Public Service Fellows Program

The Public Service Fellows Program at the Partnership for Public Service is an opportunity for undergraduate students, graduate students and recent graduates to participate directly in transforming the way government works while developing valuable professional skills.

At the Partnership, fellows are integral to the day-to-day operations, programs and activities of our organization. We value the contributions of fellows and work to provide relevant and useful experiences in return. That’s why fellows are assigned substantive and meaningful work to support our wide variety of programs, events, and projects to help revitalize the federal government by focusing on the people working in it. Fellows’ duties vary across the Partnership’s internal teams but often include event planning and execution, conducting research, writing and preparing correspondence, and conducting outreach to external partners, such as government agencies and colleges and universities.

True to the Partnership’s emphasis on people, the fellows program incorporates opportunities for professional and personal growth through workshops and trainings specifically geared toward students and young professionals. We also strive to ensure a quality experience in terms of work and personal relationships throughout the fellowship term. Fellows also receive the following stipends:

• Full time fellows with an undergraduate or graduate degree will receive a $1000 per month stipend.
• Full time fellows who are currently undergraduate students will receive an $800 per month stipend.
• Part time fellow stipends will be pro-rated accordingly.

Who Should Apply

We seek extraordinary undergraduate students, graduate students and recent graduates with:

• A commitment to public service;
• Strong written and oral communication;
• Analytical thinking; and
• An ability to work well in teams.

There is no single academic major or background we prefer over another – if you share our passion and are committed to developing your skills while gaining valuable experience, we want to hear from you!

All Fellowship positions are physically located in Washington, D.C. at the Partnership's office. There are no current opportunities for Fellows to work remotely. Applicants must be willing to relocate to Washington, D.C. for the duration of the Fellowship term. Please note that the Partnership does not provide housing or relocation assistance for Fellows.

How to Apply

Before applying, carefully read the team descriptions and fellowship positions to determine which position(s) you are best qualified for and most interested in pursuing. While each fellowship position requires a commitment to public service, please keep in mind that the fellowship position descriptions detail the skills and competencies necessary for each particular position. You may apply for multiple fellowship positions but you must fill out an application for each position individually.

Term	Application Period	Application Deadline	Notification
Summer 2012: May - August*	January 23 through March 9	Friday, March 9	Early April
Fall 2012: September - December*	May 29 through July 13	Friday, July 13	Late July
Spring 2013: January - May*	September 10 through October 26	Friday, October 26	Late November

* Please note that the exact start and end dates of fellowships may vary depending upon a team’s needs and an applicant’s availability within the given terms. We will work with individuals based on academic or work-related reasons

Selection Process

The applicant review and selection process depends on the number of applicants, though we strive to conduct interviews (including phone and video interviews) and have offers extended within a month after the application deadline. If you have questions about your application, please email fellows@ourpublicservice.org or call (202) 775-9111.

Team Descriptions

Administrative: The administrative team supports and enables all the Partnership’s work and ensures the Partnership is a first-class nonprofit by maintaining financial accountability and transparency.

Center for Government Leadership: The Partnership's Center for Government Leadership prepares federal leaders to solve national challenges by driving innovation, inspiring employees and delivering results through the Annenberg Leadership Seminars, Excellence in Government Fellows Program and custom training for various federal agencies.

Communications: The Partnership’s communication efforts are designed to change public perceptions, educate the public about the need for a high-performing government and help connect citizens to their government. In addition, the communication team ensures that Partnership programs and activities are heard, understood and are actionable.

Development: The Partnership’s development efforts extend across the organization and focus on ensuring long-term financial viability. More specifically, development’s role is to lead efforts to identify, cultivate and secure financial and in-kind support for the Partnership’s programs and activities.

Education and Outreach: The Partnership’s education and outreach team works to inspire and educate a new generation of public servants and improve the effectiveness of government recruiting and hiring efforts.

Government Affairs: The Partnership’s government affairs team works to encourage congressional oversight and legislative reforms to improve federal workforce management. The Partnership testifies regularly on Capitol Hill and has supported legislation to improve the federal workplace, including the Chief Human Capital Officers Act that established senior human capital leaders in major federal agencies, the scholarship-for-service Roosevelt Scholars Act, and the Federal Hiring Process Improvement Act.

Government Transformation and Agency Partnerships (GTAP): The Partnership's GTAP team works directly with our federal stakeholders and partners to tackle the government's toughest management challenges. Our team members organize interagency roundtable discussions, advise and design agency action plans to improve employee engagement for better organizational results, and provide leadership development to emerging federal leaders. The GTAP team includes the Partnership's Best Places to Work advisory services group, the Federal Human Capital Collaborative, the Strategic Advisors to Government Executives (SAGE) program and various federal management initiatives.

Research: To focus leaders on needed areas of change, the Partnership produces comprehensive reports on a range of federal workforce issues, pinpointing strengths and weaknesses of the recruitment, hiring and management of the civil service, developing measures of workforce effectiveness and offering incisive recommendations for reform.

Fellowship Positions

Fall 2012 applications will open in late May.

 

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