Downloadable PDF – Communications Intern Job Posting
Downloadable PDF – Communications Intern Performance Task
Details
Restrictions
This role is funded by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Youth Employment program; as such, only candidates who live in Illinois and are between the ages of 18 and 22 are eligible to apply.
Deadline to Apply
Rolling until filled, we hope to finalize this position by September 5th. Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
Position Description
The Chicago Poetry Center is currently seeking a creative, versatile, and hard working Communications Intern to support the efforts of our communications team.
The Communications Intern can expect to work directly with all staff at CPC on projects including updating our website pages, managing online mailing lists, and reviewing CPC social media and other content for additional communication opportunities. This has the potential to include updating and creating author pages on our reading series archive.
This position is a 5-10 hours per week hybrid position. Independent work can typically be completed remotely, and some meetings and events will take place at locations around the city, including at the CPC office in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood. Work product will primarily utilize GSuite.
This role is for someone who is eager to support an engaged, community-centered poetry and education focused nonprofit. Applicant can expect to expand their skills on the job and be a part of an open feedback workplace. The ideal candidate has experience in HTML/CSS and with WordPress, and is comfortable in GSuite, especially with Google Docs, Sheets, and Mail. These knowledge-sets are preferred but not required. Required skills for the position include open communication and a willingness to learn on the job. Learning on the job includes both researching one’s questions to see if the answer is within reach, and when it’s not, asking for support.
The Communications Intern will help the communications team with the following:
- Generate, schedule, and publish content on the Chicago Poetry Center website
- Coordinate with staff to ensure timely posting of new website and social media content for programs
- Edit content on the website as needed, including checking student poetry blogs for consistent formatting and structure
- Review CPC’s suite of Support special projects (special sets of student poetry to be published on the website, or creating copy/posts for CPC news and special projects)
- Updating the events mailing list monthly
- Time-allowing, this position will include building/editing CPC reading series archive pages
Timeline
The position is for 5-10 hours per week starting September 15th, 2025. Please indicate in your application if you are interested in a single term (September 15 – December 15) or have interest in continuing for additional terms. CPC has a strong preference for supporting interns in long-term engagements over multiple terms, and the internship may be renewed, pending performance. Weekly schedule will be determined by the Director of Programs considering the Intern’s schedule and can flex throughout the year. Ideally, intern will be available to virtually attend our weekly team meeting on Wednesdays at 3PM CT.
Requirements
As this position will require independent remote work, the intern must have personal access to a computer and internet. The intern may also be asked to make phone calls on occasion.
Internship Financial Support
Along with exemplary on-the-job experience and skill-building, the Chicago Poetry Center pays the Communications Intern a $1000 stipend per quarter (per three month term).
About Chicago Poetry Center
Welcome, Creatives!
The Chicago Poetry Center has a small staff, but we are highly engaged and eager to welcome new interns to our team. We’re serious about what we do, but we have a lot of fun doing it. Our organization supports the flourishing of creative work across our great city, and as such, we love supporting creative minds and innovative thinkers.
The Chicago Poetry Center is a nonprofit cultural organization dedicated to supporting poetry in Chicago and beyond. Our reading series puts poetry on boats, in observatories, and in bookstores to name a few of our every-changing event locations. Our education programs hire Chicago poets as teaching artists and performers for Chicago Public Schools. Learn more at www.poetrycenter.org
Commitment to Inclusion
The Chicago Poetry Center values diversity at all levels and understands that a safe and supportive environment is necessary to facilitate our work in valuing and uplifting creative expression. The Chicago Poetry Center commits to inclusion and will not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, socio-economic status, age, religion, national origin, marital, parental, or veteran status, or any other legally protected status. We strive to uphold our values in action through our decisions, programming, community building, and fostering an environment of continuous learning. The Chicago Poetry Center is committed to the principles of equal opportunity and it is the Poetry Center’s policy to comply fully with all federal and state laws that ban discrimination in the employer-employee relationship, and to continue to strive to go above and beyond the regulations of anti-discrimination law in fostering a workplace of equal opportunity and inclusion for all. CPC works in an ADA accessible building with gender neutral bathrooms. CPC supports a staff, teaching artist team, and program participant community that is diverse in race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, age, and ability, and leadership continuously audits our practices to deepen our inclusion.
How to Apply
Submit your resume and a brief cover letter by email to jobs@poetrycenter.org. In the subject line, please use this format: Communications Intern: Applicant Name
Your letter should let us know why you’re interested in working for the Chicago Poetry Center. It should tell us a bit about yourself and your relationship to poetry. We encourage you to include in your resume and/or cover letter any relevant skills you’ve acquired that aren’t tied to work experience – in other words, volunteer, life, and school experiences are also recognized as valid.
Your email or cover letter should confirm that you are an Illinois resident and within the age range stated above. Please additionally confirm that you are available for the term range and weekly hours required.
Please note that if you are invited to interview, we’ll ask you to submit a brief performance task prior to the interview. Details will be sent to you along with the invitation to interview.
