There are many rewarding and lucrative jobs available with a degree in educational leadership. These jobs are available at every education level in both the public and private sectors. Below explains which worthwhile jobs are available to students with a degree in educational leadership.
What is the Purpose of Educational Leadership?
Regardless of the educational type or level, educational leadership is about improving the academic process and quality of learning for students. A degree in educational leadership prepares students to take on demanding roles and excel in their position. Educational leaders strive to monitor progress, facilitate change, increase efficiency and improve educational standards.
Preschool and Childcare Center Directors
These directors oversee the educational operations at preschools and childcare centers. The demand for these organizations are growing as the costs of childcare rises and more parents return to the workforce, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Preschool and childcare center directors supervise preschool teachers, childcare workers and other service and administrative staff. They perform human resource duties such as interviewing, hiring and training new staff. They must also continually provide professional development opportunities for their staff. They ensure that policies and educational standards are in compliance with state laws. They also coordinate and communicate with teachers, children, parents and other service providers. Almost all states require that preschool and childcare center directors have formal education and meet state licensing requirements.
Department Chair or Director
Postsecondary department chairs or directors oversee a specific department while working as a professor. They must manage the department’s budget, resources, programs and personnel. They are responsible for the fiscal management of their department and for advocating for additional resources. They often perform many key HR responsibilities, such as recruitment, selection and training. They ensure that their department maintains the highest standards and meets applicable legal and accreditation requirements. They act as the official spokesperson with other department heads and the public. They manage day-to-day administrative tasks, provide student advisements and assign staff to new projects.
Chief Academic Officer
These professional academic leaders answer directly to the president of the college. They are tasked with many challenging duties. For example, they must ensure that the school maintains the highest levels of academic quality and student success rates. They ensure that learning environments are positive, supportive and safe. They often lead the way with the college’s nationalization and internationalize plans. They also oversee personnel, budgets, policies and programs. They spend a good deal of their time collaborating with department heads, academic deans, faculty and staff in order to ensure that both students and the school reach their goals.
College Dean
College deans typically have a doctoral degree and proven track record of teaching and administrative excellence. They must oversee complex budgets, supervise many personnel and maintain school accreditation. For example, they must support the professional development of faculty and expand school services while staying within budget. They must also ensure that all educational programs meet state and national standards. College deans spend their time supervising operations, advocating for student needs and finding appropriate resources. For example, they must actively pursue and secure grants, funding and alternative financial resources. College deans must have strong analytical and critical thinking skills. For instance, they must continually assess and make decisions based on college operations and student performance data.
Related Resource: Curriculum Developer
On the whole, there are many satisfying educational leadership career opportunities available. These include preschool directors, department chairs, chief academic officers and college deans. To be sure, there are many more jobs available with a degree in educational leadership.