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 where they produce immediate results and build long-term capacity within the organization while gaining exposure to senior leaders within the sector.

Hear from Leadership Fellow students and organization participants

HBS Investment

• Reviews proposals from interested organizations and works with qualifying organizations to create a mutually beneficial Fellowship position.
• Provides a framework and logistics 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.
• Support Fellows with two professional development days on the HBS campus, for increased understanding of the sector, ability to have impact in the Fellowship year, and to explore careers beyond the year. (HBS covers travel and accommodations for these sessions.)

Organization Investment

• Creates a Leadership Fellow position that meets the program goals of access, impact and leadership. Fellows 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.
• Ensures sufficient resources to support the experience of an MBA.
• 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

• First, review the Leadership Fellows Proposal Guide to determine if your organization and the role are fit with the program.
• If your organization and role align with the guidelines set forth by the program, review the Sample Proposal as a guide for what the program is looking for in an excellent proposal.
• Download the 2021-22 HBS Leadership Fellows Proposal.docx, review, and develop a position that will align with organization and program goals.
• Contact the HBS Leadership Fellows Program with any questions.

Recruiting Process: Key Dates for Spring 2021

• January 20, 2021: organization application deadline
• January 29, 2021: organizations selected by HBS
• 2nd week of March: virtual first-round interviews

Recruiting Partners

Below is a sample of Leadership Fellows recruiting partners from 2001 through 2019. View a full list of recruiting partners and past Fellows.

Questions? Email lfp@hbs.edu.