Master the Skills to Become the Leader Your Community Needs

The Foundations of Public Sector Management program equips public sector managers with the core competencies and skills to motivate teams, drive sustainable progress, and grow their careers. As you transition into your new role as manager or supervisor, or continue to progress in your current role, the Foundations curriculum helps you harness your influence, define your personal leadership brand, and become a true changemaker within your organization. 

Be ready for those ah-ha moments. Challenge yourself. Prepare for intensive, hands-on learning to increase your self-awareness and confidence and show you how to manage complex situations and leverage diverse perspectives. Discover what it means to lead. 

Participants will receive a University of Arizona certificate upon completion. 

Why Attend the Foundations of Public Sector Management Program?

• Expertise from a Top Business School: The program is offered through the University of Arizona Eller College of Management, a top-ranked institution recognized for excellence in executive education. 
• Tailored for the Public Sector: Our curriculum is specifically designed for leaders in public service, emergency services, public healthcare, and nonprofit organizations. 
• Gain Confidence in Leadership: Through experiential learning and expert-led challenges, you’ll boost your confidence in your ability to make decisions, coach others, and motivate team members. 
• Build Your Network: Learn from diverse perspectives and create new connections by learning with peers from various public sector organizations. 
• Classroom Setting, Real-World Challenges: Our curriculum is built to give you tools and knowledge you can immediately problem solve and take action when you get back to the office. 

Who should attend?

This program is for early to mid-career public sector managers seeking to enhance their leadership skills, grow their career, and learn the core competencies of management. 

Past participants included law enforcement and fire service supervisors, managers of local and tribal government, federal and state government managers and supervisors, elected officials, college administrators, and board members of public institutions. 

Foundations of Public Sector Management is the first of Eller Executive Education’s trio of government programs. It’s followed by Government Leadership Excellence and Executives in Government. 

What you'll learn

Highly interactive, Foundations of Public Sector Management equips you with the strategies and skills essential to manage a team and drive change in a volatile and complex environment. Our curriculum is adapted yearly to remain relevant to the challenges, tech advancements, and economic landscapes public sector managers face. 

For groups of three or more from the same organization, we offer the Operational Process Improvement (OPI) Project, focused on their organization. Team members will tackle a real-life problem or process at work, develop a solution, and strive to implement it after the program. Many OPI projects have gone on to drive true change in their communities. Please email programsupport@eller.arizona.edu for more information. 

In our 2025 Foundations of Public Sector Management program, you will: