Chief information officers (CIOs) are, along with chief executive officers, chief operations officer and chief financial officers, among the highest ranking executives at a company or organization. First defined in 1981 by William R. Synnott, former senior vice president of the Bank of Boston, and William H. Gruber, former professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management, CIOs are responsible for a company’s technical direction.
According to ITCareerFinder, CIOs determine the technology goals of a business and then plan and oversee key IT projects to achieve those goals. These individuals are in charge of budgeting, personnel and equipment procurement. Important day-to-day activities and skills of a CIO include:
- Purchasing, deploying, and evaluating the risks of new technologies and computer systems.
- Developing and enforcing short-term and long-term information technology strategy.
- Finding IT service vendors and negotiating favorable contracts to cut costs and boost productivity.
- Collaborating with other C-Suite officers and department heads to shape IT policy.
- Tracking, optimizing and enforcing budgets.
- Staying on top of IT trends and competitors.
Along with these responsibilities comes great compensation. According to Robert Half Technology, CIO salaries in the U.S. average between $157,000 and $262,500, but that’s just the start of it. Cash bonuses, equity awards, benefits and perks can propel pay packages into the millions.
In an article on CIO, Mark Polansky, North American managing director of executive search firm Korn Ferry’s IT Center of Expertise, said:
“The emphasis on getting an MBA is even stronger today [than it was four years ago] because CIOs are that much more involved in strategy, business operations and business transformation.”
With tech becoming more important than ever, especially in business, the demand for forward-thinking CIOs is higher than ever. Due to this, MBA degrees now come in an assortment of IT-based concentrations and translate well to C-Suite jobs such as CIO.
With many still weary of leaving their full-time jobs to seek and advance degree, those looking to move up the corporate ladder and eye a C-Suite role in the future can look into various Executive MBA programs that offer class on a part-time or weekend basis.
Bloomberg Businessweek ranked the top 15 executive MBA programs in the country for students who look to advance themselves in IT businesses. Here are some of the top schools included:
Kellogg School of Management – Northwestern University
Six percent of students in this program work in management of information systems. Classes meet on alternating weekends, for occasional week-long sessions, and for one weekend per month. In the last three academic years, Kellogg School of Management has spent $19 million in technology improvements, including upgraded classrooms, public computers, videoconferencing and expanding the laptop loaner pool and social networking presence.
Booth School of Business – University of Chicago
The preset general management curriculum of the Booth EMBA is designed to improve students’ grounding in fundamental business disciplines like the economics of human relations, the financial business case, writing skills, brand strategy and negotiation techniques. Nearly 10 percent of the students at Booth School of Business work in the technology industry, while six percent work specifically in management of information systems. Classes meet on alternating weekends, occasional week-long sessions
Columbia Business School – Columbia University – New York
The EMBA program at Columbia Business School includes an international seminar elective with a choice of five locations: China, Brazil, Munich, Paris and India. Seven percent of students work in management of information systems. Columbia’s Career Management Center gives support that is designed specifically for EMBA students, aiding them is advancing in their current position or making a significant career change. These services include individualized career advising, online self-assessment tools, professional development programs, advice on internal job-search strategies and access to the school’s job listings targeted at MBAs.
Anderson School of Management – UCLA – Los Angeles
The EMBA program at Anderson School of Management features a five-day international business seminar, which includes in-country class lectures, company visits and cultural activities. The program features a leadership development portfolio of activities designed to develop emotionally intelligent leaders and focuses on key emotional intelligence competencies. ‘Leadership Foundations’ is a required course that examines leadership development from individual, team and organizational perspectives.A whopping 12 percent of students work in management of information systems.
Stern School of Business – NYU – New York
About 17 percent of the students at Stern School of Business work in the technology industry, with 7 percent of students work in management of information systems. Classes meet on alternating weekends and on occasional week-long sessions. Stern Executive MBA students also have access to the Career Center for Working Professionals (CCWP), which offers lifelong career support through individual career counseling, resume reviews and mock interviews. The CCWP provides EMBA-tailored programming, but EMBA students do not have access to the full-time MBA on-campus recruiting process.
McDonough School of Business – Georgetown University – DC
About 24 percent of the students at McDonough School of Business work in the technology industry, while a further 24 percent work in government. Aroundt 17 percent of students work in management of information systems. All students enrolled in the Georgetown University Executive MBA Program complete four integrative projects, or residencies, in addition to their core and elective coursework. Residencies include team-based experiences that immerse students in simulated and real-world business environments to gain practical experience.
Mendoza College of Business – Notre Dame – Chicago
Even though only three percent of students work in management information systems, Mendoza has spent $7 million and added new customer-relationship management and content-management systems, as well as new productivity-measurement software. Classes meet one weekend per month. The Notre Dame Alumni Network gives students access to over 134,000 active alumni in over 40 countries, giving you a leg up on getting a foot int the door at many companies.