Intern, Business and Program Development

About the Milken Institute

The Milken Institute is a globally minded, publicly supported, non-partisan, and nonprofit think tank headquartered in Santa Monica, with offices in Washington, DC, New York, London, Abu Dhabi, and Singapore. For the past three decades, the Milken Institute has served as a catalyst for practical, scalable solutions to global challenges by connecting human, financial, and educational resources to those who need them. Guided by a conviction that the best ideas, under-resourced, cannot succeed, we conduct research and analysis and convene top experts, innovators, and influencers from different backgrounds and competing viewpoints. We leverage this expertise and insight to construct programs and policy initiatives. These activities are designed to help people build meaningful lives, in which they can experience health and well-being, pursue effective education and gainful employment, and access the resources required to create ever-expanding opportunities for themselves and their broader communities.

The Milken Institute’s events and programmatic activities, involve the exchange of ideas with leaders from around the world. The Institute hosts more than 200 events each year, with our annual flagship event, Global Conference, bringing together 4,500+ participants from around the world, featuring more than 900+ speakers throughout 200+ sessions over the course of the event. 

About the Internship

The Milken Institute is seeking a paid Intern to support the Milken Institute’s Business and Program Development team starting October 2026. 

Employing the tools of research, convening and collaborating with leaders from finance, industry, public policy, philanthropy and the social sector, the Institute works toward practical and actionable solutions to cure disease, create jobs, spread opportunity, spur economic development and implement energy and environmental practices that promote sustainability.  

This position will report to the Senior Associate of Business and Program Development and work closely with colleagues in this department, as well as Events, Programs and Communications. Under the supervision of their manager, the intern will support the Business and Program Development team by putting together engagement strategies, researching target industry prospect lists, as well as managing outreach and related data. The role will also utilize AI systems (e.g., Claude) to streamline projects and support events. 

The right candidate will add value to an extraordinary portfolio of existing relationships with global financial institutions, corporate, investment, public policy, foundation leaders and members of the philanthropic community, by developing a strong knowledge of the relationships to proactively find and pursue opportunities for growing the Institute’s network. Length of Internship up to one year. Successful candidate will be working a hybrid model, where they are expected to report to the New York City, NY office location 3 days a week. Working hours are approximately 40 hours per week.  

Qualifications

• Ability to multi-task while handling complex projects in a fast-paced environment  
• Self-starter and hard worker displaying high productivity and follow-through in all areas of responsibility  
• A team-oriented individual who seeks out tasks when work is completed and assists co-workers to ensure goals, requirements and deadlines are achieved  
• An attitude of "no job is too small" and attention to detail that ensures rewarding experiences and outcomes for supporters and other stakeholders  
• Skilled at working with people and able to interact positively with all levels of an organization  
• Ability to learn and adapt projects using AI tools and workstreams 
• Desire and ability to support relationships with senior-level decision-makers  
• Effective oral/written communication and data management abilities 
• Ability to use critical, creative thinking to solve problems large and small  
• For the candidate with strong intellectual curiosity, extraordinary work ethic and drive to achieve, this is an opportunity to become a key player in an entrepreneurial, growing and dynamic global organization involved in the most important work of our time  
• Ability to work independently within a work from home environment. The intern must produce quality work under minimal supervision during a work from home environment 
• Strong computer skills: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and Salesforce is a plus  
• Duties as assigned

Working Conditions & Travel Requirements

This position may work a hybrid schedule consisting of three (3) days per week reporting in-person to the New York office location (Tuesday – Thursday), with the remaining two (2) days working remotely. The specific schedule will be determined by the supervisor and is subject to change at the Institute’s sole discretion.

This position will work in a professional office environment. This person may be required to travel occasionally to local venues to assist with events as needed, requiring occasional work outside of traditional hours. Additionally, this position requires interacting virtually on a regular basis with Milken Institute staff based in other locations in the United States and around the world. 

Note

The statements herein are intended to describe the overall nature and level of work being performed by employees and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer. 

We are interested in qualified candidates who are eligible to work in the United States. Please note, we are not sponsoring visas at this time, being authorized to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment.

Please submit resume and cover letter illustrating how your experience and skills will contribute to the department and any unique qualities you bring to the position. If applying via Indeed, please upload your resume and any supporting documentation as one attachment. Any application that does not include both a resume and cover letter will be rejected. If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact our Human Resources department to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Our Culture

The Milken Institute is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or status as a veteran. 

Every person at the Milken Institute is treated with respect, supported with resources and training, and exposed to a broad range of experiences. We foster a space for growth with opportunities to share knowledge and passion with both clients and colleagues. We are committed to building a diverse workforce and creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. Our leadership is actively involved in our commitment to diversity and inclusion, and fostering a culture that creates opportunities for everyone.