Business Development Intern

You will need to be available to start by 31 January 2026 at the latest. Applications from candidates who cannot start before this date will not be considered in the current hiring round. However, if you are available later, you are welcome to apply, and we will review your profile for our next phase of recruitment.

Join one of Europe’s leading AI-powered political intelligence platforms and kickstart your career at the intersection of technology, policy, and sales!

Job Profile

If you’re passionate about policy, technology, and politics, you’ll fit right in with our enthusiastic and vibrant team.

As a Business Development Intern at Polpo, you’ll join our Business Development Internship in Brussels, working with the Belgium and EU sales team to identify new business opportunities and strengthen Polpo’s presence in the GovTech and political intelligence sector.

You’ll be part of a fast-growing AI-powered SaaS company, helping organisations make sense of complex EU and national developments through technology and insight.

This hands-on role suits a mature and focused individual with a keen eye for detail, strong planning skills, and creative thinking. You’ll thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment, while remaining comfortable working independently with a can-do attitude.

Throughout your internship, you’ll receive regular coaching and feedback, work closely with more experienced colleagues, and gain hands-on exposure to the full sales cycle — from research and prospecting to account support and market analysis. You will have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference to the success of our business.

This is a great opportunity to kickstart your career in B2B SaaS and public affairs technology, working closely with senior sales professionals in a fast-growing European scale-up. This role is based in Brussels.

Key responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

  • Research and identify potential clients across Belgium and the EU through prospecting, social media, and lead generation tools for our SaaS sales and political intelligence platform.
  • Develop a network of new contacts among decision-makers and influencers.
  • Contribute to market mapping, competition analysis, and case study development to support sales strategy.
  • Support the sales team with day-to-day client engagement, CRM updates, and proposal preparation.
  • Collaborate with colleagues across teams to ensure great client experiences and that market needs are met.
  • Help communicate and promote the value of Polpo’s AI-powered platform to prospects and clients.

Please note: This internship can only be offered as a studentship (“convention de stage”) delivered by your university or as a professional immersion agreement (“convention d’immersion professionnelle”) and requires availability to start by 31 January 2026 at the latest.

How You Strengthen Our Team

  • If applying as part of your studies, the candidate should still be in their studies for the entire duration of the internship. If applying after your studies, you should have at least a Bachelor’s or Master’s (preferred) Degree. For both options, a degree in Business, Management, Marketing, Communications, Political science, Economics, Law (3rd year or above) is preferred.
  • Excellent writing skills in English and another European language.
  • Some experience within or interest in the Legal, Public Affairs, Public Policy, Communications/PR, Media, Information or Research space would be an advantage.
  • Willingness to work in a challenging and commercially driven sales environment.
  • A good command of the Microsoft Office suite.
  • Intellectual curiosity and be detailed-oriented.
  • Experience of social media and digital marketing would be an asset.

What We Offer

  • A tight-knit team where you work closely with your colleagues and your manager.
  • Six-month internship contract (€1,055.94 per month).
  • Flexible, hybrid working environment which values work-life balance and gives you the option to choose how you best work.
  • A laptop and the tools you need to do your job well.
  • Plenty of room to learn and grow, including:
  • Regular mentorship from senior team members and opportunities to participate in internal training sessions.
  • Exposure to EU public affairs and policy networks through industry events and client meetings (where applicable).
  • Regular social activities and team events to help you connect with your colleagues.

Interested?

If you are interested in the role, please submit your application through our Company Jobs Page. You can also email your application directly to jvanzaanen@polpo.nl
(co-founder). Interviews will be held in November and December. We look forward to hearing from candidates who share our passion for technology, public affairs, and growth.