Position Title: Community Relations Fall Intern
Location: Paterson, NJ / Hybrid
Department: Community Relations
Duration: Fall (August–January)
Compensation: Unpaid (For College Credits)
Location: Paterson, NJ / Hybrid
Department: Community Relations
Duration: Fall (August–January)
Compensation: Unpaid (For College Credits)
About the Role
The New York Cosmos and New Jersey Jackals are seeking a passionate and motivated Community Relations Intern to join our team. This internship is ideal for students interested in Sports Management, Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, Community Development, or Event Management who are looking to gain real-world experience in professional sports.
As a Community Relations Intern, you'll gain hands-on experience supporting community outreach, youth engagement, nonprofit partnerships, school programs, and game-day activations for both the New York Cosmos and New Jersey Jackals. You'll work alongside the Community Relations team to help strengthen relationships throughout Northern New Jersey while creating memorable experiences that connect our clubs with fans, schools, businesses, and local organizations.
Key Responsibilities
- Support community outreach initiatives for both the New York Cosmos and New Jersey Jackals
- Assist with coordinating school programs, youth sports partnerships, nonprofit events, and community appearances
- Help organize and execute community activations at home games, festivals, and special events
- Assist with scheduling and preparing player, mascot, and front office appearances throughout the community
- Help manage community ticket programs, group outings, and charitable initiatives
- Support game-day recognition programs including community champions, educators, military members, nonprofits, and youth organizations
- Assist with event setup, registration, guest check-in, and fan engagement activities
- Collaborate with the Marketing, Ticketing, Partnerships, and Event Operations teams to support community campaigns and promotions
- Help maintain community partnership records, appearance requests, and event calendars
- Represent both organizations professionally at community events while delivering exceptional customer service
Requirements
- Currently pursuing a degree in Sports Management, Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Event Management, Nonprofit Management, Business, or a related field
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Excellent organizational skills with strong attention to detail
- Comfortable speaking with community members, partners, and guests
- Positive attitude with a passion for community engagement and customer service
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment
- Availability to assist during evenings, weekends, and home games as needed
- Passion for sports, community engagement, and creating meaningful fan experiences
Nice to Have
- Experience volunteering or working with nonprofit organizations, schools, or youth programs
- Experience planning events or coordinating volunteers
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office or Google Workspace
- Experience with Canva, social media platforms, or email marketing tools
- Bilingual abilities are a plus
- Interest in professional sports, civic engagement, or community development
What You'll Learn
- How professional sports organizations build meaningful relationships within their communities
- Best practices for planning and executing community events, appearances, and outreach initiatives
- How schools, youth organizations, nonprofits, sponsors, and local businesses collaborate with professional sports teams
- The process of organizing game-day recognition programs and community activations
- How community relations supports ticket sales, sponsorships, fan development, and brand awareness
- Hands-on experience coordinating logistics, event planning, volunteer management, and community partnerships
- Experience working collaboratively with Marketing, Ticketing, Partnerships, Creative, and Stadium Operations to deliver impactful community programs
- Valuable professional experience preparing for careers in sports, nonprofit leadership, public relations, event management, and community engagement
Please submit your resume and a short cover letter explaining why you're excited about joining the New York Cosmos and New Jersey Jackals.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.