Hiring an IT Manager: Job Description Template

Hiring an IT Manager is a critical task that many businesses struggle with. The wrong hire can lead to costly mistakes, suboptimal performance, and a bottleneck in the technology pipeline—a risk no modern company can afford to take.

Thankfully, hiring an IT manager is easier than ever thanks to our detailed job description template.

We’ll share expert tips and a step-by-step process to help you find an IT Manager who not only has the technical skills but also aligns with your company culture and vision. By the end, you’ll have the tools and confidence to make a hiring decision that propels your business forward, rather than holding it back.

Responsibilities & Role of an IT Manager

• Strategic Planning and Implementation: One of the primary responsibilities of an IT Manager is to develop and execute a strategic IT roadmap that aligns with the company’s goals. This includes selecting the right technologies, managing budgets, and ensuring that IT initiatives support business objectives.
• Team Leadership and Management: An IT Manager oversees the IT department, providing guidance, supervision, and mentoring to the staff. This includes task delegation, performance reviews, and facilitating professional development opportunities for team members.
• Infrastructure and Security Oversight: Responsible for the physical and virtual IT infrastructure, the IT Manager ensures optimal performance, security, and scalability. This includes network management, data storage, cybersecurity measures, and disaster recovery planning.
• Vendor and Stakeholder Management: Managing relationships with vendors, negotiating contracts, and ensuring compliance with industry standards are key roles for an IT Manager. They also act as the liaison between the IT department and other business units, ensuring smooth communication and project coordination.
• Technical Support and Problem-Solving: IT Managers are often the go-to experts for resolving high-level technical issues that front-line support staff cannot handle. They must be capable of troubleshooting complex problems and implementing solutions in a timely manner.

How to Hire an IT Manager

1. Know Your IT Manager Requirements

• Identify Core Requirements: Conduct a thorough analysis of your company’s current and future IT needs, including the technologies in use, cybersecurity concerns, and any upcoming projects that require specific expertise.
• Consult Stakeholders: Engage with key business units, from executives to frontline staff, to understand what they expect from the IT department and how it can best support their goals.
• Assess Current Gaps: Evaluate the existing skill sets within your IT team and identify any gaps that the new IT Manager should fill, whether it’s specialized technical skills, project management, or strategic planning capabilities.

2. Search for the Top Talent

• Utilize Industry-Specific Job Boards: Post your job listing on IT and tech-specific job boards like Stack Overflow Jobs, GitHub Jobs, and Dice to reach candidates with the specialized skills you’re looking for.
• Tap into Professional Networks: Leverage your company’s and employees’ professional networks to find potential candidates. Consider reaching out to industry experts or using LinkedIn’s targeted search functions to find individuals with a track record in IT management.
• Engage Recruitment Agencies: Consider using recruitment firms that specialize in tech and IT roles such as TekSystems or Akkodis (formerly Modis). These agencies have a pool of pre-qualified candidates and can help speed up the hiring process.
• Internally Source Candidates: Don’t overlook your internal talent pool. Existing team members who already understand the company culture and have demonstrated skills and leadership abilities may be ideal candidates for promotion.

We provide a detailed breakdown of the general costs associated with these services further down in the article.

3. Look for Professional Qualifications

When hiring an IT Manager, professional qualifications and certifications can serve as important indicators of a candidate’s skill level and expertise. These credentials can range from foundational IT certifications to specialized qualifications in areas such as cybersecurity, cloud computing, or project management and include: 

• PMP (Project Management Professional): This certification indicates strong project management skills, critical for overseeing complex IT projects.
• CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional): If cybersecurity is a concern for your business, this certification demonstrates advanced skills in information security.
• MCSE (Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert): For businesses using Microsoft Azure, this certification can be vital for designing and implementing solutions.
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect: If your infrastructure is built on Amazon Web Services, look for candidates with this certification to ensure they can manage and optimize your cloud resources.
• ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) Certification: For companies focused on aligning IT services with business needs, ITIL certification is an indicator of expertise in IT service management.

4. Analyze Their Work Experience

When analyzing the work experience of a potential IT Manager, start by examining their tenure in previous IT roles, especially any managerial positions they’ve held. Longevity in a managerial role can indicate stability and effectiveness in leadership. Next, scrutinize the scale and complexity of projects they’ve overseen; managing large-scale, intricate projects successfully is a good indicator of high competence. 

Look for evidence of strategic thinking, such as technology integrations, migrations, or cybersecurity measures they’ve implemented. Lastly, consider the diversity of their experience. A candidate who has exposure to various industries or technologies may bring a broader perspective and adaptability to your organization.

5. Conduct a Comprehensive Interview Process

When conducting an interview for an IT Manager, it’s crucial to cover both technical and managerial competencies. Start by asking IT manager interview questions that delve into their technical expertise and understanding of the specific technologies that your organization uses. Follow this up with situational questions aimed at assessing their problem-solving and crisis-management skills, such as how they would handle a data breach or server failure. 

Don’t overlook the importance of team leadership; ask about their experience in managing teams, conducting performance reviews, and fostering professional development. Finally, inquire about their experience with budgeting and resource allocation to gauge their ability to manage an IT department efficiently and in line with business objectives.

6. Get to Know Them Through Their References

When speaking to a reference for an IT Manager candidate, the aim is to get an in-depth understanding of the individual’s professional competencies, managerial skills, and how well they fit into your organization’s needs.

Here are the three most important questions you might consider asking:

• Can you describe a major IT project that the candidate successfully managed?: This question will give you insights into the candidate’s ability to handle complex projects, lead a team, and deliver results. You’re looking for evidence of strategic planning, effective execution, and perhaps most importantly, adaptability when things don’t go as planned.
• How does the candidate handle high-stress situations or crises, such as security incidents or system failures?: IT Managers often have to make quick decisions under pressure. Knowing how your candidate has performed in crisis situations can give you an idea of their problem-solving abilities, technical skills, and leadership under pressure.
• How effective is the candidate in communicating with non-technical staff and senior management?: An IT Manager needs to act as a bridge between the technical team and the rest of the organization. Understanding how well they can translate technical issues into business language and engage with all levels of the organization is crucial for aligning IT strategy with business goals.

Avoid These Red Flags During the Hiring Process

• Lack of Adaptability: Technology is constantly changing, and an IT Manager must be adaptable. Be cautious if the candidate seems overly committed to outdated technologies or methods, or appears resistant to learning new skills or adopting new tools.
• Poor Communication Skills: An IT Manager needs to effectively communicate with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. If the candidate struggles to articulate their thoughts clearly, or doesn’t seem to understand the business context, this could be a major red flag.
• Overemphasis on Technical Skills at the Expense of Management Skills: While technical expertise is important, an IT Manager also needs to be a skilled leader. Be wary if the candidate only focuses on their technical skills and downplays the importance of management capabilities like team leadership, strategic planning, and budgeting.

IT Manager Job Description

Note: It’s important to tailor this template to your company’s specific needs and the specific role you are looking to fill. This template assumes a fairly broad role, but you may need to modify it if the role is specialized.

How Much Does it Cost to Hire an IT Manager?

Recruitment Costs

• Online Job Boards
  • General Boards (Indeed, Monster, LinkedIn): Prices can range from free listings to upwards of $500 per post for premium visibility. LinkedIn may charge more for a featured listing, generally around $300-$500 for a 30-day post.
  • Tech-Specific Boards (Dice, TechCareers): Specialized job boards targeting IT professionals may have higher costs, generally around $300-$500 per listing for a 30-day period.
• Recruitment Agencies
  • Specialized Tech Recruitment Agencies: These agencies can charge between 15-25% of the candidate’s first annual salary. For an IT Manager earning $100,000 annually, that’s $15,000-$25,000 per successful hire.
  • General Recruitment Agencies: These are generally less expensive but may not have the specialized expertise you’re looking for. Fees can range from 10-20% of the candidate’s first annual salary.
• Professional Associations
  • Posting on IEEE or other IT-specific Professional Association Boards: Costs can range from $200-$500 for a month-long listing.
• Membership Costs
  • If you’re not already a member of these professional associations, you may also need to factor in membership costs, which can be a few hundred dollars per year.

Salary and Benefits

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, The median annual wage for computer and information systems managers was $164,070 in May 2022. But salary is just one part of the total compensation package. Benefits like health insurance, retirement contributions, and performance bonuses can add an additional 20-30% to the overall cost.

Training and Onboarding

Apart from the usual onboarding costs, which include orientation and training sessions, HR paperwork, and initial setup, you’ll also need to consider specialized IT training. This may encompass familiarizing them with your specific technology stack, cybersecurity protocols, and any proprietary software your company uses.