INTERN at City of Fort Myers in FL

INTERN

Location: FL, United States

JOB TITLE: Community Redevelopment Agency Intern

JOB DESCRIPTION

Department: Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA)

Location: Fort Myers, Florida
Reports To: Executive Director or designated supervisor
Schedule, Duration, and Compensation: To be established prior to recruitment

Help Shape the Future of Fort Myers

The Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is seeking a motivated, detail-oriented intern with an interest in community redevelopment, public administration, and public service. This opportunity provides hands-on experience supporting the agency’s finance, marketing and communications, grant programs, and administrative operations while contributing to initiatives that strengthen neighborhoods, support local businesses, preserve historic places, and expand opportunities throughout the community.

Working alongside CRA staff, the intern will gain insight into how a public agency translates redevelopment priorities into projects, programs, and community improvements. Assignments will be based on agency needs and may be tailored, when practicable, to the intern’s interests, academic background, and professional development goals.

Responsibilities and Reporting During an Emergency Situation:

Essential Employees may be required to work during a declared emergency. Depending on the nature of the emergency, this may require working around the clock for several days on short notice.

Non-Essential Employees will not be required to work during a declared emergency. The employee’s Department Head will determine when the employee will be required to work.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities

1. Finance and Fiscal Support

• Assist with organizing invoices, purchase requisitions, and supporting financial documentation.
• Update spreadsheets and help track project expenditures, program budgets, and related financial information.
• Assist in preparing financial summaries and organizing records for staff review.
• Gain exposure to public-sector purchasing, budgeting, financial documentation, and accountability procedures under staff supervision.

2. Marketing, Communications, and Promotions

• Draft social media content, website updates, newsletters, and project highlights for staff review and approval.
• Assist in developing informational materials about CRA projects, grant opportunities, programs, and progress of redevelopment.
• Organize photographs, graphics, and other communications materials.
• Support public meeting notices, community outreach, and educational communications related to approved CRA activities.

3. Grants and Program Support

• Research potential funding opportunities and summarize eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other relevant information.
• Assist with organizing grant applications, supporting documentation, and reporting materials.
• Maintain application trackers and help monitor program milestones and deadlines.
• Assist with preparing applicant information and responding to routine program inquiries using agency-approved guidance.

4. Administrative and Project Support

• Assist with meeting preparation, agenda materials, correspondence, scheduling, and records organization.
• Conduct research and prepare concise summaries to support redevelopment projects and agency initiatives.
• Update project trackers, contact lists, and administrative databases.
• Help coordinate information across agency functions and follow up on assigned tasks.
• Provide courteous, professional customer service to residents, businesses, applicants, and community partners.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in an accredited college, university, or technical education program, or a recent graduate.
• Demonstrated interest in public administration, finance, accounting, marketing, communications, business, urban planning, community development, or a related field.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Attention to detail and the ability to organize information accurately.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments, meet deadlines, and seek guidance when needed.
• Professional judgment, discretion, and respect for confidential information.
• Ability to work collaboratively and professionally with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Canva, social media platforms, spreadsheet analysis, research, or document preparation.
• Previous involvement in volunteer activities, community initiatives, student organizations, or public-service projects.
• Familiarity with project coordination, public communications, financial recordkeeping, or grant-related activities.

Previous government experience is not required. The CRA welcomes applicants who demonstrate initiative, a willingness to learn, and a genuine interest in contributing to the community.

What You Will Gain

• Practical experience supporting multiple functions within a community redevelopment agency.
• Mentorship, guidance, and feedback from experienced public-sector professionals.
• Exposure to redevelopment projects, public meetings, grant programs, financial processes, and community partnerships.
• Opportunities to strengthen research, writing, communication, financial, organizational, and project coordination skills.
• A better understanding of local government operations and the relationship between public programs and community outcomes.
• Meaningful experience connecting classroom learning with real-world redevelopment initiatives.

Work Expectations

The intern will perform assigned duties under staff supervision and in accordance with applicable CRA policies, procedures, and administrative requirements. Accuracy, reliability, professionalism, initiative, and a willingness to learn are essential.

Duties may include office-based work, attendance at public meetings, community outreach activities, and supervised visits to redevelopment project sites. The intern is expected to communicate effectively, maintain appropriate confidentiality, meet agreed-upon deadlines, and seek clarification when needed.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

This work typically requires the following physical activities to be performed.

Physical Activities

• Balancing – maintain equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing, or crouching. X

• Climbing – ascending, descending ladders, stairs, ramps, requires body agility. X

• Crawling – moving about on hands, knees, or hands, feet.

• Pushing – use upper extremities to press against objects with force, or thrust forward, downward, outward. X

• Reaching – extending hands or arms in any direction. X

• Repetitive Motion – substantial movements of wrists, hands, fingers. X

• Speaking – expressing ideas with spoken word, convey detailed, important instructions accurately, concisely. X

• Standing – for sustained periods of time. X

• Stooping – bending body downward, forward at waist, with full motion of lower extremities and back. X

• Talking 1- expressing ideas by spoken word X

• Talking 2- shouting to be heard above ambient noise. X

• Crouching – bending body forward by bending leg, spine. X

• Feeling – perceiving attributes of objects by touch with skin, fingertips. X

• Fingering – picking, pinching, typing, working with fingers rather than hand. X

• Grasping – applying pressure to object with fingers, palm. X

• Handling – picking, holding, or working with whole hand. X

• Hearing 1 – perceiving sounds at normal speaking levels, receive information. X

• Hearing 2 – receive detailed information, make discrimination in sound. X

• Kneeling – bending legs at knee to come to rest at knees. X

• Lifting – raising objects from lower to higher position, moving objects side to side, using upper extremities, back. X

• Mental Acuity – ability to make rational decisions through sound logic, deductive reasoning. X

• Pulling - use upper extremities to exert force, haul or tug.

• Visual Acuity 1 - prepare, analyze data, transcribing, computer terminal, extensive reading. X

• Visual Acuity 2 - color, depth perception, field of vision. X

• Visual Acuity 3 - determine accuracy, neatness, observe facilities/structures. X

• Visual Acuity 4 - operate motor vehicles/heavy equipment.

• Visual Acuity 5 -close acuity for inspection of small defects, machines, use measurement devices, or fabricate parts.

• Walking - on foot to accomplish tasks, long distances, or site to site. X
  

TYPE OF WORK

Work performed is primarily:

Sedentary work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Contact with internal and external customers, and outside agencies.

• May be required to work hours other than the regular schedule including evening, weekend, holidays and during emergencies.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions described herein. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.

Equal Opportunity and Accessibility

The Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency is committed to a professional and respectful working environment. Recruitment and selection will be conducted in accordance with applicable employment laws and agency policies.

Join Us in Moving Fort Myers Forward

Bring your curiosity, contribute your skills, and gain valuable experience helping shape the future of Fort Myers. The Community Redevelopment Intern will have an opportunity to learn, collaborate, and support initiatives that make a meaningful difference in the community.

The City of Fort Myers has the right to revise this job description at any time. This description does not represent in any way a contract of employment.