Management Fellow Program—How does it work?

The City of San José's Management Fellow Program is one of the City's tools to build the next generation of local government leadership. In the spirit of succession planning, the Management Fellowship seeks to attract, develop, and retain talented individuals to the City of San José workforce.  Toward this goal, the City provides a rotation-based series of work experiences that allow the Fellows to learn and develop skills in diverse and dynamic professional environments. During the various City Department rotations, Fellows will be challenged as they work on high-level special projects with Senior and Executive staff.  The program is intended to inspire and foster growth for recent graduate students by providing them with professional experience in a large municipality with a Council-Manager form of government.

The Management Fellow Program is sponsored by the City Manager’s Office and administered by the City’s Human Resources Department. The program starts in the beginning of the fiscal year, July, and lasts for approximately a year. The Management Fellows work on a full-time (40+ hours/week) salaried basis with a full benefit package. They complete approximately 3-5rotations in different City departments with at least one rotation in the City Manager’s Office. Each rotation typically lasts between 12 and 15 weeks.  Fellows are assigned projects and responsibilities that draw on their skills in such areas as research, policy analysis, strategy development, fiscal analysis, public speaking and program implementation.

Management Fellows—Departmental Rotations

Rotations with City departments are determined based on the Fellows’ interests and the City’s needs.  Every Management Fellow completes at least one rotation in the City Manager’s Office.  Over the past three years, Management Fellows have completed rotations in the following City departments: City Manager's Office Administration, Economic Development Division of the City Manager’s Office, City Manager’s Office of Emergency Services, City Manager’s Budget Office, Environmental Services Department, Airport, Finance Department, Fire Department, General Services Department, Housing Department, Human Resources Department, Library, Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services Department, the San José Redevelopment Agency, Planning, Building & Code Enforcement,and the Department of Transportation

Management Fellows