Position Title: Partnership Development Intern (SDR Track)
Company Description: The UNC Office of the Chief Innovation Officer is building out a new university partnership program that will connect corporate and civic leaders with UNC’s research, talent, and innovation assets. We’re looking for driven, people-oriented students to lead the outreach effort that turns research intelligence into real relationships.
Company Website: https://innovate.unc.edu/
Internship Job Description:

Partnership Development Interns will work at the front lines of that effort—crafting and executing outreach to prospective partners, qualifying interest, scheduling conversations, and moving leads through an early-stage pipeline. Think of this as a startup SDR (Sales Development Representative) role, built for students who want to learn what high-quality institutional business development actually looks like.
You’ll work closely with the research intelligence team and report to the CIO’s office. Strong performance can lead to continued engagement through the fall semester and potential pathways in business development, strategy, or external affairs.
AI tools are central to how this team operates. Interns are expected to use AI to draft and personalize outreach at scale, research prospects quickly, and sharpen messaging—while maintaining the authenticity and judgment that good relationship-building requires.

Responsibilities
•Execute personalized outreach to prospective corporate and civic partners via email, LinkedIn, and phone, drawing on research provided by the intelligence team
•Qualify inbound and outbound leads; document contact activity, responses, and next steps in the partnership CRM
•Schedule and prepare briefing materials for introductory calls between UNC leadership and prospective partners
•Track outreach cadences and pipeline activity; surface patterns and blockers to the supervising team weekly
•Draft outreach templates, follow-up sequences, and talking points tailored to different industries and partner profiles
•Coordinate with research and database interns to ensure contact records are current and enriched
Type and Timing of Internship:
Flexible, during
Summer
Approximate Start and End Dates:
2026-05-18T00:00:00Z to 2026-08-14T00:00:00Z
Internship Location: The Junction 136 East Rosemary Street
Paid or Unpaid: Yes –
Application Instructions:
2026-05-01T00:00:00Z
Please submit your resume as well as a sample project that demonstrates your capabilities to innovate@unc.edu by May 1st
Primary Contact Email: innovate@unc.edu