Strategic leaders don’t only recognize the challenges of the current higher education context, but capitalize on the opportunities. Presidents who are intentional about the competencies they recruit for today are quietly building the institutional resilience they will need tomorrow. These four skills belong at the top of every position profile.

  1. AI Literacy. Your next dean or VP doesn’t need to be a data scientist—but they do need to understand how artificial intelligence is reshaping student services, academic delivery, and administrative efficiency. Leaders who can ask the right questions of AI tools, and guide their teams through adoption, will have a measurable advantage.
  2. Interdisciplinary Leadership. The silos that once defined academic culture are becoming liabilities. Institutions need leaders who can broker collaboration across colleges, departments, and divisions—and who see the connective tissue between seemingly unrelated fields as an opportunity, not a complication.
  3. Enrollment Strategy. Enrollment is no longer just the admissions office’s problem—it is everyone’s. New hires at the cabinet and dean level should arrive with a sophisticated understanding of recruitment, retention, and the demographic realities shaping the pipeline. Experience translating data into action is non-negotiable.
  4. Partnership Development. Whether it is corporate workforce agreements, community college articulation pathways, or philanthropic relationships, the ability to build and sustain external partnerships is now a core leadership competency. Candidates who have closed deals, stewarded donors, or grown community relationships bring immediate institutional value.

At Hyatt-Fennell, we help presidents and search committees build position profiles that reflect not just where their institution has been—but where it needs to go. Reach out to our team to learn how we can help you hire for the future.