HHS Emerging Leaders Program

"An opportunity for personal growth and development"

Welcome to the Department of Health and Human Service's Emerging Leaders Program

This two-year program is intended for the best and brightest Bachelor (with qualifying work experience), Masters , JD, & Ph.D level graduates who are eager to make a contribution to the Department. This program can help you combine everything you learned in college and/or graduate school - inside and outside the classroom - into a truly meaningful career!

You'll find that Health and Human Services programs make things happen wherever there is a public interest - around the nation or close to home - in huge cities and tiny towns - on the floor of the legislature and on the streets of the world.

The Department of Health and Human Services is always there - improving conditions for people - advocating for children's rights (and the elderly), modifying health care limitations, researching critical medical issues, improving Medicare and Medicaid, and preventing substance and drug abuse.

This Program is for you if --

1. You want to make a contribution to the Federal government and become a future leader of the Department of Health and Human Services.
2. You want a comprehensive, full time, two-year program that provides both personal and professional growth and development.
3. You want rotational assignments throughout our Department.
4. You want a mentor who can provide great professional advice.
5. You want development in our core competencies: leading change, leading people, driving results, business acumen and building coalitions and communications.
6. You want advanced development in your chosen career field.

Program Structure

The Program includes: a structured orientation to the Department of Health and Human Services and its operating; a blended learning environment that incorporates classroom training, web-based training, on-the job learning activities and an introduction to corporate level competencies; diverse developmental assignments; assignment of mentor to assist with career development; and the ability to choose a career path of interest to the participant. Click on "Career Paths" on this web site for description of each path and the positions covered.

Participants will be hired by one of the Operating Divisions sponsoring this Program, i.e., National Institutes of Health (NIH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Indian Health Service (IHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Administration on Aging (AoA), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) or The Office of the Secretary (OS). Click on program sponsors above on this web site, to learn more about each Operating Division

The first 12 months of the Program will expose participants to high-level officials of the Department, introduce them to the inter-relatedness of work within the operating divisions, provide an opportunity to gain a working knowledge of the various occupations and become familiar with the overall environment of the Department.

The last 12 months of the program will be devoted to work in the participants chosen career field on a full time basis for the selecting Operating Division.

Training and Development

The training program includes personality and interest inventory assessment tools, selection of web-based training from a menu of available courses, introduction to work/life issues and training in corporate level competencies.

Participants will complete several developmental assignments within the Operating Divisions. Assignments will be selected based on participants' chosen career path and area of interest. Assignments may vary in length from 60-90 days.

Mentoring Program

All participants will be assigned a Mentor to assist in preparing a career development plan that outlines assignments and training needs during the first 12 months of the program.

Advancement During the Program

Participants enter the Emerging Leaders Program at the GS-9 level. After 1 year in the Emerging Leaders Program, participants are considered for promotion to a grade GS-11. At the end of the training program when all assignments have been successfully completed, graduates are advanced to GS-12. However, promotional opportunities depend on satisfactory performance in each assignment, training and development activities while participating in the program.

The Federal government is an equal opportunity employer.

Last revised: February 2, 2004

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