PYPP Reshapes Operations | News

The President’s Young Professionals Program (PYPP) is reshaping its operations and reviewing its long-term growth strategy ahead of the recruitment of its Class XV fellows, with plans to assess decentralizing the fellowship to Bong and Grand Bassa Counties.

The operational review has prompted PYPP to adjust its 2026 recruitment calendar, moving away from its traditional August recruitment period as the organization evaluates its programs, internal structures, resource needs and expansion plans.

PYPP officials said the review is intended to position the fellowship for sustainable growth while strengthening its ability to mobilize resources and expand opportunities for talented young Liberians seeking careers in public service.

The Class XV recruitment has not been cancelled. Instead, the program said the recruitment process will be announced later in 2026 after the ongoing review is completed.

The adjustment marks a significant change from PYPP’s usual recruitment cycle, which traditionally begins in August each year. The program said the decision is aimed at ensuring that the next recruitment phase is aligned with its evolving operational and strategic priorities.

A major component of the review is the proposed decentralization of the fellowship beyond Montserrado County. PYPP is considering extending its model to Bong and Grand Bassa Counties as part of efforts to broaden access and increase the participation of young professionals from other parts of Liberia.

The proposed expansion would represent a new phase in the program’s development, allowing PYPP to assess how its fellowship model can be adapted to different county-level environments while maintaining its standards for recruitment, training, mentorship and performance management.

Despite the changes affecting the recruitment calendar, PYPP’s existing fellowship activities remain on course.

Fellows in Class XIII are expected to complete their fellowship in March 2027, while Class XIV is scheduled to complete its program in March 2028. Officials said the current fellows will continue their respective assignments, with only minor adjustments to the existing schedule.

Established in 2009 as a long-term public-sector capacity-building initiative, PYPP was created to develop a pipeline of highly qualified young Liberians prepared to contribute to government service.

Since 2015, the organization has operated as a registered not-for-profit, nongovernmental and nonpolitical organization under Liberian law. In 2017, it entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Civil Service Agency, establishing a public-private partnership framework with the Government of Liberia.

The program’s fellowship model combines merit-based recruitment and selection with professional training, mentorship, performance management, supervision, immersion excursions and study visits. Fellows are placed within government institutions, where they gain practical experience while contributing to public-sector programs and national development.

PYPP has grown considerably since its establishment. With support from the Government of Liberia and partners including the Mastercard Foundation, Emerging Public Leaders, Abigail Disney, Pierre Hauser and Conservation International Liberia, the program has recruited and placed 330 young Liberians in more than 40 government ministries and agencies.

The program has also tested its fellowship model in four private-sector organizations and three local nongovernmental organizations, including initiatives supporting government efforts in education and environmental protection.

Its alumni network has also maintained a strong connection with the public sector. Available figures show that approximately 88 percent of PYPP alumni continue to work for the Government of Liberia, while 12 percent are employed in the private sector in Liberia and abroad.

Female participants account for 47.1 percent of the program’s fellows, compared with 52.9 percent male participation.

The current operational review therefore comes as PYPP looks to build on more than a decade of developing young professionals for public service while determining how the program can remain sustainable and expand its national footprint.

The proposed decentralization to Bong and Grand Bassa is particularly significant because PYPP has historically been centered largely in Monrovia. Expanding beyond Montserrado could provide young professionals in other counties with greater access to the fellowship and strengthen the program’s contribution to county-level public-sector development.

However, such an expansion would also require the organization to assess the resources, institutional arrangements and support systems needed to maintain the quality of its fellowship model outside the capital.

The review is consequently expected to examine not only where PYPP operates, but also how it manages recruitment, training, partnerships and resource mobilization as the organization prepares for its next phase.

The program’s model has already attracted regional interest. Through Emerging Public Leaders, the fellowship approach has been replicated in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi and Sierra Leone, demonstrating its potential beyond Liberia.

For PYPP, the current review provides an opportunity to reassess its Liberian operations while preparing for a broader and potentially more decentralized future.

As the organization works through the review, prospective Class XV applicants have been encouraged to remain engaged through PYPP’s official communication channels for the announcement of the new recruitment timeline.

The eventual Class XV intake is expected to reflect the outcome of the ongoing review as PYPP seeks to strengthen its operations, expand its reach and position the fellowship for sustainable growth in the years ahead.