Economic Development Intern

As Central Ohio’s regional council, MORPC is an association of cities, villages, townships, counties, and regional organizations, serving rural, suburban, and urban areas. We take pride in bringing communities of all sizes and interests together to collaborate on the best practices and plans for the future of our growing region. We do this through several programs, services, projects, and initiatives – all with the goal of improving the lives of our residents and making Central Ohio stand out on the world stage. One of Central Ohio’s greatest strengths is the variety of our communities and to best serve our region MORPC strongly values a wide range of perspectives. MORPC strives to reflect those values in our workforce, our endeavors, and our positive impact on the region. Our work progresses when our team can draw on a broad spectrum of personal experiences and backgrounds, and when each member is open to learning from the experiences of others, both internally and externally. As an equal opportunity employer, we fully support all applicable state and federal laws and regulations and do not discriminate against applicants for employment or employees based on race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, sex or gender, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical conditions, age, disability or other handicap, genetic information, marital/familial status, veteran status, military status, or income or status with regard to public assistance in any aspects of our personnel policies, working conditions, or hiring and recruitment.

Examples of Duties:

• Assist with projects related to the economic development programs (Competitive Advantage, Local Economic Assistance, Freight Planning, CEDS/EDD)
• Gather, summarize, and analyze data on topics such as economic outlook and impact, demographics, best practices and more
• Prepare detailed factsheets distilling the information in Notice of Funding Opportunities to assist the internal team and external partners better understand a grant or loan opportunity
• Design and create flyers, presentations, and other marketing materials, as needed, using online tools like CANVA and others
• Communicate across departments at MORPC (Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission), including making presentations at meetings, and externally with county partners and key stakeholders about technical assistance, funding tools and resources
• Assist the Economic Development team with the content and format for the Drive Investment newsletter
• Conduct online research on programs related to economic and community development, transportation, infrastructure development and housing, as needed
• Attend external meetings hosted by regional partners along with other important webinars and meetings such as MORPC’s State of the Region and the CEDS Committee meetings
• Assist with event planning and organization of workshops and meetings related to economic development
• Perform special projects and other duties as assigned by the Economic Development team

Qualifications – Required knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Strong interest in economic development, regional planning, and community development issues.
• Ability to work as part of a team or individually with little supervision.
• Strong writing and verbal communication skills.
• A strong work ethic and excellent interpersonal skills are necessary.
• Experience with Microsoft Office software, specifically Outlook and Excel, is required.
• Experience with Canva, ArcGIS, Adobe InDesign for projects is helpful.
• A valid driver’s license and access to reliable transportation for occasional travel within the region.

Training and Experience:

• Applicants must be enrolled in a college or university with preference given to an upper-class of a four-year degree or a graduate student. Fields related to Urban and Regional Planning, Public Policy, Economics, Public Administration, or a related field are preferred.
• A combination of training, experience and education will be considered.

Please apply online at http://www.morpc.org/careers/ or you may mail a resume to: 

MORPC Attn: MD-2-26
111 Liberty St., Suite 100
Columbus, OH 43215
www.morpc.org
No phone calls please.

Update: Candidates who currently have valid U.S. work authorization are encouraged to apply. Please note: MORPC is unable to provide new H-1B visa sponsorship due to recent federal changes.
Transportation Requirement:

The successful candidate must have reliable transportation to report to the MORPC's office location and to attend off-site meetings, events, or client visits as required. A valid driver's license and access to a personal vehicle may be necessary depending on the specific needs of the role.