Grow, Connect and Influence with the Chamber

For more than 80 years the Opelika Chamber of Commerce has been working every day to make Opelika a better place to live, work and grow a business. Recognized for their operational best practices among 501(c)6 not-for-profit Chambers of Commerce, the Opelika Chamber was named the 2024 Chamber of the Year by the national organization, Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), and is one of only 3 5-star accredited chambers in the state of Alabama. Representing more than 1,000 businesses and over 20,000 employees, the Opelika Chamber connects businesses to each other and to new ideas, helps them grow and expands their influence by meeting with government decision makers to ensure business-friendly conditions exist.

The Opelika Chamber is a high-performing team that expects a lot of every member and delivers amazing results. It starts with core values. These are ours:

• Practice Positivity
• Earnestly Build Bridges
• Earn Trust
• Aspire to Excellence
• Seek Continuous Growth
• Practice Servant Leadership

Position: Opelika Chamber Membership Intern 

Reports To: Director of Operations & Engagement

The Opelika Chamber Membership Intern position is a role that assists the membership team in supporting and engaging our 1000+ members through research, programming, meetings and events. The ideal candidate will be a strong and confident communicator, self-motivated, task-oriented with a positive outlook and a clear focus on high quality customer support; possess excellent time management skills; and are comfortable dealing with a broad spectrum of business industries and people. This person will be passionate about helping the business community, and a team player ready to build relationships and be actively engaged in our efforts.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Contributes to the membership retention plan, proactively visiting with existing member businesses and provides recording/tracking of monthly visits, to include in-person and phone/email contact attempts. Daily calls and visits are expected, with specific target numbers to be determined.
• Assist with the execution and preparation of membership deliveries, including magazine, cup, and plant deliveries that serve as touch points to our members throughout the year.
• Serve as staff support for Chamber events, retail promotions, fundraisers, seminars, retreats, social events, and special meetings as directed by the Director of Operations & Engagement.
• Interns should be prepared to assist with front desk coverage and support Chamber events as needed, including occasional evening or weekend commitments.
• Support the Membership staff members & their needs as requested.
• Other duties assigned by the Director of Operations & Engagement or President/CEO.

Desired Experience and Required Attributes: 

• High school diploma, some college, or college degree preferred.
• Available 10-15 hours per week.
• Interns are expected to provide their own laptop for the duration of the internship. The device should be capable of running standard business software and maintaining reliable internet access.
• Comfortable with accountability, takes ownership of your work.
• Strong time management & organizational skills required.
• Enthusiasm and a positive attitude, ability to maintain grace under pressure.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Team-player mentality, and willingness to support colleagues even if it’s outside of job description.
• Passion for talking to people, relationship building, and building bridges.
• Ability to lift up to 40 lbs. with ease and willingness to roll up your sleeves for event set up.
• Technically proficient with working capabilities in the following programs:
  • Microsoft Office Suite with excellent skills in Outlook, Word, Excel & PowerPoint.
  • Social media platforms to include Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram & TikTok.
  • The ideal candidate should have working knowledge or be willing to learn these platforms, and others to include GrowthZone, Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, etc.

Compensation: This is an unpaid learning-based internship that offers hands-on experience, mentorship, networking with local business leaders, and professional development opportunities.

How to Apply: To apply, please email the Director of Operations & Engagement, Ashley Colquitt, at ashley@opelikachamber.com of your interest with your resume attached. If selected for the interview process, she will reach out to set up a time to meet. The intern will be expected to start May 27, 2026. The internship is for the summer and/or fall (candidates can request the one summer semester or both summer and fall.)