latinx populations;
Increase LGBTQ representation across WEDC; and
Increase the diversity of WEDC’s leadership.

TO MEET OUR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION GOALS, WEDC WILL TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS:

Create an intentional approach to recruit minority candidates by using targeted media channels to promote open positions;
Ensure formal offers are made only after a diverse pool of candidates have been considered at each hiring stage;
Identify and develop a variety of employee resource groups, including groups for African Americans, Hispanics and Latinos, LGBTQ+ and more;
Post signage to highlight WEDC’s commitment to diversity and inclusion; and
Revisit EEO disclosures in our application process to highlight statements regarding WEDC’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution and EEO/Affirmative Action Employer committed to excellence through diversity. Employment offers are made on the basis of qualifications, and without regard to race, sex, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, age, veteran status, or sexual orientation.

Veteran Declaration

Applicants for employment are invited to participate in affirmative action program by reporting their status as a protected veteran or other minority. In extending this invitation, we advise you that: (a) workers (applicants) are under no obligation to respond but may do so in the future if they choose; (b) responses will remain confidential within the human resource department; and (c) responses will be used only for the necessary information. Refusal to provide this information will have no bearing on your application and will not subject you to any adverse treatment.
** PROTECTED VETERAN DEFINITION

Protected veteran means a veteran who may be classified as an active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran, disabled veteran, Armed Forces service medal veteran or recently separated veteran.

Active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

Armed Forces service medal veteran means any veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985 (61 FR 1209, 3 CFR, 1996 Comp., p. 159).

Disabled veteran means (1) a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or (2) a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

Recently separated veteran means a veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service.

* EEOC RACE/ETHNIC IDENTIFICATION CATEGORIES

Hispanic or Latino - A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.

White (not Hispanic or Latino) - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East or North Africa.

Black or African American (not Hispanic or Latino) - A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (not Hispanic or Latino) - A person having origins in any of the peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa or other Pacific Islands.

Asian (not Hispanic or Latino) - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand and Vietnam.

American Indian or Alaska Native (not Hispanic or Latino) - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) and who maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment.

Two or more races (not Hispanic or Latino) - All persons who identify with more than one of the above races.