Vital to the IT industry is the IT product manager, who runs complex programmes relating to product design, development, and production. This person creates and carries out project work plans and makes any necessary revisions in order to meet changing requirements and needs.
The product manager may also carry out contingency planning, create strategies for risk mitigation, organise project goals, and direct the project engineering team while managing internal group dynamics. Other roles may involve performing team assessments, efficiently identifying and solving project issues, defining project risks, developing RFP’s (Requests for Proposals) for external services, and designing technical and project documentation.
Required for this position are strong customer service skills, great organisational and presentation skills, and effective communication and problem-solving. Most employers prefer certification as a PMP (Project Management Professional) and at least a bachelor’s degree in engineering or technology.
Applicants should at least have five to ten years of IT management/project management experience and a minimum of three years supporting IT business processes. Experience in scheduling and budgeting is also an asset. The average salary for this position in the UK is around £50,000.