Closing Date: February 12, 2026

Intern Dates: March 1, 2026, through July 31, 2026

Pay Rate: The Hourly pay rates are based on the following:

·       Current Undergraduate Student: $14.00

·       Current Graduate Student: $16.00

Positions Available: 1

Hours: Minimum of 20 hours per week – up to but not to exceed 29 hours per week. 

*Maximum of 29 hours per week cannot be exceeded.

Location: 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. SE. Suite 754 East Tower Atlanta, GA

Agency Overview

Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) is responsible for meeting the child care and early education needs of Georgia’s children and their families. It administers the nationally recognized Georgia’s Pre-K Program, licenses child care centers and home-based child care, administers Georgia's Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) program, federal nutrition programs, and manages Quality Rated, Georgia’s community powered child care rating system.

The department also houses the Head Start State Collaboration Office, distributes federal funding to enhance the quality and availability of child care, and works collaboratively with Georgia child care resource and referral agencies and organizations throughout the state to enhance early care and education.

Position Overview

The Executive Administrative Intern will help the Executive Assistant to the DECAL Commissioner with administrative, communications, and logistical tasks. This internship provides hands-on experience supporting high-level executive functions in a state government agency and exposure to interagency collaboration, board governance, and constituent relations. The ideal candidate is organized, detail-oriented, professional, and interested in public service, early childhood, or executive support.

Key Responsibilities:

Support Executive Scheduling & Coordination

• Assist the Commissioner’s Executive Assistant with scheduling and responding to meeting requests from internal staff and external stakeholders.
• Support calendar management and preparation for one-on-one meetings, standing meetings, and departmental briefings.
• Help track recurring commitments and regularly scheduled meetings (e.g., Executive Cabinet, Leadership Team, Children’s Cabinet, etc.).
• Prepare and organize meeting materials for meetings including agendas, supporting documents, and background information.

Administrative & Logistical Support

• Assist with coordinating the Commissioner’s in-state and out-of-state travel logistics, including flights, hotels, and itineraries.
• Help compile and organize travel documents for reimbursement and monthly mileage submissions.
• Support creating and maintaining filing systems and administrative records.
• Provide basic phone and email support, including routing inquiries and assisting with customer response follow-up.
• Receive training on front desk protocols and provide coverage for the seventh-floor receptionist as needed to ensure smooth office operations and constituent support.
• Regularly review and update the Board of Early Care and Learning and Children’s Cabinet websites.

Constituent Services & Stakeholder Engagement

• Help triage inquiries received by the Commissioner’s office, including customer questions and stakeholder requests.
• Support follow-up with the Governor’s Office of Constituent Services and internal divisions to ensure timely responses and resolution.

Board Support & Meeting Coordination

• Help the Board Liaison prepare for Board of Early Care and Learning meetings.
• Support planning for quarterly board meetings, including scheduling, timelines, materials preparation, and logistics.
• Attend quarterly Board meetings and help as needed.
• Help respond to basic Board member inquiries and help process per diem and mileage documentation.
• Support the organization and maintenance of Board-related files, records, and correspondence.

Learning Objectives

• Exposure to executive decision making, public policy issues, and agency governance.
• Experience collaborating with state leadership, legislative partners, and cross-agency stakeholders.
• Understanding of government scheduling protocols, constituent services, and board operations.
• Develop administrative, communication, and project coordination skills.

Interest Areas

• Interest in public administration, political science, communication, business, education policy, or related fields.

Entry Qualifications:

•       Currently enrolled student, part-time or full-time, with a 3.0 GPA or higher (must submit transcript to verify enrollment and GPA.

•       Georgia resident or attending a Georgia college, university, or law school

•       Working level skill in the use of MS Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook)  Good research and analytical skills

Preferred Qualifications:

·       Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to manage multiple tasks, maintain confidentiality, and handle sensitive matters with discretion.

Physical Requirements and Performance Aptitudes: 

•       Requires close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading and visual inspection. 

•       Requires the ability to review, classify, categorize, prioritize, and/or analyze data. Includes exercising discretion in determining data classification. 

•       Requires the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication.

•       Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving the evaluation of information against sensory, judgmental, or subjective criteria, as opposed to that which is clearly measurable or verifiable.

Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is an equal opportunity employer.  A background check will be completed upon hire, which may consist of any of the following: criminal history, credit history, employment history, educational records, IRS records and driving records.

 If you are an individual with a disability who may require assistance or other reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the selection process for this position, you may contact our HR department at 678-879-2993.  Due to the volume of submissions received by this office, information concerning application or interview status cannot be provided in writing, over the phone, or in person. All applicants who submit a complete application package will be considered but may not necessarily receive notification or an interview.  The job posting may be subject to being closed at any time without notice.  Only those qualified candidates who are selected for an interview shall receive notification upon the filling of this vacancy.

Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is an equal opportun