Overview

The US-ASEAN Business Council is the premier advocacy organization for U.S. corporations operating within the dynamic Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), serving as the leading voice of the U.S. private sector in promoting mutually beneficial trade and investment relationships between the United States and Southeast Asia. The Council is the only U.S.-based organization recognized in the ASEAN charter as a supporting organization of ASEAN. The Council's members include more than 180 of the most successful and innovative corporations in the world, including Apple, Boeing, Citi, The Coca-Cola Company, Google, and Microsoft. Combined, these 180+ companies generate over $7 trillion in revenue and employ more than 13 million people worldwide.

Cradled between China, India and Australia, ASEAN is the third-largest economy in the Indo-Pacific and the fifth largest in the world with a GDP of $2.8 trillion and a population of 650 million. As a critical hub for global trade, more than $3.4 trillion in global trade transits through ASEAN each year. In 2019, ASEAN became the 4th largest goods export market for the U.S. after Canada, Mexico, and China, reaching over $105 billion in exports in goods and services. It has also attracted more U.S. investment than any other destination in the whole of Indo-Pacific, receiving almost $329 billion in investment, more than the United States has directed to China, India, Japan, and South Korea combined.

Internship Duties and Learning Outcomes

The Council Internship Program is meant to provide hands-on experience in the field of U.S. – ASEAN business relations. Throughout the internship, students will collaborate directly with the finance team, undertaking highly substantive work, including invoice preparation, record management, and various other tasks in support of our members.

Membership and Research Internship Duties:

The Finance Intern position is a hybrid, part-time position, located in the Martinsburg, West Virginia office, reporting to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Finance Associate. The Intern provides services to Member accounts.

• Invoice preparation and record management

• Maintain accurate records within established systems (GrowthZone, Financial ledgers) and processes for assigned accounts. Requires updating Billing Notes in GrowthZone database. Requires entering and adjusting data per members requirements.

• Prepare documentation for audits, including check scanning and invoice organization.

• Execute credit reconciliations, account reconciliations, and preparation of journal entries.

• Support accounts receivable list creation and maintenance, invoice generation and revisions, processing of check deposits, resolution of various client inquiries and requests, and auditing client accounts.

• Support implementation of NetSuite, including the development of features and data transfer, ensuring correct and up to date client financial accuracy.

• Assist on other finance-related projects as needed.

Paid Internship

Small stipend provided

Qualifications

The Council is looking for highly motivated candidates who are undergraduates, recent graduates or graduate students with a strong demonstrable interest in Southeast Asia and finance.

Required Qualifications

• Current undergraduate (e.g., junior or senior year), master’s student, or recent graduate focused on Finance and/or Accounting.

Application Procedures, Deadlines and Internship Periods

To apply to the Council’s internship program, please submit a resume and a cover letter. The cover letter should include information about your availability and a brief description of your academic and professional goals.

Preferred Duration: September - early December 2026 (at least 20 hours per week of availability)

Any questions should also be addressed to internships@usasean.org.