IT manager job description.
Hiring an IT manager or moving into a tech leadership role? This IT manager job description outlines responsibilities such as managing support teams, overseeing infrastructure, liaising with vendors, and ensuring uptime. It also highlights skills needed, typical progression into senior management, and expected pay.
What does an IT manager do?
An IT manager oversees an organisation’s technology infrastructure and support teams. They ensure systems run efficiently, troubleshoot major issues, manage IT staff, and contribute to technology planning.
Responsibilities include vendor management, incident response, budgeting, overseeing hardware/software procurement, and managing IT support. They often liaise with department heads to ensure IT supports business needs.
In smaller companies, they may be hands-on. In larger businesses, the role becomes more strategic and people-focused, with progression into head of IT or IT director roles.
Key responsibilities of an IT manager.
IT managers are responsible for overseeing the delivery of IT services, systems, and support within an organisation. Their typical responsibilities include:
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Leading internal IT teams and support staff
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Managing system performance, uptime, and security
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Overseeing device management, infrastructure, and software licensing
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Planning and executing upgrades to IT systems and tools
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Ensuring alignment with cyber security standards and compliance
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Supporting vendor management and procurement of IT hardware/software
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Handling escalations and high-priority incidents
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Monitoring KPIs for helpdesk resolution and user satisfaction
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Supporting business continuity planning and recovery strategies
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Collaborating with leadership to align IT with business strategy
This role blends team leadership, IT planning, and service delivery oversight.
Skills and requirements for an IT manager.
IT managers oversee tech teams, systems, and service delivery. Employers typically look for:
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6–10 years of experience in IT support, systems, or infrastructure roles
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Experience managing internal IT teams or service desks
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Strong knowledge of enterprise systems and device management
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Skilled in performance management, hiring, and vendor coordination
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Confidence setting IT policies and security practices
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Ability to oversee onboarding, user training, and compliance
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Familiarity with ticketing systems, SLA tracking, and reporting
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Experience managing budgets, licences, and hardware lifecycles
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Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
Most IT managers report into operations or technology leadership.
Average salary for an IT manager.
In the UK, the average salary for an IT manager typically ranges from £45,000 to £75,000, depending on infrastructure scope, vendor oversight, and business continuity planning.
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Mid-level IT managers typically earn between £45,000 and £60,000
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Senior IT managers in complex environments or with multiple direct reports can earn between £61,000 and £75,000
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Some packages include performance bonuses or allowances for 24/7 support
Higher salaries are common in finance, healthcare, and enterprise IT teams.
Career progression for an IT manager.
An IT manager oversees internal tech operations, team management, and service delivery. It’s a pivotal role with strong upward mobility into strategic leadership. A typical career path includes:
IT engineer / Technician
Delivers frontline support and system administration.
Senior IT engineer / Team lead
Leads incident response, upgrades, and daily operations.
IT manager
Manages the full IT function, including team leadership, infrastructure, and process improvements.
IT director / Head of IT
Owns the department strategy and cross-functional alignment.
Chief information officer (CIO)
Leads enterprise-wide IT strategy, transformation, and digital innovation.
salary guide
Our UK IT salary guide.
IT managers oversee technology operations, service delivery, and vendor relationships. Pay should reflect both technical and team leadership responsibilities.
Our UK IT salary guide includes salary benchmarks, 2024 hiring comparisons, and forward-looking projections into 2026.
FAQS
IT manager FAQs.
In SMEs, IT managers often wear multiple hats — overseeing support, security, purchasing, and infrastructure directly. In larger businesses, the role becomes more strategic and process-focused, with responsibility for vendor relationships, team leadership, and aligning IT delivery with business objectives.
While the day-to-day may involve less hands-on work, a solid understanding of cloud platforms, networking, device management, and backup strategies is essential. They must be able to evaluate technical decisions, manage escalations, and guide junior engineers.
Look for someone with a blend of team leadership, systems thinking, and budget awareness. Experience rolling out IT policies, improving service delivery, and managing licensing or procurement adds clear operational value.
Most are hybrid due to the need for occasional on-site presence — especially during audits, incident response, or device rollouts. Full-remote roles do exist, particularly in SaaS businesses with distributed teams.
IT managers often move into roles like head of IT, IT director, or infrastructure lead — depending on whether their focus is people management or technical oversight.
