How to write an effective IT manager job description (including a template)

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for IT experts is set to grow a whopping 15% between now and 2032. This means two things: You’re facing intense competition for top talent, and you need to figure out a way to stand out.

Writing effective, accessible IT job manager descriptions is a proven low-cost strategy for grabbing the right job seekers’ attention, regardless of the type of information technology manager role you’re hiring for (e.g., infrastructure, operations, or security).

This guide (and our template) helps you write a powerful job description that attracts and engages qualified IT candidates with the right skills and culture for your team.

What does an IT manager do?

An IT manager oversees the hardware- and software-related operations at an organization, on-site and remotely. They train and work alongside computer system and database administrators, product managers, security practitioners, and engineers to improve and maintain a company’s IT architecture.

IT manager responsibilities vary depending on the industry they’re operating in and the company they work for. Some IT managers focus on specific technology initiatives, such as:

• Security: Risk assessments, security audits, and disaster recovery planning

• Operations: Daily maintenance, troubleshooting, and setting/monitoring service level agreements (SLAs)

• Asset management: Needs assessments, vendor selection, and budget allocation

• Project management: Project prioritization, oversight of timelines, and implementation

Depending on your company’s goals and IT infrastructure, IT manager duties may include:

• Contributing to the development and implementation of IT strategies

• Leading the IT department, assigning tasks, and monitoring results

• Recruiting, training, and coaching employees

• Managing budgets and IT resources, making informed decisions for growth

• Overseeing IT projections from initiation to completion

• Day-to-day IT operations, such as information systems maintenance and troubleshooting

• Developing and implementing security policies and protocols

• Managing IT vendor and stakeholder relationships

13 key skills to look for in an IT Manager

When you’re writing an IT manager job description, it’s easy to focus on technical skills. After all, you’re looking for a technology expert.

While proficiency with technology is crucial, IT managers also need to master many soft skills. Remember, these employees are responsible for leading and guiding other staff members in using and benefiting from tech initiatives.

This means you can’t forget to assess a candidate’s communication, critical thinking, and leadership skills when making hiring decisions.

Consider the following competencies when writing your skills-based job description:

IT manager hard skills

IT manager soft skills

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How to write an effective IT manager job description: 3 best practices

An effective IT manager job description helps you attract relevant talent to your team and streamline the recruitment process.

Whether you’re writing an IT project manager job description, an IT asset management job description, or a description tailored to IT operations experts, the following three tips can guide you through the process.

1. Define your company’s needs first

Think about your organization’s current requirements and future ambitions:

• What is an IT manager’s main role at your company?

• Which key skills should you focus on in your talent assessment process to ensure your chosen candidate can address current and future IT requirements?

• As the tech landscape evolves, will your IT manager need to be proficient in new innovations, such as robotic process automation or artificial intelligence?

Defining your company’s goals helps identify the type of IT manager you need.

For instance, if your current goal is to enhance the efficiency of your team and preserve the reliability of technology networks, you need to write an IT operations manager job description.

Assessing IT manager job requirements also guides your interview process. If your new hire will be responsible for preserving security, you know you need to ask questions about cybersecurity in the interview and test their risk management skills.

2. Consider salary and benefits carefully

Experts predict a global talent shortage in many IT-related fields in the next decade. The World Economic Forum predicts a shortage of 4 million IT professionals in cybersecurity management alone.

Competition for talent is fierce, so you need an enticing offer.

Salary benchmarking is an excellent way to ensure you’re offering competitive compensation.

According to Salary.com, the average IT manager salary in the USA is $144,161 per year. However, salary expectations can vary depending on the IT manager's duties, work experience, and location. If your salary budget is limited, focus on alternative job benefits.

Offering flexible work (such as hybrid and remote work options) can increase your access to talent and improve talent retention. This and other nontraditional employee benefits help your job description attract more candidates.

3. Optimize your IT manager job description’s reach

IT skill shortages are expected to impact 9 out of 10 organizations in the near future. This means extending the reach of your IT manager job descriptions is crucial.

You can expand your talent pool by:

• Appealing to passive and active candidates by posting job listings on social media sites and forums.

• Connect with recent IT graduates at job fairs (think MBAs and PHD students)

• Ask existing employees to recommend talent from their peer network

Take care to ensure your IT manager’s job posting is free from unconscious bias, too. Avoid inherently gendered language, like “rockstar” or “ninja” in your job description, and embrace inclusive hiring practices to appeal to a wider set of job seekers from nontraditional backgrounds.

IT manager job description template

Our skills-based job description template for IT managers can easily be customized to suit your specific hiring strategy.

Simply adapt each section based on your unique business goals.

Company introduction

Introduce your company’s name, purpose, values, and main products or services in four to five sentences, and reference how your IT manager will support you in achieving business goals.

Example:

[Company X] is an innovative [niche] organization focused on [mission, values, vision]. We’re looking for an IT manager who can help with [specific tasks and responsibilities] to assist us in achieving our [business goals].

Objectives for this role

Outline IT manager job requirements, focusing on the targets the employee will work towards:

• Build and manage the IT roadmap alongside the chief information offer

• Reduce mean time to repair by [X]% and downtime by [X]%

• Cut IT costs by [X]% over three years

• Report on [IT metrics] monthly to the executive team

Benefits of working with your company

Outline your employee value proposition (why an IT manager would want to work with you). Cover benefits related to learning and development, flexible work, and company culture.

Example:

[Company X] seeks an IT asset manager to join our remote team. In this role, you’ll access ongoing development opportunities, training, and a comprehensive mentorship program to ensure you can achieve our goals of [specific target]. We offer a competitive salary alongside benefits such as [flexible work, training, and access to industry events.]

IT manager job brief

[Company name]

Job title: [IT Asset Manager]

Reports to: [Chief Information Officer (CIO)]

Position type: [Full-time, part-time, contract]

Location: [Remote, hybrid, or on-site]

Salary: [IT manager salary and benefits]

Responsibilities and duties

Outline essential IT manager responsibilities, which might include:

• Configure, implement, and analyze technology and IT systems

• Research and implement technological solutions

• Ensure security of data, network access, and backup systems

• Manage, recruit, and coach IT staff

• Verify application results with system audits

• Handle annual IT budget requirements

• Maintain quality service by enforcing organizational standards

• Develop and execute disaster planning initiatives

• Provide technical support for system updates and lead the team in resolving computer hardware issues or upgrades

Skills and qualifications

Outline critical IT manager skills and qualifications, breaking them down into required and preferred sections, like so:

Required skills and experience

• Deep knowledge of programming languages and operating systems, such as Microsoft and Linux

• Expertise in implementing and configuring a wide range of IT tools and functionality

• Hands-on experience with computer networks and systems administration

• Proficiency in managing complex projects and staying on budget

• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills

• Solid leadership and managerial skills

Preferred skills and experience

• 5+ years of experience in IT management (ideally in a leadership role)

• Bachelor’s degree/master’s degree in an IT-related field

• Proficiency with enterprise backup and recovery systems

• Product or system certification

Next steps: Attract and assess IT managers with TestGorilla

A clearly outlined IT manager job description and responsibilities list helps you attract candidates with the right skills. However, before you decide on a new team member, it’s important to validate your applicants’ skills and expertise to pick the best one.

Evaluating hard and soft skills with the correct talent assessment tests helps you narrow your choices for the ideal candidate based on their competencies. It also reduces bias in the hiring process and ensures you avoid the financial repercussions of a bad hiring decision.

For instance, Skyline Orbit reduced unconscious bias and improved new hire retention rates by 50% by using our tests to facilitate skills-based hiring.

The TestGorilla test library includes various assessments ideal for evaluating IT managers. Let's have a quick look to inspire you.

Imagine you’re writing an IT operations manager job description. To ensure your candidate can set and monitor SLAs, you could use our Numerical Reasoning test to evaluate their proficiency with metrics, data, and numbers.

Since soft skills are crucial to a managerial position, you should also use additional tests to evaluate critical thinking, project management, and communication skills. For example, our Leadership and People Management test helps you assess a candidate’s ability to guide and inspire teams:

As managers play a crucial role in nurturing your company's culture, it’s also worth evaluating their personality and ability to contribute to your current culture. You can use the DISC Personality test for insight into your candidate’s characteristics or check for positive cultural influence with our Culture Add test.

Use TestGorilla to optimize your talent assessments.

Getting started is quick, simple, and completely free! Just sign up and start browsing through tests that can help you evaluate an IT manager’s skill set.

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Including these tests can help you refine your hiring process and even identify skill-based questions to ask during the interview.

For instance, if a candidate shows a high level of IT knowledge, you can dive deeper into their understanding of programming languages, relevant software, and data science with these IT technical interview questions.

Write the best IT manager job description

Competition for staffing in the tech sector is fierce. With this IT manager job description template and guide, you greatly improve your chances of securing the right talent.

Remember to add pre-employment tests as your first screening step – right after the job description – for your candidates to take as soon as they apply. This way, you can filter your applicants to find the best for your organization without the hassle and bias of resumes.

At TestGorilla, we provide a library with 400+ tests that help you evaluate your candidates based on skill and experience. Sign up for our Free forever plan for unlimited access to critical IT manager soft skill tests related to problem-solving and communication.

Alternatively, take our product tour or request a demo for insights into our advanced selection of IT manager tests and assessments.

You can also learn more about how to hire an A-one IT team to support your business.

IT manager job description FAQs

Have lingering questions about an IT manager job description? Find your answers below.

What are the duties of an IT manager?

IT manager duties comprise monitoring and administering an organization’s information technology systems, including software, hardware, and networks. They may also be responsible for coaching, recruiting, and guiding IT teams.

What skills should an IT manager have?

• Research and data analysis

• Time management and organization

• Communication and collaboration

• Team management

• Cybersecurity

• Cloud configuration

• Problem-solving

• Computer programming

What do most IT managers make?

An IT manager's salary can vary based on responsibilities, location, and experience. In the US, the base salary for IT managers ranges from $129,886 to $157,861 per year, with an average of $144,161 per year.