Upcoming Sessions
  • On Campus
    Session Date
    -
    Application Deadline
    Program Fee
    $18,900
    Faculty Chair
    Program Director

    Program Fee: The program fee includes tuition, housing, curricular materials and most meals.
    Executive Certificate: This program is a core program in the Public Leadership and Public Policy concentrations. This program can also be used as a third program for any concentration in the Executive Certificate series.
    Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs): This program aligns with one or more Executive Core Qualifications.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

*Program formerly known as Senior Managers in Government

The Executive Leaders in Government program at Harvard Kennedy School provides a unique opportunity for senior executives to strengthen their leadership skills and expand their competencies. This comprehensive two-week on campus program, led by renowned faculty, focuses on the critical skills needed to navigate the complex challenges of leading in the public sector. The curriculum is specifically designed to address the needs of the U.S. Senior Executive Service (SES) in the federal government and their military, corporate sector, and international counterparts.

Faculty Chair Linda Bilmes will be joined by Harvard faculty and expert practitioners in government, law, education, and business for a robust program to refresh and expand the core executive leadership skills needed to address today’s complex challenges. The program uses a myriad of faculty-led sessions, case studies, simulations, field trips, and peer-led discussions to address topics such as:

  • Navigating Bureaucratic Complexity
  • Strategic Planning
  • Political Management
  • Budget Constraints
  • Workforce Management
  • Technological Change
  • Regulatory Compliance
  • Crisis Management
  • Interagency Coordination
  • Global Challenges

Program Curriculum

Over two intensive weeks on campus, the Executive Leaders in Government program immerses participants in a dynamic blend of cutting-edge research, lectures, and collaborative group work. The curriculum includes case studies, experiential learning, and networking opportunities to build capacity to lead effectively in the public sector. The program’s innovative and responsive design addresses contemporary challenges, emerging technologies, and cutting-edge research. The curriculum reinforces core foundational concepts and skills, as well as exploring new ideas to propel us into the next generation. The program utilizes an interdisciplinary approach, drawing expertise not only from Harvard Kennedy School but also from across Harvard's global network.

This curriculum makes extensive use of the case study method pioneered at Harvard. Each case describes an actual situation in public management that participants use to think through possible approaches and solutions to real-world problems. You'll reflect upon your professional experiences and meet daily in small groups and in class to discuss cases and exchange ideas.

Additional components of Executive Leaders in Government include networking opportunities, peer-to-peer learning, and experiential group outings, all of which build lasting relationships with your peers from around the world.

Learning Objectives

Executive Leaders in Government targets the multifaceted and dynamic challenges faced by senior executives. Key learning objectives include:

  • Leadership: Increase self-awareness, resiliency, and work-life balance
  • Policy Development: Create and implement effective policies
  • Political Strategy: Mobilize support and build coalitions
  • Strategic Planning: Develop strategies for enhancing organizational performance
  • Negotiation: Achieve win-win outcomes and resolving conflicts.
  • People Management: Create a comprehensive people strategy
  • Technological Change: Embrace the capabilities of AI and machine learning

Application Information

What Participants are Saying

“This program opens the aperture of not only knowledge, but also allows you to understand partner Government Agencies, Foreign Governments, and Foreign Trade organizations as they relate to national and economic global security.”
LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Field Operations (OFO), Director of Field Operations (DFO) for the Chicago Field Office
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Hear from the Faculty Chair

Linda Bilmes discusses the Executive Leaders in Government  program.

 

Faculty & Research

Linda Bilmes Photo

Linda Bilmes

Appointment
Daniel Patrick Moynihan Senior Lecturer in Public Policy

Cornell William Brooks Photo

Cornell William Brooks

Appointment
Hauser Professor of the Practice of Nonprofit Organizations; Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership and Social Justice

Juliette Kayyem Photo

Juliette Kayyem

Appointment
Belfer Senior Lecturer in International Security

Herman B. (Dutch) Leonard Photo

Herman B. (Dutch) Leonard

Appointment
George F. Baker, Jr. Professor of Public Management, HKS; Eliot I. Snider and Family Professor of Business Administration, HBS
617-495-1117
Elizabeth Linos Photo

Elizabeth Linos

Appointment
Emma Bloomberg Associate Professor of Public Policy and Management

Pippa Norris Photo

Pippa Norris

Appointment
Paul F. McGuire Lecturer in Comparative Politics

Roger Porter Photo

Roger Porter

Appointment
IBM Professor of Business and Government
617-496-4036
Hong Qu Photo

Hong Qu

Appointment
Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy

Eric Rosenbach Photo

Eric Rosenbach

Appointment
Senior Lecturer in Public Policy

Malcolm Sparrow Photo

Malcolm Sparrow

Appointment
Professor of the Practice of Public Management

Guhan Subramanian

Guhan Subramanian

Appointment
Joseph Flom Professor of Law and Business, Harvard Law School
Douglas Weaver Professor of Business Law, Harvard Business School

Lawrence H. Summers Photo

Lawrence H. Summers

Appointment
Frank and Denie Weil Director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government
Charles W. Eliot University Professor
617-495-9322
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