Search
yaf logo
yaf logo

National Conference Director

YAF Headquarters

Reston, Virginia

Opening:

January 2026

Salary will be commensurate with experience.

Mission

Young America’s Foundation (YAF) is committed to ensuring that increasing numbers of young Americans understand and are inspired by the ideas of individual freedom, a strong national defense, free enterprise, and traditional values.

Reports To

Vice President for Student Programs

Job Summary

Job Summary: YAF has a proven history of organizing impactful student conferences in Washington, D.C., at the Reagan Ranch, the Reagan Boyhood Home, and through regional programs nationwide.

The national conference director manages YAF’s high school and college conferences and seminars. Responsibilities include program recruitment, team management, securing venues, inviting and confirming speakers, adhering to event budgets, and overseeing on-site logistics.

The director will collaborate with YAF’s leadership to consistently evaluate our conferences and ensure that YAF programs serve as premier events for young conservatives.

This role reports to the Vice President for Student Programs and is to be executed in-person at the YAF National Headquarters in Reston, VA.

Responsibilities

Job Responsibilities:

  • Oversee YAF’s high school and college conferences and seminars at YAF headquarters, the Reagan Ranch Center, the Reagan Boyhood Home, and regionally
  • Coordinate with the program team, other support staff, and interns at the conferences to ensure the success of each program
  • Manage YAF’s conference assistants and other team members as assigned; currently 2 staff members
  • Coordinate with YAF’s middle school director to ensure the success of YAF’s middle school programs
  • Implement recruitment strategies that ensure all programs achieve their attendance goals.
  • Communicate all details and program agendas to relevant YAF staff, confirmed speakers, and students before, during, and after the event
  • Maintain an organized system for student registration
  • Coordinate and cultivate strong relationships with vendors for YAF programs, including hotels, caterers, printers, photographers, transportation companies, and more
  • Collaborate with YAF’s program and communication teams to create engaging online marketing materials and advertisements
  • Coordinate with YAF’s program and communication teams to recruit participants for YAF programs
  • Follow up with student attendees and speakers, including coordinating thank you notes and honoraria for speakers while encouraging ongoing involvement with YAF
  • Draft and share written reports and evaluations of conferences with YAF’s program and development teams
  • Provide YAF’s development team with conference information as needed to help secure and maintain funding for YAF’s student programs
  • Build relationships with key student leaders
  • Stay informed of current event planning and conference trends
  • Coordinate with the program and communications team to ensure high-quality visual representation of events and maximum media coverage
  • Travel to student conferences and seminars, usually in advance of each program
  • Occasional weekend work and/or additional hours will be required
  • Other tasks as assigned

Requirements

Skills, Qualifications, and Qualities:

  • 3-6+ years of relevant experience
  • Committed to and enthusiastic about YAF’s mission and programs
  • Previous YAF involvement and experience running a conservative club, including organizing campus events and lectures, a plus
  • Strong knowledge of conservative ideas and the Conservative Movement
  • Committed to identifying, activating, and inspiring student leaders
  • Committed to preserving and sharing the legacy of Ronald Reagan
  • Energetic and passionate about delivering high-quality student conferences and programs
  • Self-motivated, organized, flexible, and capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously
  • Ability to work both independently and as a collaborative, constructive team member
  • Excellent oral, written, and organizational skills
  • Willingness to travel approximately 25-30%
  • Good judgment and discretion in dealing with confidential matters
  • Willingness to comply with YAF policies, procedures, and practices
  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required

Specific physical demands that relate directly to the essential job duties and responsibilities include:

  • Frequently moves boxes and equipment weighing up to 50 pounds for various conference and seminar needs
  • The ability to move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc., and occasionally to move safely over uneven terrain or in confined spaces

To Apply

Qualified candidates should submit the following application materials (in order) in one PDF document:

  • Cover letter including:
    • An introductory paragraph(s) describing three distinct reasons you are drawn to YAF’s mission and how you came to those beliefs
    • Three professional references
    • Salary requirements
    • Resume

Applications should be submitted to Talent Market via this link: talentmarket.org/apply-for-your-dream-job/.

Questions can be directed to Katy Gambella, Director of Outreach at Talent Market, who is managing the search process: [email protected].

There is no application deadline for this position. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. This job will remain posted on our site until it is filled.

Talent Market is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting liberty by helping free-market nonprofits identify talent for critical roles. We provide consulting and recruiting services at no cost to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations that clearly and directly focus on advancing the principles of economic freedom, free enterprise, free trade, free speech, property rights, rule of law, and limited regulation.

While we thank all applicants in advance for their interest in this position, we are only able to contact those to whom we can offer an interview. Only direct applications will be considered. No phone calls, please.

Get Involved

Become a Member

YAF Chapters

Events & Conferences

Host a Speaker

Campus Activism

Programs

Young Americans for Freedom

Center for Entrepreneurship

National Journalism Center

Reagan Ranch

Reagan Boyhood Home

Campus Lectures & Activism

Defending Student Rights

Middle School Programs

High School Programs

College Programs

YAF on Capitol Hill

News & Media

All Media

Articles

Videos

The New Guard

About

About Us

Staff Members

Our Boards

Careers

Financials

Get Involved

Become a Member

YAF Chapters

Events & Conferences

Host a Speaker

Campus Activism

Programs

Young Americans for Freedom

Center for Entrepreneurship

National Journalism Center

Reagan Ranch

Reagan Boyhood Home

Campus Lectures & Activism

Defending Student Rights

Middle School Programs

High School Programs

College Programs

YAF on Capitol Hill

News & Issues

All Media

Articles

Videos

The New Guard

About

About Us

Staff Members

Our Boards

Careers

Financials