Project Management in the Public Sector Course

Key information

• Course Date: (Face-to-face)22 September – 25 September 2026
•  Location:The Hague, The Netherland
•  Fee:€1,845

Introduction
Effecting change in the public sector is complex. Projects take place in dynamic political environments, where priorities shift, decision-making can be slow, and roles and responsibilities are not always clearly defined. At the same time, project managers must work with limited resources, coordinate across multiple institutions, and engage a wide range of stakeholders with different interests.

Government projects often fail or get delayed because of political interference, lack of coordination or clear role distribution or a lack of knowledge or management skills. As a result, project managers face many challenges. They often work with limited resources, must coordinate between multiple institutions, and engage a wide range of stakeholders with different and sometimes conflictintg interests. This calls for a structured yet flexible approach to project management tailored to the public sector.

In this course, we combine practical tools with hands-on insights into how projects actually function in the public sector. Participants bring a project from their daily work and use it to apply tools and reflect on their current project management practices. They learn how to apply different project management tools in a way that fits their organisational reality, helping them translate plans into concrete and achievable results.

What the course covers
This course provides a practical introduction to project management in public sector contexts. Participants explore the full project cycle, from defining objectives and structuring projects to stakeholder engagement, implementation and monitoring.

A central element is the “I – WE – THEY – IT” approach, which helps participants manage projects from four complementary perspectives:

I: your role and leadership as a project manager
WE: working effectively with your project team
THEY: managing stakeholders in complex environments
IT: structuring and controlling your project
Participants work with practical tools such as Work Breakdown Structures, stakeholder analysis, risk management and monitoring methods. The course also creates space to critically reflect on existing project management practices and structures within their organisations.

Key Information
This course is relevant for professionals involved in public sector reforms, in particular designing, managing or supporting projects in all policy fields, from introducing social security schemes to climate adaptation measures to new taxation tools and urban renovation. This includes project managers, programme managers and policy advisors.

It is particularly suitable for staff working in government institutions at national, regional or local level, as well as professionals from donor organisations, NGOs and development agencies who are involved in implementing public sector projects in complex and multi-stakeholder environments.