Intern, Responsibility & Impact

The Graduate Summer Intern will support the Responsibility & Impact Director in all aspects of the company’s work on sustainability and philanthropy.  Bringing their expertise in impact programming, with fresh perspective and detail orientation, the intern will own select workstreams within the company’s ongoing climate risk assessment, philanthropy, and strategy development projects.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Project Manage the company’s climate risk assessment.  Panera has engaged an outside advisor who will conduct the technical assessment for compliance with California disclosure requirements.  The intern will support by ensuring timely information flow, engagement of internal stakeholders, and preparation for interviews and workshops including materials, and scheduling. They will serve as key coordinator and supplement the advisor’s work with Panera’s business-relevant context and opportunity identification.
• Support evaluation of cost-benefit and other considerations for strategic impact programs that are under consideration in Panera’s Responsibility & Impact agenda.  These will be selected in light of business need and aligned to intern’s interests as much as possible.
• Document peer and best practices on emerging issues and trends in Responsibility and Impact subject areas as needed.

The intern will have opportunities to interact with people in numerous functions across the enterprise, as well as join external engagements with the Director to get a full understanding of impact work in the restaurant industry.

Qualifications (Education & Experience)

Qualifications include:

• Education – BA required, master’s degree  in process with social impact or sustainability focus.
• Specialized knowledge – none required.
• Experience - 2-5 years in corporate sustainability, environmental or social impact, or similar field.  
• Familiarity with sustainability frameworks and issues such as food waste, greenhouse gas accounting, packaging, and animal welfare issues strongly preferred.
• Track record of collaboration and positive, productive relationships with multiple internal and external partners.
• Experience in Microsoft work tools.
• Sound judgment and problem-solving skills.  Works with urgency to advance the impact agenda.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to collect, organize, analyze, and communicate technical information in business-friendly terms.
• Self-motivated to achieve goals and meet deadlines, with ability to prioritize and manage workload in a dynamic environment.

Working Conditions

• Location – Within 50 miles of Newton, MA - 3 days in office per week
• ~10 – 12 week position – dates to be confirmed with selected candidate
• Required travel – none

Physical Requirements

• While performing this job, the incumbent is regularly required to stand, sit, talk hear & use hands and fingers to operate keyboards

Direct Reports

• N/A.