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IT Project Manager Job Description




Job Description

To identify, organize and lead a team of individuals in order to accomplish a given objective within the organization.


Related Content

Technical Project Manager Job Description

Project Manager Skills

Project Manager Cover Letters


Tasks and Activities

  • Create and present a business case.
  • Create/clarify/manage the project scope.
  • Secure funding and funding milestones.
  • Monitor and report on the project status and financial performance.
  • Risk / Quality / Cost / Stakeholder Management.
  • Vendor and subcontractor management.
  • Ensure project Quality Assurance (QA) compliance.
  • Project and resourcing scheduling.
  • Inspire, enable and motivate the team.
  • Create and update documentation including schedules, budgets and project plan.


Role at a Glance
Skills, Knowledge & Experience

  • Excellent written and oral communication skills.
  • Excellent Project Sponsor and other stakeholders management.
  • Broad knowledge process improvement techniques and principles.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of Change Management frameworks such as ITIL.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of Project Management methodologies such as PMBOK or Prince2.
  • Experience in leadership roles.
  • Robust presentation skills at all levels.
  • Excellent knowledge and understanding of the Project Management life cycle and the respective deliverables including, but not limited to;
Create a business case. This phase maps business benefits to cost and effort. It details the business drivers that support the project as well as the risks of maintaining the status quo and delivering the project.

Define Scope. Defining a clear, unambiguous and feasible scope involves a lot of negotiation. This phase should deliver a universally understood document detailing the limits of the project. It is important to note that it is also just as important to list what is not in scope.

Write Requirements. Directly linked to the Business Case and Scope, the requirements should be written with exact outcomes in mind.

Write a Project Plan. As the name suggests, this phase details the approach that the project will take including the Project Management methodology, a work breakdown structure, a communications plan, identifying skills, time and costs.

Create a Project Schedule. This activity varies depending on the reporting structure in place. Managing resources, external parties, tracking expenditure and status reporting are some activities that an IT project manager performs in his/her job.

Implementation. This phase often involves negotiation with the change management board as well as organizing downtime, resources, access and other implementation necessities.

Closure. Project closure involves reporting on the ‘lessons learnt’, wrapping up financials, contracts and other resources and handing over to operational groups.
Organizational Position

This position will likely work along side other project managers on a pre-determined program of works. Day to day communication is primarily with project resources. Reporting to the program manager, stakeholders and the project sponsor.


Qualifications & Certifications

Project management certifications such as PMBOK or Prince2

A degree such as a Bachelor of Information Technology, Bachelor of Business or an MBA.


Key Competencies

Planning & Organizing
Judgement & Decision Making
Communications
Leading Others
Managing Tasks
Processes & Procedures
Financial proprietary


Attributes of an Excellent Project Manager

Project management is about delivering the right outcomes in a timely manner despite constraints such as limited time, resources or budget (or all). An excellent project manager ensures that the right outcome is very clearly defined and that delivery expectations are carefully managed throughout the life of the project.


Related Career Links

Technical Project Manager
      
Program Manager
      
Operations Manager
      
Service Delivery Manager
    

Attraction to the position and job retention strategies for employers

This role is well suited to highly organized individuals who are delivery focused.

Frustration can be a key challenge for busy PMs with multiple disciplines to manage and varying motivations from stakeholders and project sponsors often conflicting. Employers should ensure that a robust project management methodology is adopted throughout the organization to help to give PMs, stakeholders and project sponsors a common platform by which to negotiate scope, funding and timeframes. Employers should also ensure that project resources are committed to their allocated time on the project.
What You Know

Understand business strategy
Project management methodologies e.g PMBOK, PMP or Prince2
Financial and resource management

What You Do

Negotiate project scope and budget
Manage tasks, schedules and resources
Provide leadership and direction
Guide and influence team members
What You Are

A leader
A motivator
A strategic thinker
A great communicator

Expected Pay  Scale for an IT Project Manager

Salary Range: US$102K - US$170K per year
Salary Average: US$109K 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
Level 1 =6-29
Level 2 =30-49
Level 3 =50-79
Level 4 =80-99
Level 5 =100+