About the role
Location
Indianapolis
Hourly Wage, Hours per Week, Duration
- Hourly Wage: $17/hour
- Hours per Week: Approximately 20
- Duration: August - May
About United Way of Central Indiana
United Way of Central Indiana works to bring the resources of philanthropy, government, corporations, the social sector, and neighborhoods together to confront generational poverty head on and ensure a better future for our neighbors in need. This is an ambitious time to join United Way as we embark on a five-year strategic plan to reduce the number of households experiencing poverty and financial instability.
Position Summary
The Finance Intern is a member of the Finance team and supports daily accounting and financial operations related to pledge and payment processing, vendor management, donor support, and administrative finance functions. Working closely with the finance staff, the intern will gain hands‑on experience in nonprofit finance operations within a high‑volume donor and community partner environment. This internship is designed as a structured learning experience intended to build foundational knowledge in nonprofit accounting, financial processing, customer service, and operational support. The intern will work under close supervision and will not be independently responsible for final financial approvals, reconciliations, or external financial reporting.
By the end of the internship, the intern will:
- Gain practical experience in nonprofit finance and accounting operations within a mission‑driven organization
- Develop an understanding of pledge processing workflows and the relationship between financial transactions and financial reporting
- Learn how monthly deadlines, donor commitments, and payment processing impact organizational operations
- Strengthen customer service and professional communication skills through interaction with vendors and community partners
- Build foundational skills in financial systems, data accuracy, confidentiality, and process management
- Increase proficiency using financial and business software applications, including Excel and donor management systems
Position Duties & Learnings
The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.
Finance Operations & Processing
- Gain hands‑on experience in a nonprofit, high‑donor‑based finance and accounting environment
- Support the Finance team in ensuring timely and accurate processing of pledges while understanding the impact of these transactions on financial statements
- Assist with reviewing pledge documentation, validating donor information, and resolving discrepancies related to contributions and payment processing
- Adhere to monthly processing deadlines
- Review, verify and enter new vendor information and vendor changes while ensuring accuracy and completeness of supporting documentation
- Assist with preparation of reports, spreadsheets, reconciliations and other finance‑related materials as assigned
- Coordinate with internal departments to obtain missing information, clarify transaction details, and support efficient processing workflows
- Support the Finance team with data entry, document organization, record retention, and audit preparation activities
- Help identify data inconsistencies or processing issues and elevate concerns appropriately to Finance team members
- Participate in process improvement efforts related to finance operations, donor processing, and administrative workflows
- Maintain confidentiality and appropriately handle sensitive financial, donor, and organizational information
- Perform special assignments and other work on an as‑needed basis
Donor & Community Partner Support
- Respond to community partner inquiries through donor choice portal and assist with resolving questions related to donor designations, pledge status, and payment activity
- Provide outstanding customer service support on pledge processing through timely, professional and solution‑oriented communication with internal and external stakeholders
- Perform special assignments and other work on an as‑needed basis
Qualifications…