Where M.B.A. Holders Wind Up in the Nonprofit Field

TOOLS AND TRAINING

In The Harvard Business School Guide to Careers in the Nonprofit Sector (Harvard Business

School Press, 2000, $22.95), Stephanie Lowell provides an overview of the types of positions that employees who hold master’s degrees in business administration have been most likely to hold at various kinds of nonprofit organizations, although the range of roles continues to grow. A summary of her findings follows:

Arts and culture. At museums, performing-arts centers, zoos, and public-broadcasting stations, M.B.A. holders usually serve specific functional roles in areas such as finance, marketing, and strategic planning. They often head museum shops or other parts of the institution that earn revenue.

Community economic development. More and more business-school graduates are entering this field as executive directors and financial officers. People with real-estate or financial-services backgrounds are particularly sought by housing organizations (Habitat for Humanity International, for example).

Education. Charter and private schools need administrators with operations and finance knowledge, so they are particularly interested in people with business backgrounds. In higher education, M.B.A. holders tend to work in administration, admissions, and fund raising.

Environment. Because the ability to work with for-profit corporations is particularly important in this field, environmental groups seek people with a strong grasp of statistics, economics, and finance. However, because they are also looking for people who understand environmental issues, it is vital to have a grasp of both the issues and business skills.

Foundations. Managing endowments is an obvious role for business-school graduates. However, other foundation jobs can be tough for candidates with that background to land.

Health care. Large health-care institutions are becoming more and more like businesses, so business-degree holders are a good fit for senior management positions. M.B.A. holders who also either are physicians or have master’s degrees in public health are especially marketable.

International aid and economic development. Unless a job candidate has previous experience working overseas on public-service programs, this is a tough area for business-school graduates. Advisory and administrative roles on the business side are most common for employees who hold M.B.A.’s.

Social services Most business-school graduates at these charities wind up working in finance, marketing, or strategic planning. However, those who also have experience related to their groups’ missions — a background in child and family welfare, for example — could end up in senior management.

— Alicia Abell