Strategic Partnership Intern

About the role

We’re seeking a proactive and adaptable Strategic Partnerships Intern to serve as a business development generalist supporting Kiva’s partnerships pipeline. This role will contribute across the full lifecycle of partnership development – from early-stage prospect research and outreach drafting to pitch development and proposal support. In this role, you’ll gain hands-on experience working on real partnership opportunities while developing practical skills in business development, storytelling, and partner engagement. You’ll support the creation of pitch decks, proposals, and outreach materials for corporate partners, foundations, and individual donors, while also helping prepare for key conferences through targeted prospect research and briefing development. A core focus of this internship will be exploring how AI can enhance business development workflows. You’ll test and pilot AI tools to support prospect research, outreach drafting, and proposal development; gaining valuable experience applying emerging technologies in a real-world setting. You’ll also help document and scale successful use cases, directly shaping how the team works. This is a highly cross-functional role that blends strategy, execution, and experimentation. Your work will directly contribute to expanding Kiva’s partnerships and impact—helping unlock funding and opportunities that advance financial inclusion worldwide—while equipping you with in-demand skills in business development and AI-enabled workflows.

Responsibilities

• Support the development of pitch decks, proposals, and partner-facing materials tailored to corporate, foundation, and individual donor audiences
• Draft and refine outreach communications, including email campaigns, meeting follow-ups, and introductory materials
• Conduct prospect research to identify and evaluate potential partners, including companies, foundations, and individuals aligned with Kiva’s mission
• Support conference preparation, including researching attendees, identifying priority prospects, and developing briefing documents for Kiva representatives
• Assist in building and maintaining a strong partnerships pipeline by organizing and synthesizing research, notes, and engagement history
• Test and pilot AI tools to support business development workflows (e.g., prospect research, outreach drafting, proposal development, and content creation)
• Document and share learnings from AI experiments, including recommendations for scaling successful use cases across the team
• Contribute to the creation and refinement of reusable templates and materials for pitches, proposals, and outreach
• Provide general support across active partnership opportunities and special projects as needed

Qualifications

• At least 21 years of age or older by January 12, 2027
• Able to commit to the full 6‑month term
• Strong critical thinking, with an eye for detail, and ownership of your work
• Enjoys problem‑solving and relationship building
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Highly proactive and able to work independently
• Highly organized individual with an aptitude for working in a start‑up environment

Skills

• Intermediate skills in Google Docs, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Benefits

• Professional development and skills workshops
• Access to Kiva’s network of Kiva Fellowship and Internship Alumni
• Optional participation in Kiva’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and social activities such as happy hours and coffee chats
• References are gladly given for successful participants

Pay

Kiva will provide a modest stipend of $800 a month (before taxes) to its volunteers. The stipend is considered taxable income.

Schedule

This is a 6‑month, part‑time (24‑32 hours per week) United States‑based remote volunteer position, running from January 12, 2027 through June 30, 2027. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a permanent, full‑time basis; visa sponsorship is not provided.