Public Justice Communications Intern

Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ) 1-year Position: Public Justice Communications Intern

Full-time Contract, located in Ottawa

Overview:  

CPJ’s Public Justice Internships are intended to provide a unique opportunity for recent graduates and young people to engage in public policy and advocacy work as well as contribute fresh insights and capacity to the work of CPJ.

Thanks to the financial support of our committed donors, CPJ is pleased to offer a paid internship opportunity once again for 2026-2027. The Public Justice Communications Intern will be specifically tasked with strengthening CPJ’s communications and public engagement efforts with respect to our research and advocacy work on climate justice, refugee and migrant rights, and poverty eradication in Canada.

Under the supervision of the Communications and Public Engagement Specialist, the Public Justice Communications Intern is responsible for, within the context of CPJ’s core public justice documents, providing strategic communications across multiple platforms and audiences.

In particular:

1. Drafting and distributing communications materials informed by CPJ’s public policy and advocacy work across all of CPJ’s channels
2. Building CPJ’s public profile, identity, and rapport with existing and potential audience members

Both tasks involve communicating with a range of audiences (public officials, leaders in society, media, the Canadian public, faith communities and CPJ members) and using a range of communications media and products, including CPJ’s website, social media, emails, collaboration with policy documents, and fundraising/promotions materials.

Responsibilities

• Shares responsibility for CPJ communications related to policy, advocacy, and development mainly through email, short and long form web content, social media production and management, and media engagement.
• Promotes educational and public engagement events related to public policy and civic engagement through digital and print media.
• Works alongside the policy team to engage with churches and other faith communities, partner organizations, and CPJ members in the use and promotion of various CPJ-produced materials including the Advocacy Toolkit, CPJ books, and recent reports.
• Conducts outreach to new constituencies, especially campus chaplaincies and young adult organizations to increase membership and national reach.
• Edit and create web pages, social media content, graphics, and other relevant media (e.g. blogs, infographics, and occasionally video) to increase online engagement.
• Drafts and designs materials to support fundraising appeals and coordinate dissemination to CPJ donors, in collaboration with the Communications and Public Engagement Specialist and Financial Development Officer.
• Undertake other tasks as required, which may reasonably be assigned from time to time.

Place within CPJ’s team

• Overseen by Communications and Public Engagement Specialist and Responsible to the Executive Director
• Works closely with the Policy team and Development team.

Qualifications

1. Framework for the position:

CPJ encourages applications for its Public Justice Internship from those prepared to participate enthusiastically in CPJ’s activities, policy issues and working community. We particularly seek recent university graduates with strong writing and communication skills and a lively interest in public policy. We value the unique insights of those with lived experience related to our policy areas of poverty eradication, climate justice, and refugee and migrant rights, as well as those who are familiar with intersectional approaches to public policy. This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to national-level advocacy campaigns and public-interest work shaping Canada’s response to systemic social inequalities.

Since this internship is explicitly intended to develop understanding and skills in CPJ’s public justice approach to public policy, the successful candidate must express commitment to CPJ’s faith-based vision for public policy work and strong affinity with CPJ’s core public justice documents.

2. Job specific qualifications:

• Strong understanding of and demonstrated interest in intersectional, rights-based approaches to Canadian public policy.
• Demonstrated commitment to ongoing learning and practice of intersectional, anti-oppressive working approaches.
• Strong communicator – excellent written, oral, interactive skills.
• Strong understanding of how public policy develops, how to shape policy debates, and how to scan the public policy environment to gauge developments and monitor trends.
• Strong organizational skills with an ability to plan, define measurable objectives and outcomes, and meet those objectives.
• Relevant university degree (Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Media Studies, Political Science, Public Policy, Social Work , or a related discipline).
• Solid computer and software skills including Adobe Creative Suite; Microsoft Office (Word, Teams, Outlook).

3. Assets

• Experience in social media content creation and management (Meta, LinkedIn, X).
• Experience with web publishing and design (WordPress).
• Experience in mass email creation (e.g. Mailchimp) and CRM software (e.g. Keela).
• Experience with graphic design principles and relevant digital tools (e.g. Canva).
• On-camera comfortability and public speaking experience.
• Established public social media presence and willingness to amplify CPJ’s work.

 Terms:

• Full-time, based in Ottawa, for one year from September 1, 2026, to August 31, 2027.
• CPJ is based in Ottawa, and most of our full-time employees work hybrid from both our Justice House (334 MacLaren) and remotely. The Public Justice Communications Intern will be expected to work in the same arrangement. In certain cases, CPJ may also consider remote internships.
• Salary of $44,000 for the total duration of the internship.
• Inclusion in CPJ’s employee health plan.
• 20 days’ paid vacation.

Application

To apply, please send your resume and cover letter to jobs@cpj.ca by July 23, 2026.

Important Notes

As part of our commitment to equity and anti-oppression, we endeavour to create space for increased representation and power within our organization for individuals and communities in Canada disproportionately impacted by systemic oppression.

CPJ’s team is a small work community. We seek new people who have the flexibility to thrive cheerfully in a small team. This requires a certain measure of fluidity in job descriptions as circumstances change and as projects develop. We all pitch in to help each other as needed; celebrate special occasions together; and enjoy camaraderie around a common mission.