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​Management Fellowship Y​ear-Long Program​   

APPLICATION IS NOW OPEN​

What is the journey of a City of Phoenix Management Fellow? If selected, you will gain a wide range of experiences and learn about every facet of a large, urban and complex city operation. During this exciting and fast paced year, you will have an opportunity to: 

• Work on a variety of assignments and projects that affect our community of 1.6 million residents.
  
• Gain exposure to innovative best practices in an our award-winning city through rotations in the City Manager’s Office and departments that provide direct service to the community.
  
• Participate in the process of setting City policy by staffing City Council meetings.
  
• Use research and writing skills by studying an issue, recommending solutions and drafting a management report.
  
• Work directly with residents and City staff on service delivery to the public.

Some of the projects completed by past fellows include:

• Research fare collection and smart card expansion project;
• Participate in Request for Proposal process for textile recycling, which promotes waste diversion;
• Provide research, data, and recommendations addressing micro transit, Bus Rapid Transit funding, community outreach and stakeholder opportunities for partnerships such as Local First Arizona;
• Assist in project addressing staffing levels in the Water Services department;
• Monitor new contractor providing services to senior citizens and evaluating their performance in delivering customer service.​​​​​​​​​​​​ ​​
  

Meet a former Phoenix Management Fellow! 

​The City of Phoenix Management Fellowship Program, formerly the Management Intern​ship Program, is a nationally recogniz​​ed program that has been training future municipal leaders since 1950. More than 211 former partic​ipants have ac​​​​​hieved success in all levels of government as well as in the private sector. If you are interested in a rewarding and challenging public service career, this is an excellent​ opportunity to apply to work in an award-winning, world-renowned municipal corporation in one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the United States.

Our full-time program is a one-year paid fellowship. The annual recruitment is open to talented individuals holding a master’s degree or those who will satisfactorily complete all coursework for a master’s degree by the end of June each year. 

City employees are encouraged to apply.

• ​​​Make a difference in America’s fifth largest city 
• Develop management skills in the largest council-manager municipality
  
• ​Be part of a 75-year-old tradition
• Gain exposure to city operations
  

• Be part of a city thriving on innovation, excellent service, community engagement and sustainability
  

Salary and Be​​nefits

The 2025-26 Management Fellowship compensation includes a salary of $28.86 per hour ($60,028 annually) and benefits.

How to A​pply

Applications are now open and will close Friday, January 24,2025. Visit phoenix.gov/jobs​ and search PHOENIX MANAGEMENT FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM 2025. 

The Sele​​ction Process​

• Typically more than 100 applications are received from talented individuals with varying backgrounds from across the United States and city organization.​
  
• The City selects up to three individuals a year. ​The fellows selected will work together as a class and on individual assignments throughout the program year.
  
• Application packets will be evaluated on all completed materials submitted.  This will include successful presentation of requested information and job-related factors such as writing skills and commitment to public service or local government. The results of the initial screening process will be sent to your primary email address.
• In March, 8-12 semifinalists will be invited to an interview. Selections are anticipated to be made in April.

​After the Program: Building a Career

More than 211 former fellows have achieved success in all levels of government and the private sector. Many of our top-level executives and managers began their career with the city in this program including City Manager, Public Works Director, Public Transit Director, Neighborhood Services Director, Deputy City Clerk, Deputy Public Works Director, and Parks and Recreation Assistant Director.

Successful fellows are highly recruited by city departments to fill available city jobs, however a city job after completion of the fellowship is not guaranteed. The management fellow position can lead to the following career track:

• • Management Assistant I ($47,028 - $102,668)
    
  • Management Assistant II ($53,164 - $116,022)​
    

About Ph​​oenix

Phoenix covers nearly 520 square miles and has a population of more than 1.6 million, ranking it fifth in the United States. While Phoenix is the corporate and industrial center in the Southwest, it has retained its long-time reputation of friendliness and citizen involvement in government.
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Vibrant Downto​​​wn Core

The city has many new projects and activities in its increasingly vibrant downtown core. Downtown Phoenix features theatres, major sports arenas, an expanded Phoenix Convention Center, the Phoenix Biomedical Campus, and the growing Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix Campus and University of Arizona College of Medicine. Connecting the downtown core to the rest of the Phoenix area is the expanding light rail transit system.

A Gr​eat Place To Live

Our 300 days of sunshine a year provide the perfect landscape for experiencing the rich diversity of things to see and do in Phoenix. We have everything from world-class hotels and resorts to exhilarating adventure, breath-taking golf courses, trendy shopping, modern nightlife and enriching culture. About one in four residents belong to an emerging ethnic group, bringing traditions, beliefs and values that enhance the city’s social fabric. We are home to the Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury, Arizona Cardinals, Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Coyotes and Phoenix Rising FC. The Valley hosted the 2008, 2015 and 2023 Super Bowls, the 2009 NBA All-Star game, the 2011 MLB All-Star game, the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship, the 2017 NCAA Final Four Men's Basketball game and will host the 2024 NCAA Final Four Men's Basketball game.

Council-Manager F​​​orm of Government

Phoenix operates under a council-manager form of government. The Phoenix City Council is comprised of the mayor and eight council members, who serve as the legislative and policymaking body of the municipal government.

The city manager works closely with the mayor and council members to assist them in formulating policies and programs. Overseeing approximately 15,000 city employees, the manager is responsible for the efficient ongoing operation of all city services as set forth by the City Council. Fellows will have the opportunity to work in the City Manager’s Office with the city manager, the assistant city manager and deputy city managers on various projects.

An Awa​​rd-Winning City

The work of the City Council, city staff, and many community partners has earned Phoenix consistent national and international recognition over the years. In 2022, Phoenix was one of just 15 cities out of 631 applicants to be named a Bloomberg Global Mayor’s Challenge winner​, honoring the City’s innovative approaches to combatting unemployment and the digital divide.​

The City has won many awards and honors, including the prestigious Carl Bertel​smann Award for being the best-run city government in the world and a “best-managed city” designation by Governing Magazine.  The National Civic League has selected Phoenix as an “All-America City” five times. 

For More Information​​

For program questions, contact Samantha Tavares in the City Manager's Office at 602-495-5676 (​Arizona 711 Relay Friendly), or by e-mail at ​samantha.tavares@ph​oenix.gov​. For personnel or application-related questions, contact the Human Resources Department at 602-495-5700.​​​

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