INTERNSHIP DETAILS

MBA Intern (Paid) - Strategy, Business Development, & Ops | Fall 2026

CompanyKarp Strategies
LocationNew York
Work ModeOn Site
PostedJuly 29, 2026
Internship Information
Core Responsibilities
The intern will provide Chief of Staff-style support by managing business development pipelines, conducting market research, and building data infrastructure. They will also assist in strategic planning, marketing initiatives, and the implementation of AI tools to improve firm-wide efficiency.
Internship Type
intern
Salary Range
$30 - $35
Company Size
28
Visa Sponsorship
No
Language
English
Working Hours
40 hours
Apply Now →

You'll be redirected to
the company's application page

About The Company
Karp Strategies is a WBE and DBE-certified urban planning and strategy consulting firm that helps clients strengthen cities through data-driven insights, stakeholder engagement, and effective decision-making. By integrating people, data, and place into our approach, we help cross-sector clients move from analysis to action—tackling challenges, streamlining operations, and advancing key initiatives. We work with private, public, and non-profit organizations to address complex planning, policy, and operational challenges, equipping them with the tools to better serve their customers and communities. Karp Strategies applies analytical and design thinking to problem-solving, ensuring our clients efficiently execute their missions with impact. Our team: • Conducts in-depth planning and economic analyses of neighborhoods surrounding projects, examining demographics, employment, business trends, and market conditions to inform decision-making. • Delivers measurable returns by surfacing key local insights, securing stakeholder support, and helping projects stay on time and within budget. • Designs and implements effective stakeholder and community engagement strategies to align projects with local priorities, reduce delays, and enhance long-term success. • Develops strategic roadmaps to navigate regulatory processes and other hurdles, ensuring smooth project execution. • Directly manages projects to optimize efficiency and effectiveness. Based in New York City, Karp Strategies works nationwide, bringing a multidisciplinary team of policy and planning experts to drive results. Let’s work together to move your projects forward.
About the Role

MBA Intern (Paid) - Strategy, Business Development, & Ops | Fall 2026

Application Deadline: 30 September 2026

Department: Operations

Employment Type: Internship

Location: New York | Fidi

Compensation: $30.00 - $35.00 / hour



Description

About the Position
Karp Strategies is seeking an MBA Intern to provide Chief of Staff-style support across a range of strategic and operational priorities. This is a high-impact, high-visibility role for someone who thrives in dynamic environments, is eager to roll up their sleeves, and wants to contribute meaningfully to a growing, mission-driven firm.

Now in our 11th year, no two weeks look the same - and this role reflects that. You'll take on substantive projects with real end-to-end ownership, embedding in active workstreams alongside our team. Some of the questions you might be tackling include: How do we optimize our BD pipeline and reporting to drive revenue growth? Where should a firm our size invest to generate the highest marketing ROI? How do we leverage AI - internally and within client engagements – while maintaining the confidentiality our partners depend on?

In practice, this could mean co-designing a go-to-market strategy for a new practice area, going deep on market intelligence and thought leadership, or building the data infrastructure and reporting systems that drive smarter decision-making across the firm. The intern will report directly to the Managing Principal, Strategy & Operations, with mentorship from our Marketing & BD Associate and members of our Leadership team.


Key Responsibilities

Business Development & Market Intelligence
  • Serve as a key partner to support our Marketing & BD Associate and senior leadership on active business development pursuits - supporting outreach, proposal development, and relationship tracking across priority sectors
  • Conduct deep market and landscape research to identify new client opportunities, emerging sectors, and competitive dynamics; translate findings into actionable BD strategy
  • Support development of go-to-market plans for targeted practice areas, including state-level landscape research, stakeholder mapping, and opportunity prioritization
  • Assist in preparing proposals, presentations, and materials for prospective client engagements
  • Help maintain, organize, and improve business development data, including pipelines and tracking systems, with an eye toward data quality and actionable reporting
Marketing & Communications
  • Identify high-impact content and marketing pieces, including thought leadership, project spotlights, and market-facing narratives that reflect the firm's voice and values
  • Support preparation of materials for conferences, events, and speaking engagements
  • Collaborate with leadership and our Marketing & BD Associate on external-facing communications and brand-building initiatives
Strategy & Operations
  • Support the design and build-out of data infrastructure and reporting systems that bring our pipeline, marketing, and performance data to life - turning data points into dashboards, reports, and insights that drive decision-making, identifying trends, and preparing leadership-ready summaries
  • Explore and implement AI tools to improve firm-wide efficiency and collaboration – both in internal workflows and, where appropriate, within client-facing work – while maintaining client confidentiality
  • Support cross-functional special projects at the direction of senior leadership
  • Assist with strategic planning processes, including tracking and analyzing key KPIs and preparing supporting materials for leadership meetings and retreats
  • Attend and document key meetings; manage follow-up actions as needed


Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

  • Currently enrolled in an MBA program, with coursework or experience in strategy, business development, marketing, consulting, operations, or a related field
  • Genuine interest in urban issues, community economic development, and/or social impact consulting
  • Strong analytical and research skills, including experience with data analysis and reporting; able to synthesize information and communicate it clearly
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfortable drafting polished, professional materials
  • Fluency or comfort leveraging AI platforms (e.g., Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini) to enhance research, writing, and workflow efficiency
  • Entrepreneurial mindset: proactive, adaptable, and comfortable with ambiguity
  • Able to work independently while remaining collaborative - comfortable managing through others and coordinating across teams without direct line authority
  • Able to maintain strict confidentiality when handling sensitive firm or client information
  • Proficiency in Google Suite and Microsoft Office; familiarity with CRM tools or project management platforms is a plus
  • Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple work streams simultaneously
Key Skills
StrategyBusiness DevelopmentOperationsMarket IntelligenceData AnalysisReportingMarketingCommunicationsAI ToolsResearchProposal DevelopmentStakeholder MappingProject ManagementData InfrastructureStrategic PlanningAnalytical Skills
Categories
ConsultingManagement & LeadershipMarketingData & AnalyticsAdministrative