Harvard Kennedy School · 1 week ago
Executive Director, Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative
Cambridge, MA
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
10+ years expHarvard Kennedy School is seeking an exceptional Executive Director to lead the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, which aims to strengthen the capabilities of mayors and senior city leaders. The role involves strategic leadership, program delivery, and collaboration with various stakeholders to enhance city governance and improve outcomes for residents.
Education
No H1B
Responsibilities
Help develop and execute a strategy that integrates executive education delivery, applied learning in the field, responsive curriculum design, and alumni support
Ensure that all offerings build to a seamless, high-impact learning experience for mayors, senior leaders, and alumni cities
Translate strategic priorities into Initiative-level goals, plans, and milestones
Work closely with Initiative faculty co-chairs in their academic leadership to support high-quality program design, teaching, and participant experience
Anticipate the needs of mayors and city teams, identify patterns across programs, and use insights to strengthen relevance and impact
Oversee the Senior Directors of Program Delivery, City Support, and Curriculum Development, who together manage approximately 20 professional staff
Foster alignment, shared purpose, and strong collaboration across interdependent teams
Partner with senior leaders in communications, research, student engagement, strategy and impact, and finance and administration, to advance shared goals
Oversee the systems, processes, and operational infrastructure that support seamless delivery of 12 annual executive programs, 4 alumni programs, 3 applied learning tracks, the City Hall Fellow convenings, the Project on Municipal Innovation, and select in-city engagements
Ensure strong program management and seamless participant experience across in-person, online, and in-city components, anticipating and addressing operational challenges
Ensure faculty are supported with the structure, coordination, and clarity needed to teach and lead effectively
Support the development and dissemination of research-informed curriculum and teaching materials, including cases, guides, toolkits, simulations, and digital resources
Support the advancement of new curriculum and learning tools for use in both the classroom and the field
Build strong relationships with Harvard faculty, city leaders, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and partner organizations
Collaborate closely with Bloomberg Philanthropies to support shared goals, maintain strong communication, and steward donor relationships with consistency and care
Represent the Initiative in conversations with collaborators across Harvard and with external partners worldwide
Ensure that the Initiative’s work is aligned with university priorities, donor expectations, and the Center’s broader strategy
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree and a minimum of ten years of progressively responsible leadership experience
Experience working in or closely with city government strongly preferred
Proven success leading large and multifaceted programs or organizations, ideally within or connected to the public sector, or related fields
Strategic thinker who can articulate a clear vision, structure implementation pathways, and deliver consistently with a high degree of precision
Strong understanding of public leadership, city governance, and how city governments work
Brings strong collaborative leadership and sound judgment to managing both high-performing contributors and situations where performance requires coaching or corrective action
Adept at building relationships with faculty, public officials, donors, and institutional partners with sound judgment and professionalism
Effective working within complex institutional settings with multiple stakeholders
Highly organized, detail oriented, and composed under pressure
Collaborative and inclusive leader who models the Center's values of excellence, relevance, and community
Knowledge of the ecosystem of public service, city governance, and urban innovation; a strong grasp of the challenges and opportunities cities face
Benefits
Generous paid time off including parental leave
Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one
Retirement plans with university contributions
Wellbeing and mental health resources
Support for families and caregivers
Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement
Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks
Company
Harvard Kennedy School
Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school. It is a sub-organization of Harvard University.
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageLeadership Team
Eric Rosenbach
Co-Director, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Rafael Carbonell
Executive Director, Taubman Center for State and Local Government; Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy
Recent News
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2025-12-04
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