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At Pathward, we take tremendous pride in our purpose to create financial inclusion for all™. We are a financial empowerment company that works with innovators to increase financial availability, choice, and opportunity for all. We strive to remove barriers that traditional institutions put in the way of financial access, and promote economic mobility by providing responsible, secure, high quality financial products.
We are a team of problem solvers and innovators who celebrate our differences and know that our unique perspectives make us stronger and well-positioned for success. We celebrate, and embrace, our team members through our *HUMBLE*HUNGRY*SMART approach, and we believe that we are strongest when we embrace the voices of our employees, customers, partners, and the communities we serve.
About the Role:
Washington, D.C.
The Public Policy Intern will support Pathward’s policy function on issues affecting the banking, payments, and financial technology sectors. This is a paid summer internship designed to provide exposure to how a national bank evaluates and responds to legislative and regulatory developments.
Pathward operates at the intersection of banking, payments, and financial technology, and is also a leading U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development lender and participant in Small Business Administration (SBA) programs supporting small business and rural financing. The Public Policy function engages on issues including financial services regulation, payments policy, and bank–fintech partnerships.
This is a remote position, with a preference for candidates based in the Washington, DC area or able to be in DC periodically, as the role may include occasional in-person engagement (e.g., meetings, events, or briefings). The internship is expected to run from June through August, with flexibility around start and end dates based on academic schedules. The role may be structured as full-time or part-time, depending on candidate availability, with an expectation of consistent weekday engagement during standard business hours (Eastern Time).
What You Will Do:
- Monitor and summarize federal legislative and regulatory activity relevant to financial services (e.g., banking, payments, digital assets)
- Draft short internal memoranda analyzing policy developments and their potential business impact
- Analyze how legislative and regulatory developments apply to specific business models, products, and partnerships, including identifying potential risks and considerations
- Support preparation of internal briefings and materials for senior leadership
- Conduct targeted research on financial services policy issues and industry trends
- Assist with tracking stakeholder engagement across Congress, regulators, and industry groups
- Other duties as assigned.
What You Will Need:
- Current law student (1L or 2L) or graduate student in public policy or a related field
- Interest in financial services policy, banking, payments, or fintech
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to analyze complex information and communicate it clearly
- Experience with legal, policy, or regulatory research preferred
The responsibilities listed above are not all inclusive and may be changed at any time.
Salary range: $14 hourly – $23 hourly
The salary range reflects the minimum and maximum target for a new hire in this role. Individual pay within the range will be determined by multiple factors which can include but are not limited to a candidate’s experience, qualifications, skills, and location. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary for your location during the hiring process. Ranges may be modified in the future.
This role is also eligible for an annual performance-based incentive opportunity. Pathward offers a comprehensive benefits package for eligible employees, including health insurance, 401(k) retirement benefits, life insurance, disability benefits, paid time off, and more.
#LI-Remote
Don’t have everything listed under qualifications? If you’re excited about this role but your experiences don’t match exactly to everything in the posting, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other Pathward roles. Pathward is an equal employment opportunity employer and considers candidates for roles without regard to their race, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability or any other category protected by law.
Who we are:
Our commitment to inclusion is woven into our DNA. We believe that we are strongest when we embrace the voices of our employees, customers, partners, and the communities we serve.
We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, pregnancy, national origin, age (age 40 and over), disability, genetic information, marital status, hair texture or hairstyle, ancestry, service in the uniformed services, protected veteran status, status as a victim of domestic violence or any other class protected by federal, state and local laws.
Please click here to learn more about our benefits and review information about our Privacy Policy, Affirmative Action Plan and other notices. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws. For assistance completing an application, please contact a Pathward People & Culture Representative by emailing – [email protected]
Please click here to view Pathward's Applicant Privacy Notice.
Applications will be accepted for a minimum of 3 days after posting, and there is no predetermined date by which applications should be submitted.
Knowingly submitting false information will result in disqualification for consideration of future positions, termination of employment and forfeiture of other rights.
Candidate Scam WarningWe encourage you to be cautious of hiring scams that impersonate Pathward. Copy and paste the following URL into your browser to learn more: https://www.pathward.com/about-us/people-culture/careers/
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