How To Become An IT Manager In Australia: A Complete Guide

Do you have a background in technical IT assistance and an interest in management? If yes, an IT manager position could be ideal for you.

IT managers execute technical and managerial tasks to manage and lead IT departments in organisations and companies. They plan, manage, and review computer networks and systems' purchase, design, and maintenance.

To become an IT manager, you must obtain a bachelor's degree in IT, computer science, or management. You also require relevant experience in the IT industry before moving up to a managerial role.

You will learn in this blog who an IT manager is, what they do, their qualifications, courses, degrees, average salary, and the pathway to becoming one.

1. What Is An IT Manager?

IT managers handle a company's computer-related activities, problems, and solutions. They take on high-level computer-related duties and manage a team of IT professionals.

IT managers work in companies with a dedicated in-house IT department or IT firms that offer support services to companies.

They monitor, implement, and maintain the organisation's technology infrastructure, operational needs, and research strategies, including phone systems, networks, and other software.

2. Information Technology (IT) Manager Job Description

An IT manager's specific duties and responsibilities vary based on the industry where they work, the company size, and the number of employees they manage.

When aspiring to become an IT manager, you must know about their day-to-day functions and duties:

• Supervise customer data and business operations on the webspace 

• Plan department needs

• Manage the IT budget

• Negotiate with merchants

• Communicate with leaders and senior management

• Supervise IT team

• Impose company and departmental policies

• Provide hands-on IT assistance

• Deal with server crashes, set up servers, discard old hardware and restructure IT systems

• Manage IT and computer systems

• Control and examine electronic and IT data operations

• Design, build, execute and coordinate IT systems, procedures, and policies

• Ensure data security, backup systems, and network access

• Recognise problematic zones and implement strategic solutions

• Specify and adhere to annual budgets and ensure cost-effectiveness

• Monitor the activities of other IT professionals

• Develop IT policies and guidelines within an organisation

• Evaluate the technological requirements of the organisation

• Manage, test, maintenance, and optimisation of IT resources 

• Oversee training sessions and training manuals for users 

• Identify company needs and design appropriate technological solutions per them

• Consulting with management about the current work systems to determine present and future IT needs 

• Lead the integration of computer hardware, IT operations, OS, software applications, communications, and data processing

• Specify and supervise protocols and rules to access data storage infrastructure within the company

3. Duties of an IT Project Manager

IT project managers are responsible for the following in an organisation:

• Prioritise, schedule, and coordinate IT operations and manage IT resources.

• Coordinate with people to complete IT projects within budget, scope, and time requirements.

• Organise, lead, and coordinate IT projects. 

• Fulfil project milestones, purposes, and deliverables within speculated timelines and budgets.

• Explain the responsibilities and project objectives to the entire team

4. Duties Of An ICT Manager

An Information and communication technology manager create and directs an ICT strategy's implementation.

They often work at the head offices of organisations and businesses. The job duties of an ICT manager largely depend on their employer, and the general tasks are as follows:

• Decide on how to use the ICT systems

• Lead ICT specialists' teams in the implementation of strategies and ICT operations

• Analyses computing and information requirements in the organisation

• Supervise the procurement, installation, and integration of ICT systems

• Establish priorities concerning system development, procedures, and maintenance

• Monitor the ICT systems security

5. Required IT Manager Skills

The role suits those with good knowledge of technology, computers, management, mathematics, and customer service.

To become an IT manager, you need a balance of technical know-how and soft skills to perform your job well. They also need practical business abilities to ensure their teams create efficient solutions to meet the organisation's needs.

Here is a complete list of the highly sought skills in an IT manager:

Technical Skills

• Technical computer skills

• Strong command of the English language

• Critical thinking

• Financial skills to create and adhere to a budget

• Information security 

• Project management

• Software development 

• Staff management

• Information Systems

• Strategic planning

• Business process analysis

• Scheduling

• Systems engineering

Soft Skills

• Strong Organisational and Research Abilities 

• Good leadership skills

• Good planning, decision-making, and analytical skills

• Able to encourage clients, team members, and suppliers

• Good Communication and Negotiation skills

• Able to relate to people from varying backgrounds

• Able to work to deadlines

• Adequate supervision and delegation abilities

• Able to elucidate complex concepts clearly

• Able to understand, address and manage client's needs and expectations

• Active listening skills

• Conflict management skills

• Responsible 

• Multitasking ability

• Good people skills

• Able to handle stressful situations

• Customer service skills

• Good Collaboration skills

• Public speaking skills

6. Required Qualifications For An IT Manager In Australia

Companies generally look for candidates with experience working as team leads in IT security, database, or network technology.

Suppose you seek a role in this position. You must fulfil IT manager education requirements and undertake considerable on-the-job training and industry experience.

• Complete a bachelor's degree in information technology, computer science, or a related field.

• Complete an internship program that allows you to work with experienced IT project managers

• Gain work experience in the information technology field. This is important because most employers look for qualified candidates with project management and supervision experience in an IT department. 

• Aspiring IT Managers consider earning a master's degree like MBA to improve employment prospects.

7. Steps To Become An Information Technology (IT) Manager In Australia

Step 1: Study IT In High School

To become an IT manager, you must start preparing for it from the high school level in English, mathematics, and science. 

Coding and computer classes will help you gain basic knowledge of computers and technology to pursue a formal IT education.

Step 2: Complete A Bachelor's Degree

The analysis of IT management job postings shows that 94% of employers prefer candidates to have a minimum of a bachelor's degree in An related discipline.

So, the next step in the IT manager career path is obtaining technical proficiency and computer-related knowledge. A Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline such as information technology, computer science, management information systems, or other related fields is ideal for entering this role.

The degree program equips you with the necessary business and technical skills to build and run IT solutions across numerous industries. 

Students gain a strong knowledge of the most recent IT trends, including virtualisation, cloud computing, risk mitigation, information systems management, project management, and more.

The IT Project Management Certificate is an online short course in Information Technology Management. It helps you gain expertise and stand out to prospective employers.

The program focuses on IT management skills and provides transferable college credit for the IT Management Bachelor's degree program.

Step 3: Earn A Master's Degree

A bachelor's degree in IT and related subjects gives you the essential knowledge to succeed in the position. However, you would require advancing your education to stand out among your competitors. 

Earning a relevant postgraduate qualification like a master's degree in Information Technology Management helps improve your employability for the role.

Furthermore, business management is also a vital component of the IT manager role besides technical expertise. 

Employers generally look for IT Managers who have proven business management skills. Therefore, completing a Master's in Business Administration would make you more appealing for the job.

Step 4: Obtain IT Certifications

Consider completing IT management certifications to advance your skillset further and showcase your competency for the position to employers. 

Numerous certification options are available for IT managers to choose from.

Step 5: Seek Entry-Level Employment

Only expect to land a role in a management position as a fresh graduate with work experience. Many management positions require experience in the IT industry to supervise other IT employees and their work. 

Working on a real-time project in the IT industry/department is an excellent opportunity to develop skills to lead and manage employees.

IT managers generally start their careers offering IT support and gradually move into managerial roles. So, once you obtain the required qualifications, look for an entry-level or support specialist position in the IT industry. Meanwhile, keep refining your technical skills.

Industry Bodies Related To IT Managers:

• Australian Computer Society

• Information Technology Professionals Association

• Internet Association of Australia

• Australian Information Security Association

• Australian Information Industry Association

8. IT Manager Courses In Australia

IT Project Management Certificate

• James Cook University 

Bachelor's Degree In IT Management

• University of South Australia

• The University of New Castle

Master's Degree in Information Technology

• Monash University

• The University of New Castle 

• RMIT University

• University of Western Australia

• University of Tasmania

• The University of Queensland

Master's Degree in Information Technology Management

• The University of Sydney

• Deakin University

• Southern Cross University (Online Course)

9. Working Conditions For An IT Manager

IT managers generally work within a business or in comfortable office environments. As it is a high responsibility role, IT managers may require working on weekends or in the evenings.

They may have to deal with stressful work conditions, especially when meeting deadlines or performing disaster recovery procedures.

10. Employment Opportunities For IT Managers In Australia

In this increasingly technology-driven world, there is a constant need for passionate employees that can solve issues based on IT and computer systems. The employment market will be most likely to grow by 15% yearly.

IT Managers can choose to advance their careers in various ways. By continuously upgrading their knowledge and skills and gaining 5 to 10 years of work experience as a high-level IT Manager, they can move up to Chief Information Officer, Chief Technology Officer, and IT Director.

As an Information Technology Director, you will review present IT systems' performance, recommend enhancements, and manage an enterprise's information security.

In the position of Chief Information Officer, you will establish, coordinate, and evaluate IT strategies for vital IT services and products. They provide knowledge and technical expertise to support promotion efforts and monitor the management of IT teams.

When promoted to Chief Technology Officer, an IT manager leads technology teams daily, such as setting performance targets for IT teams and managing department heads, hardware, and software.

Areas of Specialisations

Based on the organisation's size and complexity, there may be an opportunity for specialisation such as:

• Information Technology Security Manager

• Support Manager 

• Knowledge Manager

• Quality Manager 

• Operations Manager

11. Job Outlook For IT Managers In Australia

The job outlook for IT managers in Australia is promising. Based on the government website, the computer science industry will grow at a much higher rate than the entire job market. 

With continuous technological advancement and digitalisation, the demand for trained technical specialists and managers has become more critical than ever.

12. How Much Does An IT Manager Earn In Australia?

The average Information technology manager salary is AU$105,362, and the average IT project manager salary in Australia is AU$108,075 in Australia.

IT managers typically earn a competitive salary for their leadership skills and years of experience. In addition to the annual salary, companies provide them with several perks, including health benefits, paid time off, and retirement benefits.

IT Manager Salary Based on Experience

• Entry-level Information Technology Manager (< 1-year experience) earns AU$78,426 

• Early career Information Technology Manager (1 to 4 years of experience) earns AU$86,274 

• Mid-career Information Technology Manager with (5 to 9 years of experience) earns AU$99,158 

• Experienced Information Technology Manager with (10 to 19 years of experience) earns AU$111,587 

• Employees with 20 years and above experience earn AU$117,931.

IT Project Manager Salary Based on Experience

• Entry-level IT Project Manager: AU$65,612

• Early career IT Project Manager: AU$88,547

• Mid-career IT Project Manager: AU$110,791

• Experienced IT Project Manager: AU$121,469

• Employees with 20 years and above experience: AU$126,305.

13. How Long Does It Take To Become An IT Manager?

The ideal route to becoming an IT manager is to earn a three-year bachelor's degree, traineeship, and substantial (5+) relevant work experience. This is the minimum educational requirement to qualify for the managerial role.

However, many IT managers also pursue a 2-year master's degree to improve their employability further. In general, you can expect ten or more years to get into an IT manager position in Australia.

14. How To Become An IT Manager Without A Degree?

Hard work, Education, and Experience are the three main components of becoming an IT manager. It is very improbable to get hired for this post without a degree or experience in the field.

However, a few companies are willing to hire candidates without education or experience as they give them on-the-job educational training. The best route is to gain an appropriate qualification and work experience that prepares you for the position.

15. Conclusion

Climbing the ladder in IT requires the right blend of technical expertise and business acumen.

Studying for an IT Management qualification and gaining considerable IT Project Management work experience will help boost future career growth and smooth transition to a managerial role.

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