Mayor's Fellows Program - 2026 Office of the Chief Administrative Office Intern

Are you Richmond R.E.A.D.Y? Respect. Equity. Accountability. Diversity…YOU!!!

This is an EXCITING time to Join the City of Richmond! We are committed to nurturing talent, fostering growth opportunities, and building strong connections within our workforce. As we continue to make strides to becoming the employer of choice, we are thrilled about the below employee benefit enhancements:

• Virginia Retirement System (VRS)
• Language Incentive
• Referral Bonus
• Tuition Assistance Program

Description

As a fellow in the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, you will work closely with executive staff on cross-departmental policy and administrative projects. In this fast-paced environment, you will have the opportunity to engage with senior leadership, write briefs, memos and reports on policy and operational topics, and provide administrative support as needed.

Duties include but are not limited to

• Support the CAO’s Office with research, analysis, and coordination of key strategic initiatives across City departments.
• Assist with constituent services including taking phone calls, drafting letters and addressing constituents questions and concerns.
• Write briefs and/or memos on City Council meetings for CAO office staff
• Assist in tracking and monitoring special projects aligned with City leadership goals.
• Prepare briefing materials, reports, presentations, and summaries for executive leadership meetings.
• Assist with data collection and analysis to support decision-making and operational improvements.
• Support the coordination and logistics of cross-departmental meetings, working groups, and stakeholder engagements.
• Draft and edit internal communications, memos, and correspondence on behalf of the CAO’s Office.
• Participate in strategic planning efforts, including documenting discussions and tracking action items.
• Assist with special projects and priority initiatives as assigned by CAO leadership.
• Provide support in process improvement efforts, including identifying efficiencies and documenting workflows.
• Engage in interdepartmental collaboration to gain exposure to various City functions and operations.
• Attend meetings with senior leadership and provide meeting notes, summaries, and follow-up tracking.

Qualifications, Special Certifications and Licenses

To be considered for an internship in this program, applicants must adhere to the following criteria:

• The student must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program, be in good academic standing (as defined below), and be registered for courses during the internship period. Summer Interns do not have to be enrolled in summer school but must be enrolled for the upcoming Fall semester.
• Be currently enrolled as an undergraduate student, a graduate student, or a recent graduate of an undergraduate degree program from a four-year institution in good academic standing (within the last 6 months
• After graduating from a degree program, the student no longer qualifies for an internship with this program unless they have been accepted into a graduate program which is scheduled to begin within twelve (12) months of the hire date.
• Students must provide a college transcript and approval from the Academic Advisor or Career Development Counselor prior to the interview date.
• Students must be lawfully authorized to work in the United States and are required to present proof of such eligibility prior to beginning work.
• Undergraduate students must have completed 60 credit hours and have a 2.5 overall grade point average.
• Graduate students must be enrolled at an accredited institution and have a 3.0 overall grade point average.
• No special certification or license is required.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The City of Richmond provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

The City of Richmond is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, the City of Richmond will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodations. If you require reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to participate in the job application and/or the interview process, please contact Jessica McKenzie, Human Resources Manager by email at Jessica.McKenzie@RVA.GOV.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

The City of Richmond Values Veterans. We are an official V3 Certified Company.

The City of Richmond is a proud partner with the US Army Partnership for Your Success PaYS Program.

No benefits offered.