IT director job description.
Need an IT director to shape your technology strategy or planning to advance into this leadership role? This IT director job description details strategic planning, governance, budgeting, and team management responsibilities. You'll also find common skill sets, senior progression routes, and salary ranges for director-level roles.
What does an IT director do?
The IT director leads technology operations at a senior level, managing infrastructure, systems, people, and security. They align IT with the company’s goals, set policy, oversee budgeting, and manage large-scale change.
They are responsible for setting long-term strategy, ensuring operational efficiency, managing vendor relationships, and reporting to executive leadership. They may also lead digital transformation efforts and ensure regulatory compliance.
In medium-sized organisations, they are the senior-most tech leader. In enterprises, they report to the CIO and manage multiple teams across different domains.
Key responsibilities of an IT director.
IT directors provide senior leadership across all IT functions in an organisation. Their responsibilities include:
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Defining the IT vision and aligning it with business goals
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Overseeing the IT department, infrastructure, support, and systems teams
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Managing IT budgets, contracts, and vendor relationships
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Ensuring security compliance, risk management, and regulatory adherence
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Leading IT strategy for digital transformation, cloud, and automation
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Supporting executive teams with technical guidance and reporting
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Overseeing key projects, implementations, and system architecture
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Building and developing the IT team through leadership and mentoring
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Collaborating across departments to optimise technology usage
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Representing IT within leadership discussions and long-term planning
This role combines strategic oversight with operational responsibility and governance.
Skills and requirements for an IT director.
IT directors lead strategy, operations, and infrastructure enterprise-wide. Employers typically look for:
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10+ years of IT experience with at least 5 years in leadership roles
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Proven ability to lead IT strategy and organisational change
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Experience managing cross-functional teams, budgets, and vendors
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Skilled in developing IT roadmaps aligned to business needs
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Strong understanding of cloud, on-premise, and hybrid environments
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Confidence working with C-level stakeholders and board members
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Knowledge of compliance, data protection, and IT governance
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Ability to lead incident management, disaster recovery, and scaling efforts
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Experience building high-performing IT functions from scratch
Most IT directors oversee technology supporting long-term growth.
Average salary for an IT director.
In the UK, the average salary for an IT director typically ranges from £75,000 to £140,000, influenced by board-level input, digital transformation leadership, and long-term IT strategy.
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Mid-level IT directors earn between £75,000 and £105,000
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Senior directors overseeing multi-site or international teams can earn between £106,000 and £140,000
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Compensation often includes bonuses tied to cost-saving initiatives or project success
Best-paid roles are typically in corporate headquarters, tech enterprises, and regulated industries.
Career progression for an IT director.
An IT director leads the department's strategy, budgeting, and service alignment with business goals. It’s a senior leadership role that often progresses into C-level positions. A typical journey includes:
IT engineer / systems admin
Manages infrastructure support and troubleshooting.
IT manager / operations lead
Leads teams and oversees departmental planning.
IT director
Sets IT vision, manages cross-business tech initiatives, and ensures delivery of services.
CIO / CTO
Leads innovation, governance, and digital strategy at an executive level.
COO / enterprise leadership
Expands remit to operational or transformation-focused leadership.
salary guide
Our UK IT salary guide.
IT directors define long-term technology strategy and lead digital operations across the business. Compensation should reflect platform scale, budgets, and leadership scope.
Use our UK IT salary guide to benchmark director-level roles, explore 2024 trends, and plan for senior hiring through 2026.
FAQS
IT director FAQs.
They direct the IT department’s long-term strategy — from infrastructure investment and compliance planning to transformation programmes and vendor management. The role involves shaping the future state of IT to support business growth, productivity, and resilience.
It’s both. An IT director must understand complex systems and emerging technologies but also think commercially — managing budgets, negotiating supplier contracts, and presenting ROI cases to the board.
While a head of IT often manages operational delivery, the IT director has a seat at the leadership table — influencing company-wide initiatives such as mergers, office expansions, or digital-first transitions.
Proven experience leading tech change, scaling IT teams, and managing risk across cloud, data, and compliance. They should also be able to define a 3–5 year roadmap aligned with business goals.
Progression often leads to chief information officer (CIO), chief technology officer (CTO), or broader digital leadership roles — especially in tech-driven businesses or complex organisations.
