Executive Fellow | Scaling Regional Infrastructure Systems Innovation

The Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission (NWARPC) is working to strengthen its internal systems, governance capacity, and regional communication as the region grows toward one million residents by 2050. The FUSE Executive Fellow will help NWARPC modernize internal operations, clarify strategic direction, and build a coordinated external communication framework that supports regional alignment and long‑term infrastructure investment. This two-year fellowship will build on NWARPC’s existing leadership by strengthening institutional capacity and advancing efficient, transparent, and accountable regional governance.

Fellowship Dates:
October 26, 2026 – October 20, 2028

Salary: Executive Fellows are FUSE employees and receive an annual salary of $95,000. Fellows can also access various health, dental, and vision insurance benefits. This amount is not representative of market‑rate salaries for the experienced professionals in our program but is intended as compensation for a year of public service.

FUSE is a national nonprofit dedicated to increasing the capacity of local governments to work more effectively for communities. We embed private sector executives in city and county agencies to lead projects that improve public services and accelerate systems change. Since 2012, FUSE has led over 400 projects in 58 governments across 26 states, impacting a total population equivalent to 1 in 10 Americans.

Across the country, fast‑growing metropolitan regions face increasing pressure to coordinate infrastructure, land use, environmental planning, and mobility systems across jurisdictional boundaries. When a region is growing across numerous cities at once rather than around a single central city, it becomes harder to coordinate planning and decision‑making. As population increases and infrastructure costs rise, local governments must balance community‑specific priorities with shared regional investments.

Without strong regional systems and clear communication, growth can strain infrastructure, delay projects, and create confusion about funding, governance, and long‑term priorities.

Northwest Arkansas is one of the fastest‑growing regions in the United States and is projected to surpass one million residents by 2050. The region includes multiple mid‑sized cities, each with its own elected leadership and local priorities, in addition to 39 distinct local jurisdictions with independent decision‑making authority. NWARPC serves as the Council of Governments and designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), coordinating transportation planning, grant administration, and regional initiatives.

As regional transportation investments expand, including transit alternatives, resilience initiatives, stormwater coordination, and innovative financing strategies, NWARPC’s responsibilities are growing in scale and complexity. At the same time, the organization operates with a small staff and legacy systems that were designed for a smaller region and a narrower scope of work.

Beginning in Fall 2026, the FUSE Executive Fellow will work with Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission leadership and staff to strengthen internal systems, modernize operational practices, and develop a strategic regional communication framework aligned with the Commission’s long‑term vision. The first 90 days of the fellowship will focus on in‑depth discovery and relationship‑building. The fellow will conduct a comprehensive listening tour with NWARPC staff, executive leadership, board members, municipal partners, state transportation officials, philanthropic partners, and other regional stakeholders.

This phase will include reviewing the Commission’s five‑year strategic planning materials, current project management and financial tracking systems, grant administration practices, board governance structures, and public communication tools. The fellow will also research best practices from comparable metropolitan planning organizations and councils of government, particularly in similarly fast‑growing, polycentric regions. Areas of focus may include project…