IT Director Job Description
Most Recent Research: 20 January, 2012
Job Description
The IT Director will usually be the senior task manager of information technology within a business. He may be the most senior IT person in small and medium sized businesses, where the role will include strategic elements, hiring and budget allocation.
Related Content
Tasks and Activities
- Oversee and ensure the day to day functioning of the business IT systems.
- Provide direction and programs of works for project delivery teams.
- Oversee the IT capital and IT operational budget expenditure.
- Advise and recommend on future technology development, outsourcing strategies and hiring policy for the business.
- Manage existing vendor contracts, professional services and outsourced technology support.
- Sponsorship of technology changes.
- Manage, support and guide team leaders and middle managers within the Information Technology Division.
- Provide a senior escalation point for IT risks and issues.
- Identify and deliver key performance indicators for the business.
Role at a Glance
Skills, Knowledge & Experience
- 5-10 years of increasing direct management responsibility within an IT environment
- Experience of analysing best buy procurement products for effective and efficient technology use within the business
- Excellent communication skills including effectively presenting to large groups
- 3-5 years of experience or exposure to IT project management delivery
- Experience in the management of networked corporate databases
- Experience of information technology hardware and software in multiple user environments
- Leading change management activities and managing their impact across the business
- Managing software developers, IT testing and IT implementation teams
- Managing external IT consultants and associated contracts
- Up to 3 years’ experience of managing corporate risk for Information technology
- Understanding of the application of corporate IT strategy
Organizational Position
The IT director will be the senior information technology manager within the business and may report to a business executive such as a General Manager, Chief Information Officer (CIO) or Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
He/she may have responsibility several IT programs of works (clusters of IT projects) and a number of teams led my IT Managers. They may be the decision maker for low and medium level IT related procurement and thus have a collaborative position with the executive board and finance departments of a business. Where the role of Chief information officer exists then this role would be managed by that position and be in direct line to that role.
Qualifications & Certifications
A bachelors or higher degree in information technology or a related discipline.
Key Competencies
Managing People
Risk Assessment
Decision making
Planning & organizing
Problem Solving
Task management
Strategic thinking
Financial proprietary
Attributes of an Excellent IT Director
Likely to have good knowledge and experience of high level IT development and implementation, an excellent IT director will have progressed from team leader and middle manager roles gaining extensive experience in managing tasks, delegating work and enabling delivery of key performance indicators within the business through the use of IT. An understanding of the role of IT within the business, the business dependencies and how to ensure availability and improvements of existing technology to meet the business needs.
Related Career Liks
Attraction to the position and job retention strategies for employers
This role is well suited to individuals who have a good understanding of the role of technology within the business and knowledge of many systems and applications within a corporate environment but with significant managerial and leadership experience.
The person occupying this role is likely to need to take a pivotal role in IT within the business and enjoy the challenge of high level and wide ranging problem solving, organizational management and projects. It is important to balance the technical capabilities and management skills in attracting the right individual, avoiding tendencies to focus on one or the other element.
What You Know
Understand leading people
Understand managing resources
Budgeting and finance
IT Strategy
Contract Management
What You Do
Procurement
Incident escalation
Manage budgets
Manage human resources
Lead the implementation of corporate strategy
What You Are
A leader
A motivator
Calm and rational under pressure
Organised
Expected Pay Rate for an IT Director
Salary Range: US$125K - US$165K per year
Page Research Level (PRL)
A key designed to give an indication of the depth of research used to produce the content of the page.
PRL Key Jobs researched
Level 0 =0-6
0-6Level 1 =6-29
6-29Level 2 =30-49
30-49 Level 3 =50-79
50-79Level 4 =80-99
80-99Level 5 =100+
100+