Business Development Intern
Pioneers, New York, NY, United States
Wonder Tools is seeking a Strategic Operations Intern to support the publication’s day-to-day operations, subscriber communications, and business development efforts. This role is ideal for a detail-oriented undergraduate who wants hands‑on experience in the business side of digital media—including customer relations, sponsor support, partnership outreach, and operational workflows. You’ll work closely with the founder. Join us to get experience at a fast‑growing entrepreneurial creator venture.
Responsibilities
Marketing & Growth
Support and execute marketing initiatives to grow subscribers and engagement
Assist with campaign planning, content promotion, and audience development
Track performance metrics and help refine growth strategies
Partnerships & Business Development
Research and identify potential partners, sponsors, and collaborators
Support outreach, partnership discussions, and relationship management
Help coordinate co-marketing initiatives and strategic collaborations
Sponsor Support & Metrics
Gather post-campaign performance metrics for sponsors (open rates, click-through rates, subscriber reach) from Substack’s analytics dashboard
Compile metrics into clear, professional sponsor reports using established templates
Send completed reports to sponsors and handle routine follow-up communications
Assist the Business Development lead with sponsor outreach: research prospective sponsors, gather contact information, and draft initial outreach emails for review
Track sponsor pipeline activity and follow-up status in a shared tracker
Research potential collaborators: other Substack writers, podcasters, YouTube creators, and newsletter authors in adjacent spaces (productivity, AI, journalism, education)
Draft outreach messages for cross-promotions, guest collaborations, and Substack Live invitations (for founder’s review and approval)
Send approved outreach messages and manage follow-up communications
Research potential group subscription targets: journalism schools, newsrooms, corporate training departments, nonprofit associations
Assist with coordinating logistics for Substack Live conversations: scheduling, guest confirmations, and post-event follow-up
General Support
Act as a thought partner and operational support to the founder
Handle ad hoc projects related to growth, partnerships, and strategy
Minor video or audio editing or social media producing
Qualifications
Currently a student receiving a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Journalism, Public Relations, Communications, Media Studies, or similar.
Strong interest in media, startups, marketing, and partnerships
Highly organized, proactive, and detail-oriented
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Nice to Have
Familiarity with Substack, newsletter platforms, or email marketing tools
Experience with customer service, sales support, or outreach in any context
Exposure to CRM tools, project management tools (Notion, Asana, Trello), or basic data analytics
Interest in productivity tools, AI, or journalism
What You’ll Gain
Direct experience working with the founder of a fast‑growing, highly‑rated independent media publication
Hands‑on exposure to business development, partnership outreach, and sponsor relations in digital media
Experience with the operational side of scaling a newsletter with 84,000+ subscribers as it heads to the near‑term goal of 100,000 global subscribers
Practical skills in professional communication, customer relations, and project coordination
A portfolio of real outreach, research, and communications work
Hourly compensation during the internship: $15-$20.
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Responsibilities
Marketing & Growth
Support and execute marketing initiatives to grow subscribers and engagement
Assist with campaign planning, content promotion, and audience development
Track performance metrics and help refine growth strategies
Partnerships & Business Development
Research and identify potential partners, sponsors, and collaborators
Support outreach, partnership discussions, and relationship management
Help coordinate co-marketing initiatives and strategic collaborations
Sponsor Support & Metrics
Gather post-campaign performance metrics for sponsors (open rates, click-through rates, subscriber reach) from Substack’s analytics dashboard
Compile metrics into clear, professional sponsor reports using established templates
Send completed reports to sponsors and handle routine follow-up communications
Assist the Business Development lead with sponsor outreach: research prospective sponsors, gather contact information, and draft initial outreach emails for review
Track sponsor pipeline activity and follow-up status in a shared tracker
Research potential collaborators: other Substack writers, podcasters, YouTube creators, and newsletter authors in adjacent spaces (productivity, AI, journalism, education)
Draft outreach messages for cross-promotions, guest collaborations, and Substack Live invitations (for founder’s review and approval)
Send approved outreach messages and manage follow-up communications
Research potential group subscription targets: journalism schools, newsrooms, corporate training departments, nonprofit associations
Assist with coordinating logistics for Substack Live conversations: scheduling, guest confirmations, and post-event follow-up
General Support
Act as a thought partner and operational support to the founder
Handle ad hoc projects related to growth, partnerships, and strategy
Minor video or audio editing or social media producing
Qualifications
Currently a student receiving a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Journalism, Public Relations, Communications, Media Studies, or similar.
Strong interest in media, startups, marketing, and partnerships
Highly organized, proactive, and detail-oriented
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Nice to Have
Familiarity with Substack, newsletter platforms, or email marketing tools
Experience with customer service, sales support, or outreach in any context
Exposure to CRM tools, project management tools (Notion, Asana, Trello), or basic data analytics
Interest in productivity tools, AI, or journalism
What You’ll Gain
Direct experience working with the founder of a fast‑growing, highly‑rated independent media publication
Hands‑on exposure to business development, partnership outreach, and sponsor relations in digital media
Experience with the operational side of scaling a newsletter with 84,000+ subscribers as it heads to the near‑term goal of 100,000 global subscribers
Practical skills in professional communication, customer relations, and project coordination
A portfolio of real outreach, research, and communications work
Hourly compensation during the internship: $15-$20.
#J-18808-Ljbffr