Intern - Operations & Capital Planning

Job Details Job ID: 5943585 Application Deadline: Posted until filled Posted: Sep 29, 2026 Starting Date: Immediately Locations Central Office - Providence, Rhode Island Job Description The Operations & Capital Planning Intern will provide project management, documentation, research, and coordination support to the Chief Operating Officer and Operations team as the Providence Public School District advances Phase 4A of its capital plan. The intern will help establish and maintain the backbone systems needed to keep engagement activities, stakeholder input, decisions, deliverables, and follow-up actions organized, timely, and accessible. A centerpiece of the internship will be the development of a publication-quality playbook documenting PPSD's community-centered approach to capital and portfolio planning. The playbook will bring together engagement activities, qualitative and quantitative data, stakeholder themes, decision points, a rolling frequently asked questions resource, communications tools, and lessons learned. It will be designed to strengthen current implementation and support broader field learning and potential replication by urban school systems nationally. The intern will gain exposure to school leaders, central office administrators, students, families, community partners, design and construction professionals, and public agency partners. Through participation in project meetings, school-community engagements, and planning sessions, the intern will build practical experience at the intersection of district operations, public policy, community engagement, and large-scale systems change. We serve approximately 22,000 students across 37 elementary, middle, and high schools. Approximately 55% of students come from homes where English is not the primary language spoken. Together, our students and families speak 55 languages and represent 91 countries of origin. PPSD is a strong setting for emerging leaders who value creativity, disciplined execution, inclusive engagement, and meaningful public impact. REPORTS TO: Chief Operating Officer **Contingent upon funding** EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: Current enrollment in a master's degree program in education, public policy, public administration, urban planning, organizational leadership, management, or a related field through an accredited college or university. SCOPE OF INTERNSHIP: - Project Management & Backbone Support: Maintain the integrated work plan, engagement calendar, deliverable tracker, decision log, meeting materials, notes, and follow-up actions for Phase 4A capital planning and engagement. - Engagement Planning & Documentation: Support the preparation, logistics, facilitation, and documentation of engagement sessions with students, families, staff, school leaders, community partners, and governance stakeholders. - Research & Data Analysis: Collect, clean, organize, and synthesize qualitative and quantitative information, including participation data, survey findings, stakeholder questions, recurring themes, and relevant district or external research. - Capital Planning Playbook: Develop and maintain a clear, field-facing playbook that documents the district's engagement approach, tools and templates, data, themes, key milestones, decision-making processes, lessons learned, and repeatable practices. - Knowledge & FAQ Management: Maintain a rolling frequently asked questions resource and organized repository of approved information so that district teams can communicate consistently and respond to emerging questions efficiently. - Communications & Content Development: Draft briefing materials, presentations, summaries, engagement tools, and progress updates for varied audiences in coordination with district communications and project leads. - Benchmarking & Field Learning: Review relevant national examples and research on capital planning, portfolio strategy, community engagement, and school-community transitions; translate useful practices into recommendations for PPSD. - Continuous Improvement: Help establish feedback loops, track unresolved questions and implementation risks, and identify adjustments that strengthen the quality, accessibility, and consistency of the district's planning process. BENEFITS TO THE INTERN: - Applied Professional Experience: Gain first-hand experience supporting a complex, high-visibility capital planning initiative in a large, diverse, urban school district. - Project Management Development: Build practical skills in work planning, milestone management, meeting design, decision documentation, cross-functional coordination, and executive-level follow-through. - Research & Analysis Skills: Strengthen competencies in qualitative coding, survey and participation analysis, synthesis, data visualization, and evidence-informed decision support. - Leadership Exposure & Mentorship: Receive guidance from the Chief Operating Officer and collaborate with district, school, community, design, construction, and public-sector leaders. - Portfolio Building: Produce substantive work products, including a publication-quality playbook, executive briefs, engagement tools, and data summaries that demonstrate professional capability. - Field Contribution: Help translate PPSD's experience into practical resources that may inform capital and portfolio planning in other urban school systems. BENEFITS TO THE ORGANIZATION: - Execution Capacity: Provide dedicated backbone support across a complex, multi-stakeholder planning and engagement process. - Institutional Memory: Create a reliable record of activities, inputs, decisions, tools, and lessons that can support continuity across teams and project phases. - Data-Informed Planning: Strengthen the district's ability to identify themes, track participation, respond to stakeholder questions, and adjust engagement based on evidence. - Consistent Communication: Support aligned, accessible, and timely materials across project teams and stakeholder groups. - Reusable Infrastructure: Develop tools, templates, and protocols that can be adapted for future capital projects and other district transformation initiatives. - Field Leadership: Position PPSD to contribute a practical, community-centered model to the national conversation on educational facilities and portfolio planning. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS STANDARDS - Exceptional written communication, editing, synthesis, and presentation skills - Ability to translate complex information and diverse stakeholder perspectives into clear, concise, audience-ready materials - Demonstrated ability to build work plans, manage multiple work streams, organize tasks, and meet deadlines - Strong attention to detail and commitment to accurate, complete, and accessible documentation - Experience collecting, cleaning, organizing, and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data - Proficiency with Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets and working knowledge of presentation and document tools - Ability to create clear trackers, templates, process maps, summaries, and other practical project-management tools - Sound professional judgment, discretion, and ability to handle sensitive or evolving information appropriately - Ability to collaborate effectively with people of diverse roles, backgrounds, and perspectives - Ability to work independently, seek clarity when needed, and give and receive feedback - Commitment to the mission and vision of PPSD and to student-centered, community-responsive public service - Growth mindset and ability to adapt in a dynamic environment - Bilingual skills preferred EEO Statement Providence Public Schools is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer that is actively seeking to increase minority recruitment among its administrators and teaching staff. PSD does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, color, disability or veteran status. All programs are open to all individuals, regardless of their race, age, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, color, disability or veteran status. Notice of E-Verify Participation and Right to Work Providence Public School District participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all participating employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States. Please review the following posters for more information: - Notice of E-Verify Participation (English/Spanish) - IER Right to Work Poster (English/Spanish) Position Type: Part-Time Salary: $20 to $20 Per Hour Job Requirements Citizenship, residency or work visa required Contact Information Email: humanresources@ppsd.org