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IT project manager

IT project managers plan and organise the work of a project team to deliver IT products and services on time and on budget.

Annual Salary

£35,000 to £60,000

Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)

Working hours

37 to 39 a week

You could work: evenings; occasionally

2.4%
Future employment

There will be 2.4% more IT project manager jobs in 2027.

Day to day tasks

As an IT project manager, you could:

  • assess project tasks and risks, and allocate work to team members
  • use project management software to plan and monitor work
  • manage a budget, timescales and resources
  • report on progress, check quality and deal with changes or delays
  • lead and motivate the project team

Working environment

You could work in an office or at a client's business.

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • training with a professional body
University

You can do a degree or postgraduate qualification in:

  • computing
  • information systems
  • project management
  • computer science
  • business management

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
  • a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • student finance for fees and living costs|https://www.gov.uk/student-finance
  • university courses and entry requirements|https://www.ucas.com/
Apprenticeship

You could do an apprenticeship, for example:

  • Associate Project Manager Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship
  • Digital Product Manager Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship
  • Project Manager Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship
  • Digital and Technology Solutions Professional Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship

These apprenticeships can take between 2 and 4 years to complete.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • higher and degree apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-and-degree-apprenticeships
Work

You may be able to start with an organisation as an assistant project manager if you've got experience of working in IT.

You could then do further training on the job and take on more management responsibilities.

Other routes

You could train with a professional body, like the Association for Project Management or the Project Management Institute, to help with your career development.

More information

Career tips

It might help when looking for work if you have an understanding of agile project management methods.

Further information

You can find out more about computing careers and training through The Chartered Institute for IT and techskills.

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With training and experience, you could:become a digital delivery manager or senior project manager; specialise in an area such as cyber security or technical architecture; become a programme leader, with responsibility for a whole department or service; work as a freelance consultant

If you're working in IT, you could take qualifications offered by the Association for Project Management to help your career progress.

You can find out more about working and training in computing from The Chartered Institute for IT and Tech Future Careers.

Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

You'll need:

  • leadership skills
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • business management skills
  • persistence and determination
  • the ability to organise your time and workload
  • to be flexible and open to change
  • the ability to monitor your own performance and that of your colleagues
  • to have a thorough understanding of computer systems and applications
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