Dispute Resolution Analyst (Virtual Internship - FALL 2023)

Approximate Hours: 20 per week

Duration: 12 - 15 weeks

Location: (FULLY VIRTUAL INTERNSHIP)

Salary Level: UNPAID INTERNSHIP

DISPUTE RESOLUTION INTERNSHIP (FULLY VIRTUAL INTERNSHIP - FALL 2023)

The Better Business Bureau Serving Metro New York

30 East 33rd Street, 12th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Founded in 1922, the Better Business Bureau Serving Metropolitan New York (BBB) was created to promote the highest ethical relationship between businesses and the public. The BBB encourages honest advertising and selling practices, while educating consumers and businesses about marketplace issues. Specifically, the Bureau collects and reports information about the marketplace to assist consumers in making more informed purchasing decisions, serves as a neutral third party to help settle marketplace disputes (through informal mediation and arbitration), and monitors advertising and selling practices while encouraging businesses to responsibly regulate their behavior. The BBB seeks motivated, analytical interns with strong communication skills and an interest in gaining uniquely valuable dispute resolution experience.

All training is provided in-house by our dispute resolution staff. Formal procedural and basic alternative dispute resolution skills training (usually at least 2-3 sessions at the outset following orientation, more where necessary and appropriate) is coupled with supervised on-the-job dispute resolution and feedback sessions. For the fall semester, students may work 20 hours per week for 12-15 weeks on a flexible schedule. For summer placement, students should provide 25 hours per week for a period of no less than 10 weeks. Caseloads will be adjusted according to the intern's time commitment to the BBB, with a flexible schedule to accommodate time conflicts. Prior dispute resolution experience is not mandatory for this unpaid internship opportunity. 

Application Instructions: Interested interns should send a cover letter and resume to: Anthony Ali, Senior Director, Dispute Resolution, via email at aali@newyork.bbb.org.

Major: All Majors

Class: Any Class accepted

Degree Level: Undergraduate Degree or Graduate Degree

The Dispute Resolution Virtual Internship generally entails the following:

(1) Continuous supervised maintenance of an active caseload of disputes between consumers and businesses, from case intake to case closure. Some of the BBB's dispute resolution is conducted via telephone.

(2) application of dispute resolution skills such as reflective listening and reasoning, communication enhancement/facilitation, diffusion of hostility, venting, and identification of common ground;

(3) referrals to appropriate government agencies and organizations, where necessary.