Program Policy Summer Intern

TX-HHSC-DSHS-DFPS•Austin, TX

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Join the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and gain hands-on experience supporting public policy and program operations that impact Texans across the state. Access and Eligibility Services (AES) Program Policy develops and maintains policy for programs that help Texans access food, medical coverage, cash assistance, and other critical services. The Program Policy team works closely with operations, training, technology, and leadership to ensure policies are clear, accurate, and effectively implemented. The Management Analyst II (Program Policy Intern) offers a unique opportunity to contribute to meaningful projects that improve how policy information is communicated, understood, and applied. In this role, you will work with policy professionals to transform complex policy content into clear, accessible, and user-friendly resources that support staff, leadership, and stakeholders. This position may assist with creating visual aids, job aids, process maps, policy summaries, presentations, communication materials, and other resources that help make complex information easier to understand and use. They will also have opportunities to research best practices, support special projects, and learn how policy decisions are developed and implemented within a large state agency. This internship is ideal for individuals who have an interest in public policy, public health, government operations, communications, writing, process improvement, or knowledge management. Successful candidates will be curious, creative, eager to learn, and interested in finding new ways to communicate information effectively. This is a temporary summer internship intended to provide practical experience and professional development while supporting meaningful work that benefits Texans and the programs that serve them.

Requirements

Current enrollment in a high school, college, university, graduate program, technical program, or recent graduate status.
Coursework in public policy, public administration, public health, communications, journalism, English, political science, business, operations management, instructional design, graphic design, information science, healthcare administration, or a related field.
Experience creating presentations, visual aids, training materials, written communications, videos, websites, or informational resources.
Experience using Microsoft Office applications.

Nice To Haves

Prior internship experience with HHSC preferred.

Responsibilities

Reviews Program Policy and Procedures (P&P) Manual content to identify opportunities to improve clarity, organization, accessibility, and usability.
Creates user-friendly policy resources, including: Visual aids and process maps, Flowcharts and diagrams, Quick-reference guides and job aids, and Policy summaries and communication materials.
Translates complex policy and regulatory information into clear, concise, and easy-to-understand formats for a variety of audiences.
Conducts research on communication and knowledge management best practices and recommends improvements.
Assists with drafting, editing, formatting, and organizing policy-related documents, presentations, and communications.
Collaborates with Program Policy staff to ensure materials accurately reflect policy intent.
Assists with special projects related to policy communication, training, knowledge management, process improvement, and employee engagement.
Participates in meetings, workgroups, and project discussions and contributes ideas for improving how policy information is shared and understood.
Supports the development of presentations, briefing materials, and informational resources for agency staff and stakeholders.