Leadership Fellow – Leadership Development

The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 87,000; Full time

Job summary

The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey is offering a 2027 Leadership Fellow Program for early career professionals. This full-time hybrid role in New York, NY provides rotational assignments across departments to develop future agency leaders.

Applicants should be pursuing a graduate degree between Dec 2026 and Jun 2027 and have at least one year of relevant public service experience, plus strong analytical and communication skills.

Qualifications

• Graduate degree in progress with anticipated completion between Dec 2026 and Jun 2027.
• At least one year of work experience in public service, transportation, government, or a related area.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, quantitative, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Support or lead projects from inception to implementation within rotations.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop solutions and monitor progress.
• Analyze data to provide insights and support strategic initiatives.
• Build relationships with managers, mentors, and peers across departments and communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels.
• Identify and contribute creative ideas for improvement across business functions.

Skills

Problem solving

Analytical

Quantitative

Interpersonal

Written & verbal communication

Customer service

Political acumen

Education

Master's degree (entry-level)

Job description

2027 Leadership Fellow Program | The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey

The Tone:

This is an early career program at The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, located in New York, NY. The Port Authority builds, operates, and maintains crucial transportation and trade infrastructure across the region, including aviation, ground, rail, and seaport facilities, which support over 550,000 regional jobs and generate significant economic activity. This program is designed to develop future leaders who will gain a broad understanding of the agency’s structure, goals, and strategic direction through structured rotational assignments and continuous learning. Fellows will actively contribute to departmental initiatives while preparing for key positions within the organization.

The TL;DR

• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: Hybrid – New York, NY
• Pay: $79612–$86580 yearly
• Mission: To gain a broad understanding of The Port Authority’s structure, goals, and strategic direction through rotational assignments, while actively contributing to initiatives and preparing to become a future leader of the agency.

What You’ll Actually Do

• Support or Lead Projects: Drive short-term and long-term projects from inception to implementation within various rotations.
• Collaborate and Deliver: Work with cross-functional teams to develop solutions, achieve outcomes, and monitor progress across departments.
• Analyze Data: Collect, analyze, and interpret data to provide insights and support strategic initiatives.
• Build Relationships: Establish strong connections with managers, mentors, and peers across various departments and communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels.
• Identify and Innovate: Pinpoint operational or strategic challenges and contribute creative ideas for improvement across different business functions.

The Must-Haves

• Background: Entry-Level Master’s Degree. Students must be receiving a graduate degree between December 2026 and June 2027.
• Experience: One year of work experience, which can include internships, in public service, transportation, government, or a related area.
• Skills: Excellent problem-solving, analytical, quantitative, interpersonal, and written/oral communication skills, coupled with strong customer service and political acumen.
• Bonus: A graduate degree in Public Administration, Public Policy, Urban/City/Regional Planning, Transportation, Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Sustainability, Communications, Political Science, Data Science, Operations, or a related field; a passion for public service; and an interest in public transportation.