NIH Mid-Level Leadership Program

Purpose

The NIH is committed to playing an active role in advancing the skills of mid-level staff serving as front-line leaders. The NIHTC offers a multifaceted, mid-level leadership development program that builds a bridge between senior leadership and junior staff. In filling this gap, the Mid-level Leadership Program provides a core component to a deliberate continuum of leadership development for inspired NIH staff.

Program Features and Structure

  1. A program designed to enhance learning, target its application, and reinforce retention
  2. An orientation plus six 2-day training sessions taking place over a period of six months
  3. Cohort size of 28-32 participants
  4. Initial 360-degree feedback, Myers-Briggs Type personality type indicator (MBTI), Thomas Kilmann Conflict Instrument, and Emotional Intelligence assessments
  5. Personal coaching (2 hours) to review 360-degree feedback and define your specific developmental areas
  6. Leadership development plans
  7. On-the-job assignments to apply learning in the workplace between sessions
  8. Assigned reading articles to facilitate continuous development
  9. Sessions hosted virtually, or at NIH Training Center Natcher location

This program is structured to assess your leadership readiness and provide feedback and developmental guidance. It incorporates a variety of instructional approaches and makes available reinforcement activities to facilitate continuous development.

Tuition: $4,830

Content and Current Cohort Program Schedule

The program will emphasize the following leadership developmental areas:

  1. Self-awareness and fulfilling the leadership function
  2. Understanding and collaborating with others
  3. Strategic business acumen and driving results
Month 1

Session 1: Orientation
(1 day)

  • Program Introduction, Overview, and First Immediate Steps
Month 2

Session 2: Leading Self I
(2 days)

  • Transitioning into Supervisory Roles
  • Leadership Styles
  • Understanding Personality Types
  • Results MBTI Assessment
Month 3

Session 3: Leading Self II
(2 days)

  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Self-Motivation
  • Mindfulness and Resilience
  • Results EQI assessment
  • Results 360 assessment/ Coaching Appt.
Month 4

Session 4: Working with Others I
(2 days)

  • Personal Effectiveness
  • Delegation
  • Giving and Receiving Feedback
  • Collaboration and Breaking Down Silos
  • Motivating Others
  • High Impact Communications
  • Results TKI assessment
Month 5

Session 5: Working with Others II
(2 days)

  • Matching Story to Context
  • Negotiations and Persuasion
  • Conflict Management
Month 6

Session 6: Managing Talent
(2 days)

  • Building External Coalitions
  • Innovation in Public Service
  • Situational Leadership
  • Coaching Skills for Leaders
Month 7

Session 7: Driving Results
(2 days)

  • Managing Risk and Crises
  • Change Management
  • Problem Solving
  • Ethical Decision Making

Requirements

Target:
Current supervisory and non-supervisory GS-12/13/14 and equivalents

Eligibility:
GS-12 and equivalents: One year of NIH experience. None required for GS-13/14.
Must have received at least AE – Achieved Expected Results on recent PMAP.

Selection Process

Individual nominations are initiated, vetted and prioritized at the IC Executive Office level. Nominations are then forwarded to the NIH Training Center for placement. Please contact your IC's nominations POC for the Mid-level Leadership Program for additional details on your IC's specific application process and requirements.

*While individual applications are not needed for the submission to the Training Center, ICs interested in using an application could make use of and adapt this downloadable and fillable application for their own internal vetting process.

Each year we solicit an initial NIH-wide call for nominations for the Mid-level Leadership Program. Our 2025-26 call will fill up to four MLP cohorts ( 93-96, with all Orientations taking place in late-September.)

2025-26 MLP Nomination Key Dates

Cohort Schedules

To support the ongoing interest in both fully-virtual and blended cohorts, both platforms will continue to be offered in the upcoming 2025-26 program. Please note with blended series that designated sessions will be either fully-virtual or fully in-person. Cohort schedules will be linked on this website while also announced with the call for nominations.

Contact Information

For additional information, please contact us at NIHTrainingCenter@nih.gov.

Contact us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.