ICMA Graduate Management Internship in Performance Measurement
Apply between December 1, 2007 and February 17, 2008

 

The ICMA Graduate Management Internship in Performance Measurement is offered by the ICMA Center for Performance Measurement and provides over $41,300 in financial support over a two-year period. Incoming MPA/MPP students selected for this program will receive the knowledge, training, and real-world experience necessary to help them become local government leaders in performance measurement and management. This internship offers a special focus on the use of performance measurement in continuous improvement in service delivery as well as in fostering organizational excellence. Although intended primarily for incoming MPA interested in exploring a potential career in local government management, students with an interest in non-profit management as well as other sub-disciplines of public administration and public policy are encouraged to apply as well.

 

The ICMA Graduate Management Internship is a two-year, year-round program that begins the summer prior to the start of an MPA program. Between two and four highly qualified individuals will be selected for the incoming cohort for 2008-09. Those selected for this program will begin working full-time as analysts during the summer of 2008 at ICMA’s headquarters in Washington, DC (tentatively set for June 9 through August 8). They will continue to work as analysts—the official title of the positions will be analysts (rather than interns)—for 20 hours per week throughout the academic year at their selected university, but would remain in weekly contact with the ICMA-CPM staff in DC and in several locales throughout the country. Assuming satisfactory performance, the students selected for the program would work full-time in DC the following summer and work 20 hours per week the last academic year of their MPA program.

 

Individuals selected to serve as analysts under the ICMA Graduate Internship program will be afforded the opportunity to learn first-hand about performance measurement and management from the staff of ICMA as well as to work with local government officials throughout the country. This “real world” experience will serve as an important component of their overall MPA education.

 

Individuals selected to serve as analysts under the ICMA Graduate Management Internship program receive compensation for their assistantships/internships as follows:

• $9,000 for 30 weeks of part-time employment—20 hours per week—during the academic school year ($15/hr.).  [$9,600 in Year 2 ($16/hr.)]
• $5,063 for nine weeks of full-time employment in Washington, DC in the summer prior to matriculation in the MPA program ($15/hr.). [$5,400 in Year 2 ($16/hr.)]
• $6,000 per academic year to defray a portion of the cost of tuition and fees. [$6,300 in Year 2.]
• Analysts that meet or exceed ICMA performance standards—the same that apply to regular ICMA employees—will be eligible to have their compensation package renewed for the second year of their MPA program and their total compensation will increase approximately 5% in Year 2.  [It is our intent to have analysts work with ICMA for the entire two-year period.]
  

 

Among the responsibilities of the graduate students selected for this two-year internship program:

• Learn the basics of performance measurement from ICMA-CPM staff;
• Learn the detailed measures and definitions for two service areas to which they will be assigned and for which they will have primary responsibility throughout the year (e.g., human resources, parks & recreation, code enforcement, refuse & recycling) in which to concentrate for year one; be given the opportunity to be assigned to two new service areas in year two (and students selected for this program will have responsibilities, deadlines, and performance appraisals just like all ICMA employees);
• Respond within one business day to phone inquiries and e-mailed questions from local government officials;
• Assist in the preparation of ICMA-CPM’s annual data report (and be listed as a contributor in the acknowledgments);
• Provide other assistance to full-time ICMA-CPM team members as requested

 

Key skills and attitudinal attributes necessary to compete successfully for the position:

• Ability to apply general performance measurement concepts to specific situations;
• Exceptionally strong spreadsheet skills;
• Proven attention to detail;
• Excellent customer service skills and professional demeanor;
• Strong ability to respond to written and phone inquiries in a clear and concise manner;
• Strong work ethic;
• It is absolutely essential that selected candidates be able to perform well in a cooperative, team-oriented environment.  It is also essential that they be able to work independently and responsibly as well.

 

To receive full consideration, e-mail the following to cpmmail@icma.org between December 1, 2007 and February 17, 2008. 

• Resume;
• One-page letter of interest;
• Undergraduate transcripts (unofficial transcripts are acceptable);
• Contact information for up to three references and/or three letters of recommendation;
• One research paper, statistical/data analysis, or other document/project

 

ICMA will begin contacting strong applicants in early February to schedule appointments for written and spreadsheet exercises.  Those performing well on the exercises will be invited to participate in a telephone interview shortly thereafter. Individuals selected for the ICMA Performance Measurement Internship Program will be notified by mid- to late March. All offers are contingent upon acceptance and matriculation in an accredited MPA/MPP program.

 

Apply to the MPA or MPP Program:

 

 

About ICMA
Founded in 1914, ICMA (International City/County Management Association) is the premier local government leadership and management organization. Its mission is to create excellence in local governance by advocating and developing the professional management of local government worldwide. In addition to support its more than 9,000 members, ICMA provides publications, data, information, technical assistance, and training and professional development to thousands of city, town, and county experts and other individuals throughout the world.  For more information on ICMA, visit www.icma.org.
The ICMA Center for Performance Measurement is dedicated to helping local governments measure, compare, and improve municipal service delivery. ICMA's comparative performance measurement Program currently assists over 200 cities and counties in the United States and Canada with the collections, analysis, and application of performance information.  For more information on the ICMA Center for Performance Measurement, visit www.icma.org/performance.