This presentation will include information from a comparative analysis of the job requirements outlined in vacancy postings for this position and a review of the skills outlined as necessary in the literature on higher education leadership. A comparison of needed skills and desired skills outlined in job postings allowed the researchers to identify key gaps of leadership skills missing from many job postings.
Higher education leaders must have knowledge in diverse areas including accreditation, budgeting, fundraising, instruction, human resource management, governance, and assessment. Over the past two decades, online leadership proficiencies have emerged as a new key knowledge area in higher education. To close this knowledge gap, many institutions have developed a role for an Online Learning Executive. This study included a comparative analysis of the job requirements outlined in vacancy postings for this position and a review of the skills outlined as necessary in the literature on higher education leadership. A comparison of needed skills and desired skills outlined in job postings allowed the researchers to identify key gaps of leadership skills missing from many job postings. Data were gathered from 41 job postings collected over a nine-month period in 2017 and an analysis of the literature of higher education leadership skills, relative to online executives. The comparison resulted in an identification of overlooked leadership competencies including advocacy, marketing, growth promotion, promoting student success, engagement, instructional design skills, and resource allocation knowledge. Future researchers should interview leaders in these online positions to evaluate which of these skills are actually required in the daily operation of the institution’s online program.