Learning & Development Program Specialist Intern

Job Description

Job Description:\n\nWHO WE ARE| ORGANIZATION & PROGRAM OVERVIEW The Executive Leadership Council (ELC) is a pre-eminent member organization for the development of global leaders. Comprised of more than 800 current and former corporate diverse CEOs, board members and senior executives at Fortune 1000 & Global 500 companies, entrepreneurs leading top-tier firms, and recognized thought leaders, we open channels of opportunity for the development of executives to positively impact business and communities. We are working to create an organization where the richness of all our unique views, experiences, and backgrounds combine to further our mission of inclusive leadership. The ELC's ENVISION program does just that, by combining hands-on mentorship, professional development, and real-world projects to help launch your career and gain professional experience as a fundraising & non-profit development professional. As the Learning & Development Program Specialist Intern, you will assist the Leadership Institute team in developing, coordinating, and executing high-impact initiatives, strategies, and events. Our ENVISION internship program is 10-weeks of programming where you will receive full-time, On-the-Job training & education (OTJTE) that will prepare you to be real-world professionals. This internship provides an excellent opportunity to learn essential in leadership learning & development, project/program management, and curriculum design. We are currently seeking a detail-oriented Learning & Development Program Specialist Intern to join the team in our Washington, DC office for Summer of 2026. The internship requires the ability to work up to 40 hours per week, at minimum 32 hours per week during the summer with 5 hours per week devoted to professional development with opportunities for shadowing, mentoring, and training with successful professionals within the space. The internship will commence on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026 and runs until Friday, August 7th, 2026. This position will report to the Sr. Program Manager of Learning & Development in a hybrid environment requiring you to come into the DC office at least 2 days per week, the rest being remote. WHAT YOU WILL GAIN | POSITION OVERVIEW The Leadership Institute offers professional development programs, learning consultation, organizational career development, and facilitation services in partnership with our Member Services department and our various corporate sponsors. You will support the design, development, and delivery of high‑quality learning programs while helping to launch a career and gain professional experience as a Learning & Development professional. You will work alongside subject matter experts (SMEs) to support the development and enhancement of leadership development curriculum and learning products used as critical learning solutions for ELC members, customers, and corporate sponsors. You will help turn real learning data into insights and stories that shape how people grow and learn through the ELC Leadership Institute programs. You will use these insights to help create clear, engaging learning impact stories that communicate the value of ODL's programs to This internship provides an excellent opportunity to gather hands-on opportunities and to gain experience in learning content strategy, instructional design, and educational technology while making a tangible impact on our learning programs. Your primary responsibility will be to inventory, define, and organize learning content and make recommendations for the selection and implementation of an LMS that aligns with our business goals. The ideal candidate should be organized, have excellent written and spoken communication skills, attention to detail, ability to meet tight deadlines, and an affinity for ELC's mission. Learning OutcomesLearning & Development: You will enhance your understanding of professional & leadership development by supporting development initiatives, resource creation, and learning experiences that help strengthen individual and team performance. Analytic Research Skills: You will strengthen their research and analytical abilities by producing comprehensive outputs such as prospect lists, portfolio analyses, and industry landscape mappings that inform team strategy.Quantifying Impact Metrics: You will learn how to translate qualitative and quantitative data into actionable insights and recommendations that support the development of reportable impact metrics across partnerships.New Business Development Experience: The intern will gain visibility into ELC's partnership development process by supporting industry research and contributing to partner‑facing materials, including outreach language and proposal content.Business Analysis: The intern will build analytical and problem-solving skills by reviewing data, identifying trends, and helping translate information into insights and recommendations that support decision-making and business goals.Project Support & Execution: The intern will gain hands-on experience in project coordination and execution by supporting day-to-day team initiatives & task, timelines, deliverables, and workflows that advance team priorities, operational tasks, and organizational goals. WHAT YOU WILL DO | ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS & KEY OUTCOMES Our interns are encouraged to bring fresh ideas to the table and are quickly entrusted with foundational responsibilities such as: Instructional Design & Content ManagementConduct an inventory of existing leadership development content (workshops, presentations, e-learning modules, videos, articles, assessments, etc.) and maintain catalogs and assets aligned with Institute competencies.Categorize and define learning assets based on topics, audience levels, and formats.Research and evaluate potential LMS platforms, identifying key features that support our training goals.Organize and structure content in a way that facilitates future LMS integration.Collaborate with leadership coaches, trainers, and instructional designers to understand content needs.Provide recommendations for LMS selection and implementation roadmap based on best practices.Create documentation or guidelines for content migration and system setup. Business Administration & DevelopmentProvides administrative services to and on behalf of the Leadership Institute Team including calendar scheduling, creating, revising, and editing letters and reports using the Microsoft 365 Office pack.Collaborate with team members to identify and pursue new business opportunities.Assist in the productization of corporate offerings and develop custom program sales materials.Professionally engages with ELC clients & prospects, both internal & external, to provide support and resolve issues; continually possess a problem-solving, customer service mindset.Learns and becomes proficient in internal software systems, including MyELC, Asana, ect. Utilizes the system to make updates, run reports and analyze reports for accuracy and consistency.Accepts various business-focused projects to research, propose ideas and solutions. Provides suggestions to management for improving customer service and internal processes. Project Management Coordination & SupportAssist the department head and project managers in organizing and coordinating various events and programs.Collaborate with the team to develop project plans, timelines, and budgets. Track project progress, identify potential risks, and propose mitigation strategies. Maintain project documentation, including meeting minutes, action items, and status reports.Support the coordination of various programs aimed at engaging professionalsAssist in developing program schedules, coordinating activities, and securing necessary resources.Communicate with program participants, ensuring they have the required information and materials.Monitor program progress, collect feedback, and assist in evaluating program effectiveness.Produce deliverables (e.g., slide decks, reports, spreadsheets, marketing materials, etc.)Create and execute project proposals and plans in a timely manner.Participate in project team meetings and provide status updates, as appropriate.Collaborate with the team on various projects related to data.Track project progress, milestones, risks, and issues. Communication & Technology SupportManage communications with prospective, current, and former s scholars and maintain accurate informational resources and data management. Assist Senior Program Manager in recruitment and relationship management efforts; duties include organizing solicitation and recruitment efforts for potential clients.Support and collaborate with Senior Program Managers & Directors with program administration. General DutiesContribute to the achievement of established department goals and objectives and adhere to department policies, procedures, quality standards, and safety standards.Ability to work in a fast-paced office environment, demonstrating a flexible approach with short deadlines.Promote a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality improvement.Ability to maintain high project organization, multitask, and a focus on quality of results with attention to detail in a fast-paced environment.Support a seamless information sharing workflow within the Leadership Institute Department and the overall organization.Perform other duties as needed. WHO YOU ARE | EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & CREDENTIALSMust be a Undergraduate Junior, Senior, Graduate student or Recent Graduate enrolled in an accredited College or University with a GPA of 3.00 or above. The student should be pursuing a degree in Instructional Design, Education Technology, Learning & Development, Business Administration, or a related field.Must be willing to commit at least 32 hours per week during business hours for the 10-week program. Work schedules can be flexed to accommodate classwork and other academic commitments.Must be available to work on-site at our downtown D.C. office 2x per week at minimum.Passionate about leadership development, digital learning, and organizational growth.Previous Learning & Development internship or work experience preferred, but not requiredPrevious experienced (or eager to learn) about LMS platforms, e-learning tools, and content curation.Advanced computer skills in Adobe, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OutlookProficient in conducting thorough and effective online research.Skilled in identifying and evaluating leadership development content for educational relevance and alignment with program goals.Ability to logically map learning objectives to instructional design requirements, ensuring cohesive and effective curriculum development.Proficiency with Project Management tools such as Asana, Microsoft Project, Monday.com, Trello, etc.Demonstrates initiative, motivation, and solution-oriented mindset who is resourceful and organized.Ability to effectively interact with various levels of leadership is necessary.Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with a professional demeanor and strong editorial & narrative judgment and grammar.Ability to organize and prioritize tasks across multiple projects while navigating constantly changing priorities.Ability to make decisions and resolve problems effectively - seek out information and data to evaluate, prioritize, and formulate the best solution or practice.Ability to work independently with little supervision with strong follow-through and follow-up.Comfortable working with data and translating it into compelling insights.Strong analytical mindset that is data and deadline driven, with attention to detail.Strong cross-functional communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively within a hybrid team environment with a variety of personalities and work styles.Comfort working in a startup-like environment (i.e. ability to work well under pressure) where it is fast-pace and roles ever evolving and able to embrace the learning process through mistakes.Ability to craft persuasive narratives grounded in quantitative and qualitative data.Ability to demonstrate professional, positive, and approachable attitude, and discretion, and sensitivity in handling confidential and highly sensitive information.Shows a profound desire for continuous learning and improvement. Even if you don't meet all of the highlighted qualifications, please still apply. This internship is here for you to learn and grow within a professional setting as well as preparing you to take that next step into your career. WHAT WE STRIVE FOR | CORE COMPETENCIES • Mission Alignment & Awareness: Has a passion for and commitment to opening channels of opportunity for the development of Black professionals to positively impact business and local communities; contributes to the organization by understanding and aligning actions with the organization's goals, core functions, and values. • Planning & Results Orientation: Organizes and executes work to meet organizational goals and objectives while meeting quality standards and following organizational processes; ensures individual performance does not negatively impact the performance of others; recommends additional resources that would improve effectiveness and helps others access required resources; identifies opportunities to improve work processes and efficiency; contributes to setting work priorities and direction; identifies in advance when intended results may not be achieved; takes initiative; is not satisfied with the status quo. • Teamwork & Collaboration: Works well cross functionally and with others on the team to achieve personal goals, team goals, and organizational goals; takes responsibility for individual actions in order to achieve consistent results; fosters team camaraderie, collaboration, and cohesion; understands the impact of one's actions on the ability of their team members to do their jobs; respects the differences other team members bring to the table by openly seeking others' opinions; makes suggestions to improve team engagement and effectiveness; supports implementation of team decisions; professionally gives and seeks feedback in order to achieve common goals. • Problem Solving & Decision-Making: Identifies problems and uses logical analysis to find information, understand causes, and evaluate and select best possible courses of action; seeks information and input to fully understand the cause of problems; takes action to remove obstacles and address problems before they impact performance and results; initiates the evaluation of possible solutions to problems; assesses risks before making a decision; does not take unnecessary risks; effectively navigates through ambiguity, using multiple data points to analyze issues and identify trends. • Creativity & Innovation: Thinks beyond the confines of traditional models to recognize opportunities and find new and better ways of doing things; questi