Communications & Engagement Intern

At a Glance

Time Commitment: Part-Time, 20 hours/week

Experience Level: Current Undergraduate Student in good academic standing

Team: Philanthropy and Communications; reports to Manager of External Relations

Pay rate: $20/hour

Location: Asheville, NC

Timeframe: May 15th, 2026 - August 7th, 2026

Internship is available to rising Undergraduate Juniors and Seniors.

The Opportunity: Mountain Housing Opportunities (MHO) is seeking a dynamic and creative Communications and Engagement Intern to support our mission of building and improving homes, neighborhoods, and communities. This internship offers a hands-on opportunity to gain experience in nonprofit communications, marketing, and public policy. The ideal candidate will have strong writing skills, attention to detail, and a passion for storytelling, communications, and community development. Your work in this role will help empower people and produce direct and lasting positive change.

Internship: This internship is designed to provide valuable hands-on experience in public policy research, advocacy, and nonprofit operations. We are happy to work with students to meet academic requirements for school credit, including completing evaluations, providing supervision documentation, and supporting any reports or presentations that may be required by their academic institution. Our team is committed to ensuring this internship is a meaningful learning opportunity that contributes both to the student's professional development and to MHO's mission.

Position Summary: The Communications and Engagement Intern will be responsible for supporting the overall communications and engagement efforts at Mountain Housing Opportunities. This includes but is not limited to content sourcing and creation, press and community outreach, writing and editing MHO digital and print collaterals, special event support, and departmental administrative duties as assigned. This internship is intended to provide you with meaningful, practical experience and opportunities for learning in nonprofit management, communications, and public relations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Content Creation and Communications (60%)

• Help create content for a variety of digital and print materials, including monthly newsletters, press releases, email communications, website and social media content, video scripts, impact reports, event communications, and other collateral as needed.
• Help collaborate with MHO's contracted brand agency on the design and production of digital and print materials.
• Help create content for MHO's website, ensuring accuracy and relevance in partnership with staff and the brand agency. Digitize old files for current use.
• Work with our email marketing platform (Constant Contact), including creating email campaigns, developing strategies to grow the subscriber base, and tracking and reporting on performance metrics.
• Help manage MHO's social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) through Vista Social, including creating and scheduling timely and relevant posts related to MHO's mission, affordable housing, and community development topics.

• Other duties as assigned.

Event Planning and Production (20%)

• Support and learn from the Director of Philanthropy in planning and producing MHO's annual signature fundraising event, as well as community engagement events such as groundbreakings and grand openings.
• Help with sourcing, selecting, and managing vendors and contractors for event production, with a focus on local and women- or minority-owned businesses.
• Help with event materials, including writing talking points, drafting scripts, and creating audiovisual presentations (slide decks, videos, etc.).

• Other duties as assigned.

Public Policy (20%)

• Collaborate with the Communications and Philanthropy teams to align advocacy messaging across platforms.
• Participate in internal team meetings, strategic planning sessions, and training opportunities as appropriate.
• Attend and take notes at relevant public meetings, hearings, and coalition meetings; report back key takeaways to staff.
• Conduct research on housing, community development, and affordable housing policy at the local, state, and federal levels.

• Other duties as assigned.

Competencies

• Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills; proven ability to produce compelling content for a variety of audiences across a variety of formats.
• Proficiency in business software applications, including Google Workspace and/or Microsoft Office.
• Clear and confident communicator.
• Curious, investigative, and ethical storyteller who demonstrates active and generous listening skills.
• Passionate about producing engaging, impactful, and high-quality communications and events.

• Demonstrates tenacious attention to detail and content accuracy.

• Excellent interpersonal and collaboration skills with the ability to work effectively across teams and with external partners.
• Manages shifting priorities and complex workflows in a dynamic work environment.
• Able to discover challenges, identify and implement resolutions, and adjust approach as needed.
• Builds trust through accountability, demonstrates compassion, practices patience, cultivates optimism.
• Demonstrates a high level of professionalism in dealing with confidential and sensitive issues.
• Actively seeks out and participates in ongoing learning and skill-building opportunities related to responsibilities, organizational priorities, industry, and sector.

Working Conditions

Cognitive: Able to accurately read written information, communicate via phone and via email, and verbally/in-person in the English language; able to understand and relate to concepts behind specific ideas and remember multiple tasks/assignments given over a period of days; able to attend to tasks/functions for more than 60 minutes at a time; able to concentrate on detail in both office and field with moderate interruption.

Physical: Must be able to work on a computer for extended periods; able to push/pull/carry objects less than 20 pounds; sit, stand, bend, kneel, walk, climb stairs; may need to enter/exit buildings that are under construction, occasionally, without normal ingress/egress available; able to travel offsite, as needed via necessary transportation, to MHO sites, meetings, and events.

Environmental: Subject to low to moderate noise typical of office work environments (computers, printers, staff interactions); occasionally exposed to construction site noise and hazards for short periods of time; must wear personal protective equipment, such as safety glasses, hardhat, earplugs, and safe footwear when warranted; may be subjected to various weather conditions including hot or cold temperatures and precipitation.

Time-Oriented: Must be able to work 20 hours during the regular workweek (Monday-Friday), with occasional work required during evenings, weekends, or holidays.

Equal Opportunity Employer: MHO provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state or local laws. MHO complies with applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination of employment in every location in which MHO has employees.

About Us: Founded in 1988 by volunteers, Mountain Housing Opportunities is the regional nonprofit leader in developing and preserving safe, stable, and affordable housing in Buncombe County and beyond. MHO serves more than 2,000 households each year in western North Carolina through affordable rental homes, essential home repair, the construction and sale of new affordable homes, and down payment assistance. MHO's mission is to build and improve homes, neighborhoods, communities, and lives, and build hope and dignity in the people we serve. MHO is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and operates as a Community Development Housing Organization (CHDO) and a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). Visit https://mtnhousing.org/ to learn more.