IT Director

Education and Training: Graduation in Computer Sciences or Business Administration
Average Salary: $80,000 per year
Job Outlook: Excellent

An IT director is the highest authority in the IT department. They are directly responsible for planning, organizing, controlling and management of all the IT employees and their computer resources. They are responsible for the overall planning and they recommend new products and technologies. The IT director defends the company’s network and is responsible for the development of the domain. The stability and security of an organization’s business information depends on the administration of an IT director. Common job responsibilities of an IT Director are as follows:

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• To develop various IT developmental programs which would help the organization reach newer heights.
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• To supervise network security, including restricted access to certain websites and making use of high-tech security measures to safeguard the company’s information.
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• To develop IT strategy in favor of the company’s mission and core objectives.
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• To set yearly targets related to IT operations and supervise on the whole performance of the entire department.
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• To create innovative ideas while making use of most updated technologies.

Education and Training Requirements

A bachelor’s degree in information technology, computer sciences, or business administration is the basic requirement for the job of an IT Director. Earning a master’s degree no doubt offers a better chance to be an IT director. Earning a technical degree as well as business management qualification is also preferred for the job of an IT Director.
Since IT Directors work on the highest level of management, they must have the skills to lead and communicate, identify a problem, analyze it, and provide solutions.

Getting the Job

IT directors work on the highest level of management and hence require a knowledgeable and skilled person who can handle the technical as well the management aspect of the IT department. The job of an IT director involves a vast array of duties within the IT department. Excellent communication, leadership, and collaboration skills are required. To be stable in this job one has to prove himself and continue to learn about the latest technologies and trends.

Job Prospects, Employment Outlook and Career Development

Per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment growth in the computer and information systems will see faster than average growth in approaching years. Demands of IT Directors will continue to increase with expanding business needs. Individuals with strong business management skills and advanced technical knowledge will have the best job prospects. To be successful in your career as IT Director, one has to prove himself and continue to learn about the latest technologies and trends.

The salary of an IT director depends normally upon the employer, volume of business, skills, educational qualifications, work experience, and the organization itself. IT directors normally earn $70,000 to $140,000 per year. With additional experience, IT directors can get a much higher annual pay. The more actual experience you have, the higher potential salary you have.
Benefits generally include typical benefits like health and life insurance, paid vacations and a pension plan and bonuses.

Working Conditions and Environment

IT Directors work in normal office environments. They usually work for 40-hours a week but at times they have to work overtime. Depending on the employer they may be required to travel for conferences or client meetings.

Where to Go for More Information

Association for Computing Machinery
1515 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
(212) 626-0500
http://www.acm.org

Florida Tech University Online
9417 Princess Palm Ave.
Tampa, FL 33619
(800) 280-9718
http://www.floridatechonline.com/contact.asp

IEEE Computer Society
1730 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 371-0101
http://www.computer.org

Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals
2350 Devon Ave., Ste. 115
Des Plaines, IL 60018
(847) 2899-4227
http://www.iccp.org

Society for Information Management
401 N. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 527-6734
http://www.simnet.org