What Is an IT Project Manager? And How to Become One

An information technology (IT) project manager is a professional who helps companies achieve their IT goals by planning and executing projects. If you enjoy the organization and methodology of project management and the technical knowledge of IT, this could be a good career for you.

In this article, we'll discuss the role, responsibilities, and skills of an IT project manager. Afterward, if you're interested in embarking on this career path, consider enrolling in the IBM IT Project Manager Professional Certificate, where you'll learn how to track and manage IT projects, including addressing difficult client situations and how activities shift throughout the project management lifecycle.

What is an IT project manager?

An IT project manager is a project manager who focuses on IT-related projects, such as introducing new software solutions, scaling IT processes, or switching an organization's cloud provider. Depending on their experience level, some IT project managers may be tasked with leading software development.

IT project managers can work with the IT teams of many different types of organizations, including health care facilities, tech companies, and universities.

What does an IT project manager do?

An IT project manager brings new IT processes of an organization to fruition. Here’s what the actual tasks and responsibilities of an IT project manager might include:

• Lead multiple IT projects from initiation to completion

• Develop and manage project budgets

• Communicate with stakeholders, including IT managers, vendors, and executive leaders

• Lead risk management and mitigation efforts

• Gather, analyze, and report IT metrics

IT project manager salary and job outlook

Thanks to their specialized technical knowledge combined with their project management experience, IT project managers make an average annual US salary of $124,026, according to Glassdoor [1].  

Job growth for IT project managers is expected to be strong. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 17 percent growth rate for computer and information managers from 20230 to 2033 [2]. What's more, the Project Management Institute (PMI) also sees strong growth for project manager jobs internationally, estimating the sector to grow by 33 percent, or 22 million new jobs, by 2027 [3].

Learn more: IT Project Manager Salary

How to become an IT project manager

IT project management will require project management skills and experience, along with some IT training. Let's review how to become an IT project manager.

1. Develop relevant skills.

A mix of project management skills and IT skills can bring you closer to landing a position as an IT project manager. The main skills you’ll need to learn can broadly be broken down into three categories:

• Project management methodologies: As a project manager, you should be familiar with various approaches to project management. Since IT can be a volatile field, knowing which methods and approaches are designed to accommodate frequent changes can be especially knowledge These might include:

  • Agile

  • Scrum

  • Kanban

  • Lean

• Project management processes: Completing a project successfully means taking the project through the five

  stages of the project lifecycle: initiating, planning, executing, monitoring & controlling, and closing. You’ll also need to know how to budget, assess risk, set schedules, assign tasks, run kick-off meetings, and more.

• Technical IT skills: Since you’ll be working to implement large-scale projects, a broad understanding of IT processes will be helpful. This can include security, systems, networks, cloud computing, or programming, and scaling various aspects of IT processes. The exact technical skills you’ll want to cultivate can vary depending on the industry and job. For example, a biotechnology firm might ask for some experience in biotechnology.

What degree do you need to be an IT project manager?

Many job descriptions ask for at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science, business, or a related field. A degree can equip you with essential knowledge and expand your job opportunities. Keep in mind that it is still possible to become an IT project manager if you have enough relevant experience.

2. Gain experience.

There are several ways to gain the skills you need to become an IT project manager.

• Gain experience in the field. IT project managers can get their start doing hands-on work in IT and working their way up to being project managers. If you’re in an IT position hoping to take this route, sharpen your leadership and management skills. It might help to approach your manager and state your interest in project management as well.

• Start in a project support role. If you don’t have a technical background, starting in a project support role for an IT team, like project coordinator or program associate, can help you break into the field.

• Get a certification. Build up your knowledge and credentials by getting a certification. The Project Management Professional (PMP) and Scrum Master certifications are often requested in job descriptions. If you’re looking for an IT certification to boost your technical credentials, the CompTIA ITF+ can be useful—it covers all IT foundations and is designed for non-technical professionals. 

Looking for a more thorough introduction to IT concepts? Consider the Google IT Support Professional Certificate. Over five courses, you'll become more comfortable with IT concepts and learn to perform day-to-day IT support tasks.

I’ve been applying the new skills and knowledge I’ve gained from all my courses to my work and it’s helped me be a better IT professional.

— Munifa M., on completing the Google IT Support Professional Certificate

3. Nail the job application process.

As you set about applying for IT project manager roles, it will be important to refine your resume and practice interview questions.

IT project manager resume

Your resume should lean heavily on your project management and IT experience. What were you tasked to do, and what impact did you have? What technical concepts are you familiar with, and what skills can you offer? 

You can improve your resume by aligning keywords from each job posting with the way you describe your previous work experiences and skill set.

IT project manager interview questions

If you land an interview, congratulate yourself. You can get started on preparing by practicing your responses to some common interview questions.

• How would you begin implementing a new cloud service in a large company?

• How would you make sure a new service was compatible with all others?

• Tell us about your experience with systems integrations.

• What’s your experience with Agile?

• Describe your experience in this industry.

Get started in IT project management on Coursera

Explore a career as an IT project manager with the IBM IT Project Manager Professional Certificate. Over 11 courses, you'll learn the foundations of IT project management, including Agile concepts of adaptive planning, iterative development, and continuous improvement leading to early deliveries and high customer value.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)