PAWS Chicago · 23 hours ago
Internship Program Specialist
Chicago, IL
Internship
Onsite
Intern, Mid Level
$40K/yr - $50K/yr
3+ years expPAWS Chicago is a national model in No Kill animal sheltering and the largest No Kill shelter in Chicagoland. The Internship Program Specialist serves as the subject matter expert and central coordinator for the internship program, managing intern recruitment, onboarding, and logistics while ensuring the program reflects best practices and operates effectively at scale.
EventsHomeless ShelterNon ProfitPet
Responsibilities
Serve as the subject matter expert on intern development and career readiness, creating structured pathways that support professional identity formation and successful transition into animal welfare careers
Design and refine program structures, learning objectives, and evaluation methods to enhance intern experience and organizational impact
Develop and maintain training curricula, orientation materials, and program resources across all departments
Analyze program data and outcomes to provide strategic recommendations to leadership on program growth, improvement, and resource allocation
Benchmark PAWS Chicago's internship program against peer organizations and industry standards
Lead special projects and pilot initiatives to test new approaches to intern engagement and development
Contribute to departmental strategic planning related to workforce development and talent pipeline
Manage the full internship lifecycle across all departments: recruitment, onboarding, active placement, and offboarding
Maintain program timelines aligned with academic calendars (semester, quarter, summer), application cycles, and departmental capacity
Ensure internship policies, expectations, and processes are communicated consistently across all program areas
Coordinate intern schedules to meet 12-20 hour/week commitment requirements across locations (Medical Center, Lincoln Park Adoption Center, Blazer Building)
Design and execute seasonal internship recruitment strategies for fall, spring, and summer cohorts
Manage application workflows including tracking, resume/cover letter review, interview scheduling, and selection timelines
Communicate clearly with applicants regarding timelines, decisions, and onboarding steps
Evaluate recruitment effectiveness and adjust strategies to attract qualified, diverse candidates
Design and deliver comprehensive onboarding and orientation experiences for incoming interns
Support departments in preparing interns for successful entry into their roles
Maintain consistent onboarding experience while accommodating department-specific requirements (e.g., animal handling safety protocols)
Continuously refine onboarding processes based on intern and supervisor feedback
Serve as primary point of contact for all interns on program logistics, scheduling, and requirements
Support interns in navigating availability, schedule changes, and hour requirements for academic credit
Reinforce expectations related to professionalism, attendance, and program conduct
Identify high-potential interns across all program areas and maintain records for future hiring consideration
Generate excitement about career pathways at PAWS Chicago through intern engagement and professional development opportunities
Partner with HR to communicate open roles to current and former interns
Track intern-to-staff conversion metrics and maintain alumni connections for future recruitment
Establish and maintain relationships with field education offices, career services, and faculty at partner institutions
Represent PAWS Chicago at career fairs, classroom presentations, and academic networking events
Develop and maintain affiliation agreements with academic programs in social work, animal science, communications, nonprofit management, and related fields
Position PAWS as a destination internship site to create a sustainable pipeline of qualified candidates
Maintain accurate intern records, databases, and program documentation across all departments
Track and analyze intern participation, hours, retention, and program outcomes for internal reporting
Develop and present program reports to leadership with insights and recommendations
Support administrative coordination related to stipends, grants, or agreements when applicable
Partner with Program Managers, Assistant Directors, and department supervisors across all program areas to assess internship needs and capacity
Design and implement evaluation tools to assess intern experiences and program effectiveness
Identify recurring challenges and develop process improvements
Share best practices and provide guidance to supervisors on effective intern mentorship
Qualification
Required
3-5 years of experience in program development, field education, career services, student affairs, academic advising, workforce development, or nonprofit administration
2-3 years of experience working with interns, volunteers, or early-career individuals in a structured program setting
Demonstrated experience designing or significantly improving programs, curricula, or training materials
Experience with program evaluation, outcomes measurement, or data analysis
Demonstrated experience managing schedules, documentation, and multi-step processes across teams
Availability to work on-site at PAWS Chicago locations (Medical Center, Lincoln Park Adoption Center, Blazer Building)
Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in human services, education, nonprofit management, or related field
3+ years of experience in a program development, program specialist, or senior coordination role
Experience designing, implementing, or significantly improving structured programs
Strong program development and design skills with ability to build and refine systems
Excellent organizational and prioritization skills with ability to manage multiple program areas simultaneously
Demonstrated analytical skills with experience using data to inform program decisions
Strong time management and follow-through across concurrent projects and seasonal cycles
Clear, professional written and verbal communication skills
Ability to manage recurring cycles, deadlines, and transitions aligned with academic calendars
Comfort working in a dynamic environment with seasonal workload fluctuations
Ability to collaborate effectively across departments and with external academic partners
Sound professional judgment, discretion, and attention to detail
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and database/tracking systems
Ability to travel to all PAWS locations as needed
Preferred
Bilingual in Spanish strongly preferred
Company
PAWS Chicago
PAWS Chicago is committed to putting measures in place to end the killing of homeless dogs.
51-200 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageTotal Funding
unknownKey Investors
Banfield Foundation
2023-06-15Grant
Leadership Team
Susanna Wickham
Chief Executive Officer
Alexis Fasseas
Co-Founder
Recent News
2025-07-18
Company data provided by crunchbase