Apply for a Leadership Fellow - Recruiting

What is the Leadership Fellows Program?

The Leadership Fellows program offers nonprofit and public-sector organizations the opportunity to leverage the experience, energy, and analytical skills of MBAs for one year. Fellows apply their expertise to roles for which they produce immediate results and build long-term capacity within the organization while gaining exposure to senior leaders within the sector.

HBS Investment

HBS works with interested organizations to create a mutually beneficial Fellowship position.

Provides a framework for the interviewing and hiring process.

Awards $50,000 toward the Fellow’s annualized salary of $100,000 in addition to a $5,000 upfront relocation benefit to each incoming Fellow.

Organization Investment

Organizations agree to create a productive experience that meets the program goals of access, impact and leadership.

Fellow will have the opportunity to gain exposure and insight to work being done at the highest levels of the organization as a function of the work assigned.

Commit to pay $50,000 toward the Fellow’s annualized salary plus the costs associated with providing standard benefits offered to full-time employees of the organization, including health insurance.

Program Components

Access – Meaningful engagement with senior leaders in the organization and in the field via a direct reporting relationship to the CEO or another senior executive along with regular meetings with the CEO.

Impact – Ability to work on and influence projects of key strategic importance to the organization with the potential to help build organizational capacity.

Leadership – An experience that involves management and leadership development activities distinct from a full-time position and tailored to advancing post-MBA skill sets for the benefit of the Fellow and the organization.

Next Steps

If interested in applying to the Leadership Fellows Program download the HBS Leadership Fellows Program: Proposal Guide

Download the 2019-20 HBS Leadership Fellows Program Proposal, review, and begin to develop the position description.

Contact the HBS Leadership Fellows Program to discuss questions and receive feedback on draft proposals shared in advanced of final submission.

Recruiting Process for 2019-2020 fellows: Key Dates

Fall 2019

August 21, 2019: application deadline

September 9, 2019: organizations selected by HBS

October 28 or 30, 2019: first round interviews at HBS

Spring 2020

Mid January: application deadline

Late January: organizations selected by HBS

Early March: first round interviews at HBS

Recruiting Partners

Below is a sample of Leadership Fellows recruiting partners from 2001 through 2018. For a full list of recruiting partners, download the Leadership Fellows Proposal Guide.

Acumen
Boston Children’s Hospital
Boston Symphony Orchestra
City of Boston Mayor’s Office
Coalition for Queens
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Grameen America
Harlem Children’s Zone
Health Leads
Kresge Foundation
Mercy Corps
NewSchools Venture Fund

Robin Hood Foundation
Single Stop USA
U.S. Department of Education
Whitney Museum
World Wildlife Fund
Year Up

Donor Support

Harvard Business School is grateful for the generosity of donors who have been vital to the HBS Leadership Fellows Program: James A. Attwood, Jr. (MBA 1984) Fellowship Fund, Richard and Helen Bibbero Fund, David J. Dunn Fund, Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation/Richard L. Menschel Endowment, Richard Lumpkin Dean’s Discretionary Fund, Margaret T. Morris Foundation Endowment, Carl and Lily Pforzheimer Foundation Fellowship, Michael E. Porter Leadership Fellowship, and John C. Whitehead Fund for Not-for-Profit Management.

Note: Interested organizations are strongly encouraged to contact the HBS Leadership Fellows Program prior to application submission, to discuss and evaluate whether the organization and the envisioned position meet the above stated program goals.

Recruiting

Leadership Fellows Program

Recruiting Guide