IT Department Spotlight – Why Project Managers are Important

Keeping up with the technology job market can be a headache for HR departments and hiring managers alike. The pressure is on to find the best teams to deliver on multi-million dollar company investments. The task can be daunting.

For large-scale IT development and implementation, success starts with the project manager. Let’s look at what it takes to be, and find, that crucial resource.

What is IT Project Management?

Generally speaking, project management is the active use of skills and tools to ensure a project stays on time and on budget. While many of us informally practice project management daily, to fill a job titled “Project Manager,” a candidate should be trained with specific curriculum, hold certifications, and utilize best practices in the field. Much of the work in IT departments is project-based—such as new implementations, migrations, and upgrades—and therefore, the role of an IT project manager is distinct, not to mention, critical.

It’s certainly important to manage any project responsibly. But what makes IT projects different?

• They require a large capital investment
• Delays can drastically increase staffing expenses as pay rates on scarce skillsets tend to be high
• Company growth is usually dependent upon or awaiting implementation
• Cross-functional team participation is key to success

Finding the right person to lead your IT project can make all the difference in your outcome!

Important Skills for IT Project Managers

IT project managers have a unique set of skills. They are the bridge between the business teams and the IT teams—they have to speak both “languages” and understand both perspectives. It’s no wonder that these roles are in demand. Here are some skills to consider.

• Technical Knowledge. IT project managers don’t do the hands-on systems development, but they must understand the technology involved and how its use will impact the organization.
• Written and Oral Communication. IT projects usually impact multiple organizations. The project manager’s job requires communications across business units at a variety of levels, with progress reports, approvals, trainings, and so much more.
• Eye for Detail. Everything about project management is detail-oriented, but when it’s technology, the stakes are even higher!
• Planning. Project management requires building roadmaps, milestones, timelines. The ability to gather data/assumptions and create a plan is vital to the role. IT project managers, in particular, must do this planning in the context of development methodologies which may vary by organization.
• Follow-through. As any team approaches the finish line, project managers must ensure no corners are cut. With technology, it’s important that systems are QA tested thoroughly and that you have a project leader who understands the testing process.
• Problem Solving. With leading edge technology, unforeseen issues will arise. It will be up to the project manager, using their skills in research and facilitation, to find solutions.

How to Find a Good IT Project Manger

So, you want to find an IT project manager? You could certainly go alone on this journey. But we don’t recommend it. Here are some issues to consider.

• Job Description. Your HR team or your hiring manager must build a requisition for the role. If the technology is new to the team, or the team lacks in-house expertise—why you’re hiring in the first place—this may be difficult.
• Posting the Job. Technology project managers are typically in high demand. Of course, you can post your requisition on the usual sites, but you may not get the response, or the quality, you seek.
• Screening Candidates. The screen is so critical to quality! Does your team know what to ask to determine if candidates are accurately representing their skills? And how will you know if their skills are a fit for your needs?

Instead, we suggest relying on IT project experts like Marchon Partners. We have been staffing IT projects for more than 13 years, and we can find you the right people to lead your technology initiatives—we can also staff the entire project team.

We understand the challenges managing large-scale development, and in response, we built our Consulting Services, a practice dedicated to IT projects. We combine our knowledge of cutting-edge technology, our vast network for sourcing IT skillsets, and our carefully honed screening techniques to deliver the leadership and the know-how you seek. We’ll scope the project, identify the right IT project manager, and source top tech talent to execute the work.

Contact Marchon Partners today for your IT project needs. Our experts will keep your project on track and the costs in check. Let us focus on the details so that you can focus on growing the business!