Alternative titles: Project Manager, Product Planner, Master Scheduler
Project Managers have one of the toughest jobs in IT
They must work with heads of business, users and suppliers to agree achievable goals given finite resources and budget. Once those goals are agreed and the availability of resources is understood the Project Manager then employs formal methodologies to plan the critical path for a successful outcome.
Strong communication and leaderships skills are essential to ensure that each contributing party understands their specific brief, sticks to their respective delivery schedules and operates within budget. With so many working parts and interdependencies complex projects can easily suffer disruption.
A strong Project Manager can guide business managers, staff and suppliers through difficult periods by resetting expectations, altering schedules, soliciting priority changes, removing resource constraints and pushing onwards towards success.
General skills and aptitude
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Comfort presenting to mixed audiences with tools such as Microsoft PowerPoint
- Diplomatic nature
- Clear aptitude for both planning and problem solving
- Leadership
- An interest in both technology and business
Average starting salary: £24,000 to £29,000