The IS manager at the heart of the development and evolution of systems

The missions of the IS manager

Achieving the objectives set by management

The missions of the IS manager are multiple and can be very diversified depending on the size and activity of the company.

The primary role of the IT manager is to achieve the objectives imposed by his or her hierarchy. To do this, he must define an appropriate strategy for his sector. This strategy must respond to a number of imperatives, such as :

• adapting IT services to user needs;
• setting up a technology watch ;
• proposing new development areas and reporting to management.

Management of the IT department and business projects

The IS manager also has managerial and steering functions. Indeed, since he/she administers an entire department of a company, he/she must also participate in the management of the latter. To carry out this mission, he is required to perform several tasks:

• Manage and control the budget of the IT department and related projects,
• plan the activity of the department,
• supervise the internal IT teams,
• ensure the piloting and management of service providers (if necessary).

Maintenance, support and assistance

There’s another facet of an IS manager ‘s job : maintenance and technical support. To fulfill these roles, it is first necessary to define the company’s maintenance policy (purchasing equipment and software, optimizing IT performance and security).

Next, we need to define the procedures for testing and validating this maintenance policy, by defining standards for network systems, databases and IT tools.

Finally, on a day-to-day basis, the IS manager provides technical assistance and logistical support to the other departments of the company and supervises IS projects with these same teams (use of new software, development of new IT procedures, etc.).

Diplomas and skills required to become an IS manager

What training?

There are several possible paths to becoming an IS manager, accessible at different levels. A minimum of 2 or 3 years of computer science education and several years of experience are required. But, in general, the key to this type of position is a master’s degree specialized in computer science. These courses can be taken at a university, business school or engineering school.

What are the essential skills?

The skills needed to become an IS manager are mainly related to the technical aspect of the job. An IS manager must therefore be able to master: the most common applications and technologies (computer languages and operating systems) used in companies; current events in the IT sector, particularly with regard to cybersecurity; the functioning of the IT sector’s outsourcing market. In addition to these technical skills, the IT systems manager must also have excellent management skills to be able to manage his department, his teams and his budget. Of course, a knowledge of technical English is essential for this job.

Career development

The IT manager’s job tends to be more management-oriented. Respecting budgets, planning resources and improving the productivity of the department are at the heart of his activity and are becoming more and more important in relation to the technical aspect. This phenomenon can also be seen in external relations, particularly with subcontractors. Indeed, with the global economic context and the permanent need for evolution, companies tend to outsource some tasks, especially in the IT field. The IS manager is increasingly managing the creation of calls for tender and the contracts of service providers and freelancers. Finally, the competition in all sectors and the constant technological advances also have a significant influence on the job of IT manager. The latter must constantly adapt to the needs of users and the new global context. For example, today, data protection has become paramount in all areas of the economy. The demands on the IS manager are constantly changing, which adds some challenges to his or her tasks.

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