Enterprise Consultant

About the role

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.

Responsibilities

• Conduct a comprehensive listening tour with NWARPC staff, executive leadership, board members, municipal partners, state transportation officials, philanthropic partners, and other regional stakeholders to understand internal and external needs and opportunities.
• Evaluate and recommend improvements to project management, budget tracking, grant compliance monitoring, and reporting workflows.
• Develop a cohesive communication strategy, including core messaging, board-ready talking points, and public-facing materials that clarify NWARPC’s role, funding realities, and long-term infrastructure priorities.
• Design and pilot internal and/or public-facing dashboards that communicate project status, funding gaps, and progress toward adopted regional plans in clear, accessible formats.
• Support structured engagement with board members and partner jurisdictions to strengthen shared understanding of regional priorities and governance considerations.
• Collaborate with City leadership to define more specific goals, success measures, and the scope for Year Two of the fellowship, informed by lessons learned and early progress.
• Refine and institutionalize project management systems, formalize governance and reporting protocols, integrate performance metrics into board decision-making, and expand public-facing communication tools.
• Ensure NWARPC is positioned to support long-term regional investment strategies by aligning internal system improvements with emerging regional initiatives, including transportation governance discussions, resilience planning, or new funding mechanisms.

Requirements

15+ years of progressively responsible experience in organizational transformation and change management, from practitioner to enterprise-level leadership.

• Synthesizes complex information into clear and concise recommendations and action-oriented implementation plans.
• Develops and effectively implements both strategic and operational project management plans.
• Generates innovative, data-driven, and result-oriented solutions to complex challenges.
• Responds quickly to changing ideas, responsibilities, expectations, trends, strategies, and other processes.
• Communicates effectively verbally and in writing and excels in active listening and conversing.
• Fosters collaboration across multiple constituencies to support more effective decision-making.
• Establishes and maintains strong relationships with diverse stakeholders, both inside and outside of government, particularly community-based relationships.
• Embraces differing viewpoints and implements strategies to find common ground.
• Demonstrates confidence and professional diplomacy while effectively interacting with individuals at all levels of various organizations.

Qualifications

• Experience in organizational transformation and change management, from practitioner to enterprise-level leadership.
• Ability to synthesize complex information into clear and concise recommendations and action-oriented implementation plans.
• Proven track record of developing and implementing both strategic and operational project management plans.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to generate innovative, data-driven, and result-oriented solutions to complex challenges.
• Effective communication skills, both verbal and written, with a proven ability to engage and influence diverse stakeholders.
• Experience fostering collaboration across multiple constituencies to support more effective decision-making.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, particularly in building and maintaining relationships with community-based partners.
• Ability to embrace differing viewpoints and implement strategies to find common ground.
• Confidence and professional diplomacy in interacting with individuals at all levels of various organizations.

Skills

• Strategic thinking and ability to develop and implement comprehensive plans.
• Project management and organizational development expertise.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to foster collaboration and build relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Experience in organizational transformation and change management.

Benefits

This two-year fellowship will provide an annual salary of $95,000. Fellows can also access various health, dental, and vision insurance benefits.

Pay

$95,000 annually.

Schedule

October 26, 2026 – October 20, 2028.