Careers

Brand Protection Intern

About this Job:

AAFA is seeking an intern to support policy and advocacy work within the Brand Protection (BP) portfolio.

The colleague will report directly to AAFA’s Sr. Director of Brand Protection to support AAFA’s Policy Department’s advocacy initiatives to promote strong protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPR); increase awareness of the dangers of counterfeits to businesses, consumers, workers, and the environment; and educate the industry on how to overcome shared challenges that cause lost sales and irreparable damage to brand reputation.

Key responsibilities:

• Joining meetings with AAFA staff, AAFA member companies, external cross-industry partners, and others on BP policy-related matters. Participate in occasional external meetings with government agencies, Congressional staff, and others as appropriate.
• Creating or updating of AAFA internal resources to help members address IPR concerns; this could include updating a directory of POCs for IPR issues withing e-commerce and/or social media platforms or developing new databases to track issues across such platforms.
• Helping to draft AAFA work product, including: comments to government initiatives (including USTR’s annual Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy), regular member notes, advocacy letters, meeting agendas, legislative/regulatory summaries and more.
• Tracking Congressional and other events to monitor priorities and draft summaries of key legislative/regulatory developments when appropriate.
• Maintain a relentless focus on the needs of AAFA members.
• Other supportive duties as determined based on AAFA's strategic plan and developments.

Personal characteristics and qualifications:

• Demonstrated interest in brand protection, intellectual property and advocacy.
• Detail-oriented, ability to conduct research, and well-organized.
• Good communicator and able to work independently.

Application Process:

• Law or graduate students are preferred; however, all qualified and motivated candidates are encouraged to apply. Experience with advocacy, brand protection, or a campaign-oriented mindset is a plus.
• Must be located in the United States and authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future employer-sponsored work.
• Deadline is 5pm ET on Friday, July 10.

Please send your resume and a short email about your interest in the position to jscogginshanks@aafaglobal.org. with the subject line: “AAFA Brand Protection Internship - (your name).” 

Note: Must be able to set a work schedule (at least 20-30 hours per week) around a class schedule; with heavy work slated from the end of September to the middle of November during core AAFA business hours.

Location:

Virtual or Washington, D.C. (if in DC, a mix of telework and in-person office days)

Communications & Social Strategy Intern

About this Job:

AAFA offers competitive internship opportunities in our Communications and Marketing Department. The Communications and Marketing team is responsible for advancing AAFA’s voice, strengthening brand reputation, and supporting engagement across media, membership, and key stakeholders in the apparel and footwear industries.

The team focuses its work around AAFA’s three core priorities: Brand Protection; Supply Chain & Sourcing; and Trade, Logistics, & Manufacturing.

The Fall AAFA Communications Intern will work closely with a three-person communications team in a primarily remote environment (with optional one day per week in-office) to support media monitoring, content development, and strategic communications initiatives.

Key responsibilities:

• Monitor traditional and social media for relevant AAFA mentions, including conducting social listening, media tracking, and basic analytics.
• Support drafting and editing of press releases, media materials, and social media content (primarily LinkedIn).
• Conduct research on communications trends, media strategies, and social media tactics to inform team efforts.
• Identify and flag relevant reporters, media outlets, and emerging stories aligned with AAFA priorities.
• Assist in tracking and evaluating communications performance and engagement metrics.
• Collaborate with team members to support ongoing communications campaigns and initiatives.

Personal characteristics and qualifications:

• Demonstrated interest in communications, public relations, media relations, or social media strategy.
• Strong writing, editing, and research skills.
• Detail-oriented, well-organized, and proactive.
• Ability to collaborate effectively and thoughtfully incorporate diverse input.
• Comfortable working in a remote environment and highly attentive in a virtual setting.
• Interest in brand reputation, public affairs, or industry communications a plus.

Application Process:

The deadlines for applying are as follows:

• Fall (September start) –June 30

Please send your resume and a short email about your interest in the position to jobapps@aafaglobal.org. with the subject line: “Communications & Social Strategy Internship.” 

Note: Must be located in the United States, authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future employer-sponsored work authorization, and able to participate in the internship during AAFA business hours (9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Eastern Time).

Location:

Washington, D.C. (primarily remote with optional one day per week in-office)