Looking for the perfect IT manager to run the ship? Given that IT manager skills draw from both the IT and business worlds, you’ll want to consider both technical know-how and strategic thinking in your review. Here is a short list of the skills you’ll want to assess with prospective candidates or outsourced solutions:

1. ANALYTICS KNOWLEDGE

Does analytics play a larger role in your business operations? You may want to consider an IT manager who can create and understand analytics dashboards and data. They are increasingly in demand.

2. BROAD EXPERTISE

Look for an IT manager with a broad understanding of various business verticals like HR and finance, as well as specialties like enterprise architecture. If you don’t have a specialist on board, you’ll want to have someone who has enough general knowledge to hire for the skills needed in the department or to fill in on smaller projects.

3. CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Leading your company through change takes a strategic mindset. So your IT manager will need both the technical chops and the business acumen to navigate your business through changes and help it achieve its organizational goals through strategic vision.

4. RISK MANAGEMENT

What is the risk and what is the value of moving forward? That’s always an important question to ask before any project or service. You’ll want your IT manager to actively communicate and mitigate risks, helping you make the case for support and funding.

5. RELATIONSHIP BUILDING

Your IT manager should work to banish the loner tech guy cliché and build deeper relationships — forging alliances with clients, vendors and people in other departments. But to do that, they’ll need to listen carefully, communicate effectively and work to find solutions through technology.

Need some specialized support for your IT department? UDT has these IT manager skills at the ready through our IT Managed Services division.

Just give us a call at 1-800-882-9919, or visit our Managed Services solutions page to learn more