County Management Intern
Washington County
Public Service Fellows Program Overview
The Public Service Fellows (PSF) Program began in 2014 with support from the State Employees Credit Union (SECU) Foundation. Since its inception, over 200 students have completed internships in 85 organizations in 25 North Carolina counties. The goal of the program is to foster workplace experiences for undergraduates at ECU while helping rural communities build professional capacity to address public issues.
Up to 20 students will be chosen each year for SECU Public Fellow Internships (PFI). PFI participants will take part in 20 hours of leadership and professional development workshops in addition to the 330-hour PFI internship experience. Each student selected for the program will receive $17.50 per hour.
Students will be expected to attend a MANDATORY orientation on May 15, 2026, attend workshops scheduled throughout their internship, and at the end of their internship, and present at a State Employees Credit Union Advisory Board meeting either in summer or fall.
Position Summary
The County Management Intern will be embedded within and work closely with all staff within the Washington County Manager’s Office (CMO) which has a proven track record of successfully hosting and coaching Interns and Graduate Fellows. Traditionally the CMO assess the chosen intern’s skills and talents and develops a mutually agreeable work plan to provide the intern with desirable exposure to and experience working on projects or within departmental areas of interest, which are also areas of need for additional management resources for the County. Ideally the Management Intern will be able to work over a broad array of departments and projects throughout the internship to develop their personal experience and understanding about the scope of various services offered and managed by county governments in North Carolina. The intern will spend the first two weeks getting to know the county, the strategic plan and the position before developing a plan and project for the summer.
Internship Location & Supervisor Information
The County Manager serves as the county budget officer, personnel officer, and chief administrative officer for the county. The manager is responsible for all daily operations activities of the county, for all capital projects, and the development of the annual county budget. The manager
advises the Board of Commissioners on all issues that affect the county and its operations including legislation. The manager drafts local ordinances and policies and is responsible for the implementation of each. Typical hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30AM to 5:00PM but flexible scheduling including virtual/remote work is possible.
The student will work directly with Curtis Potter, County Manager. The County Manager’s Office is located at 116 Washington St., Plymouth, NC 27962. This internship will be hybrid, mostly face to face with some virtual working days.
Desired Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
Critical skills for this position include: a positive customer service and team-goal oriented attitude; ability to take initiative and independently pursue project tasks and assignments necessary to achieve identified goals; strong verbal and written communication skills; strong organizational skills, MS365 proficiency, ability to exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.
Start & End Dates
May 15, 2026, through August 14, 2026.
Majors Targeted
Political Science, Business, Communication, Finance, Pre law, Economic Development, Planning
Application Process
Applicants must complete a PFI application and submit a resume to be considered. Applications are available here:
All students selected for the PFI program must have undergraduate status and meet the following eligibility requirements by the internship start date:
- North Carolina resident
- Good academic standing
- Completion of at least 60 semester credit hours (classified as upcoming Junior or Senior)
- Not graduating prior to the internship end date
East Carolina University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and as such encourages applications from qualified women and minorities.
Individuals requesting accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) should contact the Department for Disability Support Services at 252.737.1016 (voice/TTY).
Federal law requires proper documentation of identity and employability at the time of employment.