7 Leadership Careers You Can Pursue with a Graduate Degree

By DeVry University

November 14, 2023

7 min read

Whether you’re planning to continue your education, embark on a new job search or advance your career path, you’re most likely aware of the importance of leadership skills and how acquiring those skills can help to boost your personal and professional growth.

Leadership careers can be found in many spaces within today’s business environments, in areas like human resources, product management and marketing, information technology and business operations. Rising to a leadership-level position in business often requires a graduate degree, such as a master’s degree or MBA, advanced skills and plenty of on-the-job experience.

In this article, we’ll take a close look at 7 top leadership careers you can pursue with a graduate degree, examining many of their duties and responsibilities, and some of the skills and education required you’ll need to work toward success in each of them.

1. Human Resource Management

Leadership skills in this role are critical due to the complexity of the position. Professionals in this organizational leadership career may be involved in making sure their company complies with industry regulations and governmental requirements.

Human resources managers typically work in mid-size companies or large corporations with dedicated HR departments to oversee staffing policies, administration and benefits, corporate culture, collaborate with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) teams and other functions related to recruiting and hiring.

Important skills for a human resources manager include:

Communication: Effective verbal and written communication skills are critical in this role, as it demands frequent interaction with job candidates, senior leadership, staff members and community partners.
HR best practices and procedures: Knowledge of a broad variety of strategies and practices, which may include compensation, performance management, safety, compliance with employment regulations and hiring and employee relations.
Inclusivity: The ability to create a culture of diversity, inclusivity, collaboration and teamwork is essential for today’s professionals in HR leadership roles.
Data analysis: Experience with analyzing data to inform strategic employment planning.
HR information systems: Experience with human resources information systems, such as Workday, Zoho People, SmartRecruiters and others is an important skill.

Educational requirements for HR managers vary, but an undergraduate degree, such as a bachelor’s degree in business, human resources or finance, is usually considered the minimum for this position, though it is possible that some employers may prefer candidates to hold a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management.

Some employers may also want management candidates to have certifications, such as those offered by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) or the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI).

2. Marketing Manager

Marketing managers oversee teams in the marketing departments. As leaders in the marketing and advertising division, their wide-ranging responsibilities typically include a combination of marketing-specific functions related to the company’s initiatives. Their daily duties may include developing strategies for new products or services, reviewing current and ongoing marketing campaigns for strengths and weaknesses, and developing solutions to address any problems or expand their campaigns’ reach. Marketing managers work with senior management in identifying and developing new markets for their company’s products and create plans for entry into those markets. They also analyze the effectiveness of promotions and website conversion tactics to determine the best methods for driving sales.

To be successful in this leadership role, marketing managers must have a combination of leadership, creative and problem-solving skills. They should be skilled in a variety of advertising and lead-generation methods, which may include digital advertising, search engine optimization, social media and other tactics as demanded by their companies’ unique business-to-consumer (B2C) or business-to-business (B2B) marketing challenges. Important leadership skills for marketing managers include:

Business: Knowledge of current marketing-related business practices, which may include advertising, market research, technology and budgeting.
Planning: Effectiveness in planning product launches and promotional events.
Organization: Time management and organizational skills to plan and execute marketing-related projects and initiatives both large and small.
Leadership: The ability to motivate team members to work together toward common goals and manage conflicts between team members or stakeholders.

Marketing managers typically have degrees in marketing, business or another related field. Some employers prefer candidates to have earned a graduate degree, such as a Master’s Degree in Marketing or an MBA with a Specialization in Marketing. There is no specialized training or licensure requirements for this leadership role, but considerable experience is generally required. Employers usually look for candidates with 10 years of experience, which can be obtained by managing previous marketing or advertising campaigns or working in junior-level roles such as marketing specialist.

3. Business Operations Manager

Often acting as liaisons between executive leadership and staff, business operations managers are responsible for keeping a company’s activities and workflow, which will vary depending on the industry and specific requirements, running as efficiently as possible. They conduct performance reviews, make recommendations for policy and procedure improvements, and research ways to reduce waste and excessive costs. They also may manage inventory, transportation and other elements of the supply chain, or have responsibilities related to budgeting and hiring.

Leadership careers in operations management typically call for skills that include:

Team building: Motivation and team-building skills, which can enable effective goalsetting for the team and nurturing positive relationships that enhance productivity.
Communication: Strong communication skills to facilitate interactions with staff, superiors and customers.
Problem solving: Problem-solving and conflict management skills are essential to minimize operational disruptions.
Delegation: Knowing how and when to hand over tasks to team members to get more done, more efficiently.

Companies typically look for candidates with 5 or more years of experience in managing human resources, finance or operations. Business operations managers may hold bachelor’s degrees in business management, business administration or economics. Large organizations may require leaders in operations management to have a master’s degree in business administration or finance.

4. IT Director

Within today’s business enterprises, the information technology (IT) director is charged with managing the company’s IT resources and employees. These leaders are responsible for ensuring the effective operation of the company’s IT infrastructure, a role that is becoming more front and center as businesses accelerate their adoption of new technologies and rely more heavily on them for day-to-day operations and managing revenue streams. IT directors manage IT staff, which may include hiring and direct supervision, and management of employee performance. They determine goals for IT systems, oversee the deployment of hardware and software upgrades, prepare budgets and make presentations to executives and stakeholders. They also manage disaster recovery processes.

This organizational leadership career requires a medley of technical and workplace skills:

Industry knowledge: As a leader in IT, you must stay up to date on trends and new developments in technology and in your industry.
Problem-solving: You must be an effective problem solver, taking a strategic approach and considering business goals in solving technical problems.
Team leadership: Effective team building and management skills are important in this position, as are effective delegation skills.
Policy-setting: IT directors are charged with developing, implementing and scaling up policies for their departments.
Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills may help you collaborate with managers from other departments and convey information of a technical nature to non-technical stakeholder audiences.

This position generally requires a bachelor’s degree in a field such as computer science, engineering or information systems management. Many organizations require candidates for this leadership role to have a master’s degree. Many IT directors work their way into the job from lower-level IT department positions in project management or software development, and often move on to senior leadership positions, such as chief information officer or chief technology officer.

5. Product Manager

Product managers are responsible for overseeing all activities related to the development of products or a line of products if working in large companies. They often have end-to-end responsibility for a product, beginning with its development, which could involve market research to understand consumer needs and behaviors, overseeing the product’s manufacturing and marketing, and measuring its sales performance. Their work can involve development of marketing communication objectives, competitive research, reporting to management and maintaining product availability.

The typical skills and qualifications required for this leadership role include:

Project management: Advanced project management and interpersonal skills are essential in this role, facilitating collaboration with teams and vendors.
Product knowledge: Thorough knowledge of the product or the market it will be sold into, including specific technical or industry knowledge, is another important skill.
Communication: Considering the need to communicate with multiple audiences, including team members, upper management, outside vendors and consumers of the company’s products, excellent written and verbal communication skills are a must-have skill.
Multi-tasking: The abilities to multi-task and work well under pressure prevent product managers from becoming overwhelmed.
Attention to detail: Along with a curious and enthusiastic nature, attention to detail is an important skill that helps product managers stay on task and minimize costly mistakes.

To pursue a leadership position in product management, you would typically require a bachelor’s degree in business or a marketing-related concentration such as advertising, marketing or statistics. In some industries, a technical degree, such as in agriculture or engineering may be more applicable. As in many other careers in leadership, product managers typically obtain experience on the job by working in lower-level positions. While job descriptions can vary from company to company, some employers may prefer candidates with a graduate degree, such as an Master of Business Administration (MBA), for leadership opportunities here.

6. Project Manager

Project managers (PMs) can exist in leadership roles in an extensive range of industries like construction, information technology, human resources and marketing – anywhere there are multifaceted projects with budgets, milestones and deadlines to be met. A PM's responsibilities include planning and overseeing many aspects of projects of all kinds, designating resources, preparing and presenting budgets, monitoring progress and keeping stakeholders informed of outcomes, risks or setbacks through the appropriate management channels.

Some of the hard and soft skills required to be a project manager include:

Risk management: As a PM, you will need to be aware of your projects’ potential for profit or loss, understand your organization’s risk tolerance and know how stakeholders will measure its success. With this understanding, you may make decisions about the project’s timeline, resources and goals more effectively.
Cost management: Effective PMs stay on top of project costs and keep the project from going over budget, understanding that costs must be balanced with the other two points of the project management triangle, time and scope.
Planning and forecasting: Project managers create roadmaps for all stakeholders to follow, and have an appreciation for order, organization and clear, measurable goals. A comfort level with data analysis and understanding of tools like Gantt and PERT charts to visualize timelines and milestones are all useful in project planning and forecasting.
Tech-savviness: Proficiency with project management software and other tools for things like analytics, document creation and document sharing are useful to PMs.
Leadership: In your leadership role as a PM, it’s important for you to have the ability to guide others through the project and feel comfortable facilitating meetings, enforcing constraints and holding team members accountable.
Communication: At the intersection of leadership and diplomacy is communication. Strong communication skills are essential for PMs, as they are the point of contact for project stakeholders who might otherwise have no contact with each other. As a PM, you may have to mediate disputes between project stakeholders or handle negotiations about project timelines, cost or scope. You will likely have to communicate with colleagues and executive management about progress or setbacks along the way. All of this requires excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Time management: Individuals with strong time management skills make effective PMs. Your ability to balance multiple priorities and complex timelines without feeling overwhelmed is a vital skill, and may help others to stay on task.

Aspiring leaders in project management can earn a number of certifications, such as those administered by the Project Management Institute (PMI).

If you’re planning to pursue a leadership role in project management, a graduate degree such as DeVry’s Master’s Degree in Project Management may help you along your journey.

7. Information Systems Management

Information systems (IS) managers are organizational leaders who are often responsible for managing IT departments, hiring and training IT professionals such as support specialists, network engineers and analysts, monitoring performance levels and delegating repair and installation requests. They may also be responsible for drafting informational documents to help employees troubleshoot computer problems and navigate new programs and interface with IT directors and other upper-level managers.

Essential technical and workplace skills for information systems managers include:

Systems management: The ability to use IT hardware and software to help organizations achieve their goals demonstrates an understanding of the connection between technology and business.
Hardware and software installation: While this may not be a primary duty, the ability to install these essential tools shows employers that you have the knowledge required to select and install equipment that will support the business’s computer systems.
IT project management: In this leadership role, you may be required to lead IT projects to improve or enhance your employer’s computer systems. Project management skills will show that you can oversee multiple projects that run concurrently.
Leadership: This fundamental skill is necessary to guide people and teams through the successful completion of projects, uphold IT standards and encourage staff productivity.
Problem solving: Your problem-solving capabilities will help you troubleshoot a variety of challenges, from budget concerns to computer system errors.
Communication skills: Interpersonal and written communication skills are essential in this leadership role as you speak directly with department employees, business partners, members of upper management or heads of other departments. Written communication skills enable clarity and persuasiveness in everyday correspondence with stakeholders and in the preparation of memos, reports and presentations.
Public speaking: This may seem out of place on a list of skills for an IT department role, but the ability to speak effectively to large and small groups is useful for anyone in a leadership position.

A bachelor’s degree in information technology, computer systems management or computer science is generally needed to begin your career journey towards this leadership role. Additional ways to enhance your IT skills include entry-level tech support roles and IT internships.

Earning a master’s degree is another way to position yourself to move up in IS management. At DeVry, our Master’s Degree in Information Systems Management focuses on applying IS concepts and skills to practical situations that help you to evaluate technology applications and alternatives. The degree can be fitted to your interests and career goals by choosing a concentration in information security, data administration and management, or project management.

Prepare to Pursue Your Leadership Goals with an MBA from DeVry

If you’ve earned a bachelor’s degree and are working toward a career in leadership, DeVry can help you on your journey. Our online Master’s in Business Administration can help you learn the principles of managing staff, collaboration, and how to utilize today’s technology to achieve company-wide goals and initiatives.

We offer a choice of 10 different specializations to help you focus your skills in disciplines that align with your interests and future goals.

Study on your terms with DeVry. Our 6 academic sessions per year allow you to start when you’re ready and learn at your own pace, finishing on a regular or accelerated schedule that fits your life. Classes start soon!

8-Week Class Sessions

Classes Start January 6, 2025

Request Info

Filter Blog Post Category

Related Posts

Professional Development

What is the Best MBA Concentration for You?

Professional Development

Why Get an MBA Degree?

Related Information