Social Media Intern - Ski Content Strategy

PROGRAM SUMMARY 

At Columbia Sportswear, we offer college students an opportunity to join our team and help solve real business problems during our 10‑week summer internship at our Headquarters in Portland, Oregon. Interns gain hands‑on experience within their assigned department while building partnerships with teams and fellow interns. 

Location: Portland, OR 

Duration: 10 weeks 

Start Date: Monday, June 22nd 

Application Deadline: Friday, March 13 

Pay Rate: $23.00/hour 

ABOUT THE POSITION 

The Social Media Intern – Ski Content Strategy will support the development of Columbia’s emerging ski category through social insights, content framework building, and athlete‑driven storytelling. This role works closely with the Social Media team and the Ski Accelerate initiative to help shape the future of our ski presence on organic social channels. The internship offers exposure to social strategy development, creator/athlete alignment, category research, and the early groundwork required for potentially launching a standalone ski social channel. 

HOW YOU WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE 

• Conduct social landscape research to understand ski culture, audience behavior, trends, and competitors across Instagram and other platforms, identifying specific opportunities for Columbia Sportswear on organic social. 

• Support development of a ski‑specific content strategy, including consumer insights, storytelling frameworks, content pillars, and brand guardrails. 

• Analyze athlete content and collaborate with the Partnerships team to identify opportunities to strengthen athlete‑driven storytelling and improve process. 

• Help define the foundational requirements and strategic considerations for a potential standalone ski social channel.  

• Compile category insights and recommendations into presentations or strategic documents that influence future direction. 

• Assist with organization of content examples, best‑practice libraries, and cross‑team process documentation. 

• Support ongoing evaluation of what authentic ski engagement looks like for the brand, identifying gaps and opportunities. 

• Participate in social team meetings to understand how strategy, community management, creative, partnerships, and analytics come together to bring content to life. 

YOU ARE 

• An avid skier who is deeply connected to ski culture and active within ski communities online. 

• Curious, insightful, and motivated to understand why certain content resonates with niche audiences. 

• Organized and able to synthesize large amounts of information into clear insights or recommendations. 

• Comfortable working in a fast‑paced, collaborative environment with multiple cross‑functional partners. 

• A strong communicator capable of expressing ideas clearly both verbally and in writing. 

YOU HAVE 

• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 

• Coursework or experience related to social media, marketing, communications, digital strategy, or a related field 

• Deep familiarity with ski culture, trends, and influential voices or communities within the ski space 

• Ability to analyze social content and draw meaningful insights about audience, tone, and engagement 

• Strong organization, written communication, and verbal communication skills 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) 

• Ability to adapt, problem‑solve, and contribute in a team environment 

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS 

• Current student with one of the following academic standings: Rising Senior, Senior, or Graduate/MBA student 

• Degree aligned to the internship area (Marketing, Social Media, Digital Strategy, Communications, Journalism, or related fields) 

• Ability to participate in the full 10‑week internship program 

• Ability to work onsite at our Portland headquarters for the duration of the internship 

NON‑LOCAL CANDIDATE INFORMATION 

Relocation and housing are not provided. Interns are responsible for arranging and funding their own housing, transportation, and relocation for the duration of the program. 

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