Executive Internship 2026

Program Overview

This is an unpaid internship designed to provide a high-performing college student with structured, educational exposure to executive-level operations, strategic planning, and organizational management within a mission-driven nonprofit. Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), the intern will engage in learning-focused projects that build professional skills in the context of PACE Business’s work serving small, minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses across Los Angeles. The primary purpose of this internship is the educational benefit of the intern.

• Project Management: Support and track active initiatives across departments, maintain project timelines, and help ensure deliverables stay on schedule.
• Research & Analysis: Conduct meaningful research on operational trends, performance benchmarks, or strategic opportunities and present findings as a final deliverable.
• Data Analysis: Collect, clean, and analyze organizational data to surface insights that inform COO decision-making and program planning.
• Executive Support: Gain direct insight into how a nonprofit COO manages cross-functional priorities, stakeholder relationships, and organizational performance.

Duration

10 – 12 Weeks

Reports To

Chief Operating Officer (COO), PACE Business

Team

Office of the CEO & COO / Cross-Departmental

Focus

Project Management, Research, Data Analysis

Location

PACE, 1055 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA (In-Person Internship)

Compensation

Unpaid (This is an unpaid internship. Academic credit is strongly encouraged and may be arranged with the intern’s institution.)

Job Description

Project Management (Core Responsibility)

The intern will play an active role in managing and tracking strategic projects under the COO's portfolio. This is a hands-on function that builds real project management competency.

• Maintain a master project tracker across active COO initiatives, monitoring deadlines, owners, and completion status.
• Support the planning and coordination of cross-departmental projects, including scheduling, agenda preparation, communication drafts, and follow-up documentation.
• Draft project charters, work plans, and status update summaries for internal stakeholders.
• Identify bottlenecks or gaps in project execution and flag risks to the COO with proposed solutions.
• Assist with preparing materials for leadership meetings, board updates, and partner presentations.

Research & Analysis (Primary Focus)

The intern will dedicate a significant portion of their time to a structured research project (see Learning Projects section) that develops transferable professional skills and produces a portfolio-worthy deliverable for the intern. This work is designed primarily for the intern’s educational growth and skill development.

• Research best practices from peer nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and social enterprises relevant to PACE's strategic priorities.
• Analyze internal programs, workflows, or outcomes data and benchmark against comparable organizations.
• Develop original resources, frameworks, or strategic recommendations grounded in research findings.
• Present findings and recommendations in a formal presentation to the COO and leadership team.

Data Analysis (Supporting Role)

The intern will support data-driven decision-making by helping gather, organize, and interpret organizational data across programs and operations.

• Collect and clean data from internal sources including program trackers, intake records, and outcome reports.
• Build or maintain dashboards and reports in Excel or Google Sheets to visualize key performance indicators.
• Assist with preparing quarterly program performance summaries and narrative reports.
• Identify trends, gaps, or patterns in data and present findings clearly to a non-technical audience.

Qualifications

Academic

• 2 years or more at a college or university program.
• Preferred fields of study: Business Administration, Public Policy, Data Analytics, Urban Planning, Economics, Sociology or related fields.

Tech Competency

• Proficiency with Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Familiarity with Google Workspace (Drive, Sheets, Docs, Slides).
• Basic data analysis skills: pivot tables, charts, data cleaning in Excel or Google Sheets.
• Familiarity with project management tools (Asana, Trello, Monday.com, or similar) is a plus.
• Familiarity with government or nonprofit databases is a plus (SAM.gov, Cal eProcure, ProcureLA).

Soft Skills

• Strong research and writing skills: ability to synthesize complex information and present it clearly.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and reliable with deadlines.
• Genuine interest in nonprofit management, economic development, or public sector work.
• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and ask good questions.
• Comfortable working directly with senior leadership in a fast-paced environment.

Program Format

I: 1-2 Weeks

Orientation & Onboarding

• Meet with COO and key department leads
• Review organizational strategy, priorities, and active initiatives
• Understand PACE's mission, programs, and stakeholder landscape
• Identify learning project focus area with COO supervisor

II: 2 Weeks

Research & Discovery

• Conduct primary and secondary research for learning project
• Shadow department meetings and cross-functional workgroups
• Begin collecting and organizing data for analysis
• Draft early findings and preliminary recommendations

III: 2 Weeks

Development & Build

• Develop final learning project deliverable (dashboard, report, or strategic framework)
• Present progress update to COO for mid-point feedback
• Support project management tasks and operational priorities
• Refine deliverable based on supervisor input

IV: 1 Weeks

Synthesis & Presentation

• Complete final Learning Project Report (PPT or written report)
• Deliver formal presentation to the COO and leadership team
• Submit all documentation and project files to shared drive
• Internship completion ceremony and certificate award

Proposed Learning Projects

The intern will select ONE of the following learning projects in consultation with the COO. Each project is designed to build professional competencies and produce a portfolio piece that demonstrates the intern’s growth. Any work product created may also be shared with PACE as a supplementary outcome of the intern’s learning.

Option A: Organizational Performance Dashboard

Design and build an executive-level dashboard as a hands-on learning exercise in data visualization and performance measurement. The intern will develop skills in data modeling and dashboard design, producing a working prototype in Excel or Google Sheets along with a summary guide. This project is intended to build the intern’s analytical and technical competencies.

Option B: Operational Efficiency Assessment

Research and analyze operational workflows as a learning exercise in process improvement and nonprofit management. The intern will develop skills in benchmarking and organizational assessment, producing a written report that applies research and critical thinking skills. This project is intended to build the intern’s analytical and writing competencies.

Option C: Development & Funding Diversification Strategy

Research nonprofit funding landscapes and development strategies as a learning exercise in fundraising, grant research, and strategic planning. The intern will develop skills in prospect research, donor cultivation concepts, and strategic writing. The deliverable will be a research report demonstrating the intern’s ability to synthesize information and present strategic recommendations—a strong portfolio piece for careers in nonprofit management or public policy