Position: Financial Planning & Analysis Intern - Summer 2026
Reports To: Director, Financial Planning & Analysis
Location: Chicago, IL (Hybrid)
Duration: June 9 - August 12, 2026
Compensation: Paid Internship (Hourly rates will start at $22.00/hour)
About the Foundation
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is one of the nation's largest independent foundations. The Foundation supports creative people, effective institutions, and influential networks building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. We work on a few big bets that strive toward transformative change in areas of profound concern, including the existential threats of climate change, the challenges of criminal justice reform, revitalizing local news in the U.S., and corruption in Nigeria.
In addition, we maintain enduring commitments in our hometown Chicago, where we invest in people, places, and partnerships to build a more inclusive Chicago and in journalism and media, where we invest in more just and inclusive news and narratives.
We also make awards to extraordinarily creative individuals through the MacArthur Fellows program and for solutions to critical problems of our time through 100&Change. For more information, please visit our website at www.macfound.org.
About the Finance Department
The Finance Department is looking to hire an intern this summer to support the Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) function and provide project support in the areas of financial reporting, analytics, operations, and other special projects. This position will work with the FP&A team and report to the Manager, FP&A.
The intern will assist the team with the annual budget development cycle and monthly forecast process, as well as data analysis and trend analysis related to the Foundation spend. The intern will gain skills and experience in private foundation financial operations, reporting and analysis.
About the Internship
Responsibilities may include:
Exploring key performance indicators (KPIs), financial scorecards, dashboards and other visual representations to illustrate financial performance
Reviewing annual budget submissions and preparation of internal reports to summarize variance analyses and discussion items by cost center
Analyzing monthly forecasts by cost center, reporting top level metrics to management, and providing support to individual cost centers budgeters throughout the forecast period
Performing industry research on assigned finance-related grantmaking operations and report findings to FP&A team. Research may include grant payment processes, operational expense reporting, or multi-year payout reporting
Other duties as assigned
Qualifications
Currently enrolled in an undergraduate program entering their Junior year
Major in Finance, Accounting or Data Analytics preferred
Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
Experience with PowerBI or other data visualization software is a plus
Strong analytical and critical thinking skills
Strong organizational and data management abilities
Strong presentation and writing skills
This internship is based in Chicago, Illinois. Our work environment is hybrid with designated in-office days and virtual days. Interns will be required to reside in the Chicagoland area for the duration of the program. Housing assistance for non-local students may be available and will be discussed during the interview process.
Application Process
The application deadline is SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2025 AT 11:59 PM CST. Applicants should submit a cover letter and resume. As a requirement, students āmust be returning back to schoolā to be eligible. Students meeting the minimum requirements should apply through the MacArthur Foundation website (www.macfound.org/jobs).
Physical Requirements and Work Environment
The work environment is an office setting. Intermittent physical activities will include bending, reaching, sitting, and moving around the office during working hours. Requests for reasonable accommodations will be considered to enable a person with disabilities to perform the job. Reasonable accommodations are also available during the interview process.