The careers available with an Executive MBA degree are both prestigious and demanding. Here are four common career choices for students who graduate from Executive MBA programs.
Executive Director
Executive directors achieve organizational goals through developing and implementing strategic objectives, which are usually determined by boards of directors, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Executive directors lead their organizations to fulfill missions by overseeing projects, leveraging resources, fostering innovation and establishing partnerships. They officially represent their organization as spokesperson on legal and public policy matters. Executive directors must remain aware of current industry, market and economic advances in order to promote efficiency and productivity. Many executives work closely with association directors to review processes, expand opportunities and spearhead major projects. Executives directors must maintain effective working relationships with many people in order to access new business opportunities.
Project Management Director
Project management directors lead major initiatives and are responsible to ensure the successful achievement of project deliverables. Project management directors are accountable for coordinating simultaneously complex projects, so most rely on project management software programs. These allow users to track goals, set scopes, review budgets, publish schedules and manage risks. Depending on the project scope, these executives may oversee million dollar budgets, hundreds of employees and vast global resources. These executives must have experience with industry standard project management practices and techniques regarding project design and delivery. Executives are accountable for managing budgets, schedules, cash flows, performances and deadlines. They must collaboratively work with stakeholders to properly respond to delays and emergencies through adjusting assignments and schedules.
Entrepreneur Executive
These executives have very unique duties and responsibilities and are often found in universities and corporations. They play key roles in refining strategies, launching new projects and promoting entrepreneurship. For example, entrepreneur executives in universities work with chief academic officers, advisory boards and leading administrators to locate and receive resources for students and faculty. This means that they work with representatives from government and business communities to create collaborative, mutually beneficial projects. Entrepreneur executives who work for corporations are responsible for designing strategic and operational plans that guide growth, fundraising and programming. They often directly engage business partners to identify and research new entrepreneurial opportunities. Part of their responsibilities include serving as spokespersons who build awareness, develop partnerships and promote community innovation.
Strategy Director
Strategy directors exclusively work for multinational corporations as either long-term consultants or full-time employees. To illustrate, a strategy director at a telecommunications conglomerate is responsible for the continuous assessment of consumer needs, market shifts and technology changes. They often work with risk managers to evaluate and recommend new business opportunities, assess service performances and suggest new technologies. They often promote mass shifts from old technology devices and platforms to newer ones, such as mobile and cloud-based technologies. They are expected to clearly understand competitor plans, industry developments and government positioning. In the end, they develop and maintain strategic roadmaps that include business functionalities, contingency plans and marketing and operational requirements.
Related Resource: Modular MBA
There are other careers available with an executive MBA degree, such as an executive coach, VP of operations and development director.