Executive Director, Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative
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About the Bloomberg Center for Cities
The Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University serves a global community committed to improving public management, leadership, and governance. The Center’s cross-Harvard collaboration unites expertise focused on cities across disciplines and schools to produce research, train leaders, and develop resources for global use. The Center is designed to have practical impact on the future of cities, where more than half of the world’s people now live, by informing and inspiring local government leaders, scholars, students, and others who work to improve the lives of residents around the world.
About The Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative
The Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative–a program of the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University–is a collaboration between Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Business School, and Bloomberg Philanthropies to equip mayors and senior city officials to tackle complex challenges in their cities and improve the quality of life of their residents. Launched in 2017, the Initiative has worked with 613 mayors and 4,000+ senior city officials in 594 cities worldwide. The Initiative has also advanced research and developed new curriculum and teaching tools to help city leaders solve real-world problems.
Job Description
The Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University seeks an exceptional Executive Director to lead the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, which strengthens the capabilities of mayors and senior city leaders to build more effective city governments, solve pressing problems, and improve outcomes for residents. This is an opportunity for a strategic and collaborative leader to help advance the next era of the Initiative’s programming and impact.
Reporting to the Center’s Executive Director and working closely with Initiative leadership and colleagues across the Center, the Executive Director will guide the team responsible for delivering executive education, applied learning, alumni programming, curriculum development, and in-city engagement. They will partner with faculty co-chairs to support the teaching and participant experience, ensure high-quality and coherent offering, steward a strategy that reflects the evolving needs of cities and their leaders, and collaborate with Bloomberg Philanthropies as a key partner in advancing the Initiative’s goals.
The ideal candidate brings a strong understanding of leadership development and public sector capability building, along with the ability to translate ideas into practical action. They appreciate the complexity of operating within a major university and a philanthropic partnership and are comfortable leading in settings where multiple priorities, stakeholders, and perspectives must be aligned. They are energized by helping mayors and senior city leaders strengthen the skills and practices needed to deliver meaningful results for residents.
Job-Specific Responsibilities:
Provide strategic leadership
- Lead the evolution and implementation of a cohesive strategy that integrates program delivery, applied learning, curriculum design, alumni supports, and in-city engagement.
- Ensure that all offerings build a coherent and connected learning experience for mayors, senior leaders, and alumni cities.
- Translate strategic priorities into Initiative-level goals, plans, and milestones.
- Partner with faculty co-chairs to support high-quality teaching and participant experience.
- Anticipate the needs of mayors and city teams, identify patterns across programs, and use insights to strengthen relevance and impact.
Lead and coordinate a high-performing senior team
- 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.
Ensure operational excellence across a complex and growing portfolio
- 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.
Oversee the evolution of curriculum and learning tools for program and field use
- 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.
Steward critical relationships with faculty, partners, and collaborators
- 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.
The ideal candidate combines strategic insight with operational discipline and has a demonstrated ability to lead complex, mission-driven programs at scale. They have the confidence and humility to lead seasoned senior directors, the skills to foster constructive collaboration, the clarity to bring structure and alignment to complexity, and the judgment to navigate high-profile partnerships with care.
Additional Information: Reporting Structure
This role is based on campus in Cambridge, MA and is a full-time position. Some travel to programs expected.
- Reports to the Executive Director of the Bloomberg Center for Cities.
- Direct reports include the Senior Directors of Program Delivery, City Support, and Curriculum Development.
- Receives dotted-line communications support from the Senior Director of Communications for the Initiative.
- Works with Center-wide Senior Directors to leverage shared systems and expertise.
- Partners with faculty co-chairs of programs to support high-quality teaching, program design, and participant experience.
Qualifications
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of ten years of progressively responsible leadership experience.
Additional Qualifications and Skills:
- 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.
Additional Information
- Appointment End Date: This position is a fully benefits-eligible term appointment through June 30, 2027, with the strong possibility of renewal.
- Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position
- Pre-Employment Screening: Identity, Education
- Other Information: This is a full-time, on-campus position based in Cambridge, MA. Flexible remote work arrangements may be available with supervisory approval.
Work Format Details
This position has been determined by school or unit leaders that all duties and responsibilities must be performed at a Harvard or Harvard-designated location. Certain visa types may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.
Salary Grade and Ranges
This position is salary grade level 060. Please visit Harvard's Salary Ranges to view the corresponding salary range and related information.
Benefits
Harvard offers a comprehensive benefits package that is designed to support a healthy work-life balance and your physical, mental and financial wellbeing. Because here, you are what matters. Our benefits include, but are not limited to:
- 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
Learn more about these and additional benefits on our Benefits & Wellbeing Page.
EEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement
Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard's academic purposes.
Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university's non-discrimination policy. Harvard's equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.