Strengthening Regional Transportation Governance and Mobility

The Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission (NWARPC) is working to advance long‑term regional transportation governance that can support equitable mobility, economic growth, and sustained quality of life across Northwest Arkansas. The FUSE Executive Fellow will explore and define a clear and achievable pathway towards advancing the impact of the Northwest Arkansas Regional Mobility Authority (RMA). This is a two‑year fellowship, with Year One focused on discovery, strategy development, and foundational planning, and Year Two focused on deepening alignment, advancing readiness, and embedding sustainable regional governance practices.

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.

ABOUT THE FUSE EXECUTIVE FELLOWSHIP

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.

When designing each fellowship project, FUSE works closely with government partners and community stakeholders to define a scope of work that will achieve substantive progress toward high‑priority local needs. Projects address today’s most pressing challenges and opportunities, including affordable housing, economic mobility, climate resilience, public safety, infrastructure, technology, and more.

FUSE conducts a full executive search for each individual project to ensure that the selected candidate has at least 15 years of professional experience, the required competencies for the role, and deep connections to the community being served.

Executive Fellows are embedded in government agencies working with senior leaders for at least one year of full‑time work. Prospective responsibilities may include thorough data analytics and research, developing enhanced operations and financial models, building change management and strategic planning processes, and/or building broad coalitions to support project implementation efforts. Executive Fellows are data‑driven and results‑oriented and able to effectively manage complex projects.

They build strong relationships with a broad array of stakeholders, foster alignment within and across various layers of government, and build partnerships between governments and communities.

Throughout the fellowships, Executive Fellows receive training, coaching, and professional support to help achieve their project goals.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Strategic regional governance is critical to ensuring that growth translates into improved quality of life, equitable access to opportunity, and long‑term economic resilience. As regions expand, transportation systems increasingly shape residents’ access to jobs, education, healthcare, and essential services. Regions can struggle to deliver infrastructure at the needed scale and pace when transportation planning relies primarily on coordination rather than durable authority.

In addition to transportation planning, there are other areas, such as stormwater management and traffic management centers, that see greater benefit when done at the regional scale.

Northwest Arkansas has experienced sustained growth over the past decade, with development patterns, labor markets, and transportation needs that extend well beyond individual municipal boundaries. Cities and regional partners have responded through coordinated planning, philanthropic investment, and shared infrastructure initiatives, with the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission (NWARPC) playing a central role in coordination and fund administration. At the same time, the region’s largest and fastest‑growing cities sit at…