Policy Expert

Become a policy leader in the conservative movement

overview

Become a conservative movement leader

Learn how to build and sustain momentum in your fight for freedom

The Leadership Institute (LI) offers specialized training programs designed to equip individuals with the tools to become political experts and organizational entrepreneurs. These programs teach conservatives the essential skills to establish and lead conservative organizations.

LI’s Think Tank Opportunity Workshop delves into the role of think tanks in shaping public policy solutions at all levels of government. For over 50 years, think tanks have been at the forefront of the battle of ideas in America, influencing decisions from county courthouses to Congress. This workshop helps conservatives understand the impact of think tanks on public policy and provides insights into how they can work and lead within these influential organizations. Participants gain a comprehensive understanding of how think tanks operate and drive policy solutions.

LI’s Advanced Public Relations School emphasizes the importance of earned media in promoting policy, highlighting organizational achievements, and managing crisis situations. This training teaches participants how to build a strong public profile through maximizing media opportunities and securing positive media attention. Effective media relations are crucial for any organization’s success, and this program equips attendees with the skills required to navigate and leverage media interactions effectively.

Step one

With You at Every Step

From our dedicated programs stems an ocean of training opportunities. Hone the skills, knowledge, and strategies that amplify conservative voices everywhere.

The One-on-One Television Workshop is a custom training developed for the specific demands of each student. The full resources of...

The on-camera workshop takes place in front of the TV cameras in LI’s Norma Zimdahl Master Studio in the Sacher...

You don’t get much lead time before an interview, so take advantage of the time you have now to learn...

Learn the basics of message construction and delivery and finally understand how the best communicators do it. You will receive...

Step Two

Find a Job to Suit You

Whether you’re looking to hire top conservative talent or searching for your next job opportunity, LI has got you covered.
1

The Aileen Chuck Internship Program Summer 2027

Jump-start your career in politics! Join the Leadership Institute staff team as a summer 2027 intern.

The internship will run from May 10, 2027 through August 13, 2027. The deadline to apply is April 9, 2027.

This intensive program allows you to gain professional experience in a real working environment, further your knowledge of the conservative movement, and sharpen your skills for future success. Leadership Institute interns receive free housing, a $1,000 monthly stipend, priority access to the Institute’s Employment Placement Service, free tuition to all Leadership Institute schools and workshops, weekly private lunches and dinners with conservative VIPs, and the opportunity to build public policy references.

For more information, please visit us on the web by clicking here.

To apply, please submit a resume, cover letter, and a letter of recommendation through Conservative Jobs.

Cover letters and letters of recommendation should be addressed to the Intern Program Manager, Arin Steiner.

March 19, 2026
Arlington

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1

Campus Reform Recruiter

About the Role

The Leadership Institute is hiring a Recruiter for its campus news website Campus Reform (campusreform.org). As America’s leading source for conservative college news, Campus Reform serves as a watchdog to our country’s higher education system, with a mission to expose leftist bias and abuse on college campuses. The Recruiter will oversee Campus Reform’s recruitment budget to identify and onboard college students into its Young Journalists Program as freelance news correspondents.

The Recruiter is also expected to design and execute a recruitment strategy that retains top talent for Campus Reform’s Young Journalists Program. Responsibilities include management of freelancer writers, project management and coordination, and spending authority over Campus Reform’s recruitment efforts.

This is a full-time position that reports to the Operations Manager. The successful candidate may work in-office at LI Headquarters in Arlington, VA, or remotely.

Responsibilities

·      Recruit and retain top talent for Campus Reform’s Young Journalists Program

·      Execute a nationwide recruitment strategy

·      Manage the recruitment budget and keep expenditures under control

·      Manage freelancers’ payments and engagement in the Young Journalists Program

Compensation

The position pays $50,000 - $64,000 depending on experience. The successful candidate may receive a $1,000 signing bonus if they can work at LI Headquarters within 90 days of starting the role.

September 14, 2026

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1

Technology Fellow, IT Operations

Position Summary

The Technology Fellow is a twelve-month, fixed-term position in IT Operations built for someone at the start of an IT career. We are hiring for aptitude instead of experience.

The Fellow joins the IT Operations team as a full member of staff, with the same service desk rotation and the same expectations for ownership and documentation as everyone else on the team. Over the twelve months, the Fellow builds real technical depth in identity and endpoint management through a funded certification program with the study time protected on the calendar.

This is a training position with a defined end date. It is a salaried role with full benefits, not an internship and not a contract engagement.

What Makes This Different

Most entry-level IT jobs promise training and hand you a ticket queue, this one comes with training built in:

  • Five certification exams paid for by the organization, on a published schedule, with exam days off

  • Eight protected hours per week for study during off-rotation weeks, and two during service desk weeks

  • A $6,000 training budget over the term, covering exam fees, retakes, and study materials

  • Direct mentorship from the Sr. Director of Technology and experienced IT Operations Specialists

  • Actual ownership of production systems from month one, supervised and scoped to what you have demonstrated

If you finish the term with us, you leave with five certifications and a year of hands-on experience in a Microsoft identity and endpoint environment.

Certification Program

Five certifications are required and run on a fixed schedule. The organization pays for all of them.

CompTIA A+ — Target: Month 4

The vendor-neutral entry-level IT certification, earned across two exams. Hardware, operating systems, networking basics, security, and troubleshooting.

MS-900 Microsoft 365 Fundamentals — Target: Month 5

Cloud concepts, the core services in the Microsoft 365 suite, licensing, and the support and compliance model.

MD-102 Endpoint Administrator Associate — Target: Month 7

Deploying and maintaining devices through Microsoft Intune and Windows Autopilot, configuration and compliance policy, application management, and endpoint monitoring.

SC-900 Security, Compliance & Identity Fundamentals — Target: Month 8

Security, compliance, and identity concepts and the Microsoft services that implement them.

SC-300 Identity & Access Administrator Associate — Target: Month 10

Managing user identities, authentication and access management, workload identities, and identity governance in Microsoft Entra ID.

Past these five, the choice is yours. If the required schedule is on track, you may propose one additional certification per quarter for funding. We will point you toward wider IT foundations such as Network+, Security+, and Project+, but the decision is yours as long as it fits the budget and does not put the required schedule at risk.

Key Responsibilities

Service Desk Operations (Rotational)

  • Serve as primary service desk technician during assigned rotation periods, two weeks in every six

  • Triage and resolve incoming support tickets according to SLA

  • Escalate complex issues to the appropriate domain specialist

  • Document solutions for the knowledge base

  • Provide patient, high-quality service to staff at every level of technical skill

Identity and Access Support

  • Process account lifecycle requests: creation, changes, and deprovisioning against approved requests

  • Manage group membership and license assignment

  • Support MFA enrollment, resets, and end-user authentication troubleshooting

  • Maintain accurate records of access changes

Endpoint Support

  • Enroll and provision Windows and macOS devices through Microsoft Intune, Windows Autopilot, and Apple Business Manager

  • Image, stage, and deploy devices to staff

  • Deploy applications from established Intune packages

  • Monitor and remediate the non-compliant device queue

  • Apply patches and updates on the established ring schedule

  • Maintain device and asset records across the full hardware lifecycle

Documentation

  • Produce documentation for resolved issues and recurring procedures

  • Contribute to and maintain the knowledge base

  • Keep runbooks current as processes change

Learning and Development

  • Complete the certification ladder on the published schedule

  • Participate in structured mentorship and regular review

  • Shadow senior staff on identity policy, security, and infrastructure work

Term and Conversion

This position is a twelve-month fixed term. The end date is known at the time of hire and will be stated in the offer letter.

At the conclusion of the term, the organization may extend an offer for a permanent position if one is available and if performance warrants it. Continued employment past the twelve-month term is not guaranteed, and candidates should apply understanding that the position concludes at that point.

We would rather be direct about this in the posting than discover a misunderstanding in month eleven.

Working Conditions

  • Primary work location on site at headquarters

  • Rotation through service desk duty on a six-week cycle, two weeks on and four weeks off

  • Physical activity required for equipment installation, staging, and maintenance

  • Occasional work in server rooms, cable closets, and other technical spaces

  • Occasional after-hours work for system updates, critical support, and emergency response

  • Occasional work on ladders or in confined spaces may be required

October 01, 2026
Arlington

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1

The Aileen Chuck Internship Program Spring 2027

Jump-start your career in politics! Join the Leadership Institute staff team as a spring 2027 intern.

The internship will run from January 11, 2027 through April 9, 2027. The deadline to apply is December 1, 2026.

This intensive program allows you to gain professional experience in a real working environment, further your knowledge of the conservative movement, and sharpen your skills for future success. Leadership Institute interns receive free housing, a $1,000 monthly stipend, priority access to the Institute’s Employment Placement Service, free tuition to all Leadership Institute schools and workshops, weekly private lunches and dinners with conservative VIPs, and the opportunity to build public policy references.

For more information, please visit us on the web by clicking here.

To apply, please submit a resume, cover letter, and a letter of recommendation through Conservative Jobs.

Cover letters and letters of recommendation should be addressed to the Intern Program Manager, Arin Steiner.

March 13, 2026
Arlington

Learn More
5

Freelance Reporter

About the Role 

The Leadership Institute is hiring a Freelance Reporter for its news website Campus Reform (www.campusreform.org). As America’s leading source for conservative college news, Campus Reform serves as a watchdog to our country’s higher education system, with a mission to expose leftist bias and abuse on college campuses. 

The Freelance Reporter is responsible for writing daily news articles that fit Campus Reform’s beat and mission. Freelance Reporters are expected to develop an extensive network of sources including but not limited to industry experts, college students, and college faculty and staff. News articles will include a variety of formats including feature profiles, Q+As, investigative pieces, as well as include data visualization and video components. 

Freelance Reporters that demonstrate exceptional writing, research, and sourcing skills may have opportunities to represent Campus Reform on national and local media. For such instances, Freelance Reporters are expected to work on deadline in a fast-paced environment with the Editor in Chief and PR team. 

This is a remote position that reports directly to the Deputy Editor. 

Responsibilities 

• Write daily news articles and revise copy on deadline 

• Maintain professional relationships and rapports with industry experts, higher education officials, and college students 

• Craft a variety of articles using data visualization, video, and other graphic components

• Represent Campus Reform on television, radio, podcasts, and other news media

Required Skills

• Bachelor’s Degree

• Expertise on issues covered by Campus Reform’s beat 

• 2 years’ experience in journalism, media, or a related field

• Experience with AP Style 

• Ability to multitask under deadline and keep up with breaking and emerging news cycles 

• Strong verbal and written communication skills

• Interest and willingness to work outside standard business hours. 

Desired Skills

• Strong research and fact-checking skills

• Avid consumer of national and higher education news across platforms and outlets 

August 20, 2026

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1

State Recruiter - MD, WV, DC

Summary:

LI Recruiters identify and recruit students to start conservative student organizations or publications on campus within an assigned territory.  Recruiters will develop a territory action plan to evaluate all college campuses within the territory and assign recruitment and training resources.  Recruiters will also approve or deny membership into LI’s CLP network and develop a strategic activism and training plan.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Includes the following: the exercising of discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance and other duties as required.

Regional Network Development:

a)     Build and maintain relationships between LI, students, and groups within the region.

b)    Research, analyze, and recruit conservative students to participate in LI programs.

c)     Make membership decisions. Analyze and determine which groups within the region qualify to participate in LI’s CLP network.

d)    Develop a strategic plan to expand membership with LI in a territory each semester.

e)     Create and develop a regional training plan for your territory.

f)     Approve and distribute LI resources to CLP groups.

g)    Approve or deny requests from new CLP groups to join LI’s CLP network.

h)    Approve or deny activism grant requests for the group in the LI network

i)      Evaluate all higher education institutions to determine overall compatibility with CLP programs.

j)      Build relationships with partner organization counterparts

 Program Management:

a)     Manage your territories’ activism budget

b)    Approve or deny students for the Campus Ambassador program  membership

c)     Approve or deny scholarships for Leadership Institute trainings

Qualifications:      

Candidates for this position must have a knowledge and understanding of conservative philosophy with a dedication to grassroots activism and organization. Candidates should also have strong interpersonal skills and should excel in both written and oral communication.

Salary range is $50,000-$65,000

September 10, 2026
Anywhere in MD-WV-DC

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1

Fellow, Campus Reform

About the Role 

The Leadership Institute is hiring a Fellow for its news website Campus Reform (www.campusreform.org). As America’s leading source for conservative college news, Campus Reform serves as a watchdog to our country’s higher education system, with a mission to expose leftist bias and abuse on college campuses. 

The Fellow is responsible for researching and covering education national and state education policy, emerging cultural trends connected to Campus Reform’s beat, and writing daily news articles and weekly analysis and/or opinion pieces. The Fellow is also expected to represent Campus Reform in media interviews and participate in occasional trainings for Campus Reform’s freelance Young Journalists.

The Fellowship is not an entry-level position and requires reporting or other work outside the standard 8am-5pm office schedule.

This is a full-time position that reports directly to the Deputy Editor. Given Leadership Institute’s proximity to the Washington, DC, media market, candidates who can work five days per week in Campus Reform’s Arlington, VA, newsroom are strongly preferred.  

Responsibilities 

·       Write daily news articles and weekly opinion and analysis pieces

·       Continually research and cover national and state education policy

·       Maintain professional relationships and rapports with industry experts, higher education officials, and college students 

·       Represent Campus Reform on television, radio, podcasts, and other news media

Required Skills

·       Bachelor’s Degree

·       Expertise on issues covered by Campus Reform’s beat

·       Previous experience working in higher education, reporting on education, or conducting research on education policy

·       Experience with AP Style 

·       Ability to multitask under deadline and keep up with breaking and emerging news cycles 

·       Strong verbal and written communication skills

·       Interest and willingness to work outside standard business hours.

Desired Skills

·       4+ years’ experience in media, journalism, communications, or a related field

·       Strong research and fact-checking skills

·       Avid consumer of national and higher education news across platforms and outlets 

Compensation

The salary range is $55,000-$85,000 and is based on experience. Leadership Institute employee benefits include medical, dental, vision, PTO, and disability. The Campus Reform Fellow will also have access to a dedicated public relations and media booking consultancy to support and coordinate media appearances. 

To Apply

Qualified candidates should submit their resume and cover letter to Deputy Editor Jared Harris at jharris@leadershipinstitute.org. Cover letters should note salary requirements and willingness to relocate to the Washington, DC area.  

August 17, 2026
Arlington

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1

State Recruiter- AL, LA, MS

Summary:

LI Recruiters identify and recruit students to start conservative student organizations or publications on campus within an assigned territory.  Recruiters will develop a territory action plan to evaluate all college campuses within the territory and assign recruitment and training resources.  Recruiters will also approve or deny membership into LI’s CLP network and develop a strategic activism and training plan.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Includes the following: the exercising of discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance and other duties as required.

Regional Network Development:

a)     Build and maintain relationships between LI, students, and groups within the region.

b)    Research, analyze, and recruit conservative students to participate in LI programs.

c)     Make membership decisions. Analyze and determine which groups within the region qualify to participate in LI’s CLP network.

d)    Develop a strategic plan to expand membership with LI in a territory each semester.

e)     Create and develop a regional training plan for your territory.

f)     Approve and distribute LI resources to CLP groups.

g)    Approve or deny requests from new CLP groups to join LI’s CLP network.

h)    Approve or deny activism grant requests for the group in the LI network

i)      Evaluate all higher education institutions to determine overall compatibility with CLP programs.

j)      Build relationships with partner organization counterparts

 Program Management:

a)     Manage your territories’ activism budget

b)    Approve or deny students for the Campus Ambassador program  membership

c)     Approve or deny scholarships for Leadership Institute trainings

Qualifications:      

Candidates for this position must have a knowledge and understanding of conservative philosophy with a dedication to grassroots activism and organization. Candidates should also have strong interpersonal skills and should excel in both written and oral communication.

Salary range is $50,000-$65,000

August 27, 2026
Anywhere in AL LA MS

Learn More

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step Three

Make an Impact at Every Stage

Witness the journey of individuals who, through LI’s guidance,
have made strides in their communities and beyond.

2025
Appointed to House Education Committee

2024
Received the Congressional Patriot Award

2024
Young Americans for Liberty Hazlitt Policy Summit Training from LI

2024
Graduation from Liberty University

2024
Reelection to House State Delegate

2023
Takes office in the West Virginia House of Delegates

2022
Elected to serve as a member of the House of Delegates

2022
Future Candidate School and 38 more trainings from LI

2021
Deputy Assistant to LI President Morton Blackwell

2021
Leadership Institute Intern

2020
Youth Leadership School

2020
Interned for West Virginia Congressman Alex Mooney

2020
West Virginia Republican National Convention Alternate Delegate

2014
Moved to the U.S. from Guatemala

2018
Youth Leadership Summit:

Stevie learns to turn values into vision.

Leadership Institute

2018
Youth Leadership Summit:

Stevie learns to turn values into vision.

2018
Youth Leadership Summit:

Stevie learns to turn values into vision.

2018
Youth Leadership Summit:

Stevie learns to turn values into vision.

Ready to accelerate your political career?  The Leadership Institute’s expert-crafted trainings equip you with essential skills and knowledge for success in politics. 

Leadership Institute offers top-tier trainings that will equip you with the necessary skills and knowledge to become an influential movement leader.