Marketing and Communications Intern

Breakthrough Silicon Valley • San Jose, CA

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

Breakthrough Silicon Valley (BTSV) is a nonprofit that supports talented students who have lacked access to higher education and helps them pursue college, while preparing high school and college students to become leaders, advocates, and educators. Its tuition-free, year-round program provides academic support, counseling, and advocacy to students from underserved communities who would be the first in their families to attend college. BTSV is based in San Jose, California, and is affiliated with The Breakthrough Collaborative, a national service organization representing 25 Breakthrough sites.

The Marketing and Communications Intern helps tell the stories of BTSV students, Teaching Fellows, and community members. With coaching and guidance from BTSV staff, the intern creates content and supports digital marketing and nonprofit communications. Responsibilities include writing social media and newsletter content, designing marketing materials, updating the website, and taking photos and videos at programs and events. The intern also helps plan and organize content, supports fundraising and outreach campaigns, evaluates how messages and formats engage audiences, and assists with communications and logistics for volunteer and donor events, including a Resume Review and Mock Interview workshop. The internship offers practical experience and the opportunity to build a portfolio while developing storytelling, design, and project management skills.

The position reports to BTSV’s Development Events Manager. It is hybrid, with in-person work at BTSV’s main office at Herbert Hoover Middle School in San Jose at least two days per week and flexibility to work from a home office when in-person work is not required. Candidates must be local to the Bay Area during the internship and available to work the morning of Saturday, March 20, 2027. This part-time, hourly, non-exempt position runs from January to May 2027, for 10–15 hours scheduled over two or three days per week, with the potential to extend into summer. Compensation is $19 per hour.

Requirements

• Currently enrolled in a two- or four-year college.
• Experience with design programs such as Adobe Creative Suite and/or Canva.
• Experience with photo and video editing.
• Experience with social media platforms, especially TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
• Excellent writing skills and strong attention to grammar.
• Proficiency with MS Office and Google Suite, including Excel/Sheets.
• Ability to plan, organize, and implement projects with attention to detail.
• Creative problem-solving, a can-do attitude, and willingness to support where needed.
• Communicative and able to responsibly ask questions and seek clarification.
• Collaborative, committed to excellence, open-minded, eager to learn and grow, creative in problem-solving, and able to work with humor and humility (the organization’s “Breakthrough Spirit”).
• Passion for Breakthrough Silicon Valley’s mission and goals.
• Must be local to the Bay Area during the internship.
• Must be available to work at the Resume Review and Mock Interview workshop on the morning of Saturday, March 20, 2027.

Nice To Haves

• Majoring in marketing, communications, nonprofit management, or a related field.
• Experience with Salesforce, Mailchimp, SquareSpace, and/or Asana.
• Experience with SEO and website management.
• Experience with event planning.
• Bilingual in Spanish or Vietnamese.
• Experience at a nonprofit youth development or educational organization, particularly one focused on college access for aspiring first-generation college students.

Responsibilities

• Write social media posts and newsletter content.
• Design marketing materials.
• Update the organization’s website.
• Capture photos and videos at BTSV programs and events.
• Plan and organize content.
• Support fundraising and outreach campaigns.
• Explore how different messages and formats engage audiences.
• Support communications and event logistics for volunteer and donor events, including the Resume Review and Mock Interview workshop.
• Develop a portfolio and build storytelling, design, and project management skills.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed