The Frontline Supervisor Program offered through Duke's Professional Development Academy focuses on developing newly and/or recently appointed Duke staff who are entry-level, frontline supervisors (team leaders, administrative leads, shift supervisors, etc.) and are new to coordinating, directing and planning the work of others. The program provides a structured development program in the areas of business acumen, people management, project management and selected supervisory competencies.
Application Period
Manager nominations and participant application packets will be accepted thru July 31, 2025
Accepted through August 15, 2025
Due by August 15, 2025
Target Audience
- High-performing Duke staff who are newly appointed supervisors with up to two years of experience,
- who have direct responsibility for coordinating, directing and planning the work of other staff, and
- who have been identified by his/her manager as a person who would benefit from structured, ongoing supervisory development.
Goal
To develop and retain high-performing supervisory/management staff at Duke and to enhance intrapersonal, interpersonal and organizational awareness
Program Features
- Classes will include a variety of topics designed to facilitate participants’ knowledge and skill of intrapersonal, groups and teams, and organizational dynamics.
- Coursework with immediate application to the work environment.
- Individual and 360-degree assessment and development planning.
- Manager's Role
- Agree to allow staff to participate as part of their regular work schedule
- Managers actively support training and coaching of participants
- Managers will complete assessments
- Managers will identify and/or create developmental assignments within the department
- Managers will empower self-directed learning
- Manager will partner with participant to identify an appropriate next level up mentor
- Mentor's Role
- Conduct monthly meetings
- Actively provide support throughout the program
- Attend Mentor Development training sessions
Selection Criteria and Process
The Frontline Supervisor program will include a diverse class of up to 25 participants. The following are the minimum requirements to be considered for the program:
- Full-time Duke employee with a minimum of three years continuous service
- Actively serving in an entry-level supervisory role where you have direct responsibility for directing the work of people
- Two or less years of experience in the supervisory role
- Performance, currently in good standing as defined by the department, with "fully achieves or meets standards"
- Nomination and full endorsement from current manager, including the completion of nomination form and a recommendation letter.
- Full endorsement from department/unit leader, with completion of recommendation letter
Because of the competitiveness of the program, the highly selective application process will include the following:
- Nomination by manager
- Completion of electronic manager nomination form to be submitted by manager and letter of recommendation
- Manager must identify at least one next level up mentor for participant, who does not directly supervise the applicant.
- Completed participant application must be submitted no later than August 15, 2025