Job profile

Information Systems Manager

Information Systems Manager Job Profile

What is an Information Systems Manager?

An Information Systems Manager is in charge of a team of professionals that install and maintain hardware and software upgrades, and their major function is to develop, administer, and monitor information systems in a business or organisation.

To execute their jobs, most businesses, from large retailers to educational institutions, rely on large, complex information technology (IT) systems. Many companies engage Information Systems Managers to oversee their IT departments and ensure that their computer systems are reliable. The career of an Information Systems Manager, one of the numerous lucrative occupations accessible to information technology (IT) students, necessitates both strong communication and technical abilities.

These managers are well-versed in both hardware and software. They act as technology champions for their organisations or clients, assisting them in providing the best technology solutions to all personnel. You can assess if a job as an Information Systems Manager is suited for you by learning more about their position, duties, and the required credentials.

Responsibilities

Information Systems Managers are responsible for a broad range of tasks. As an Information Systems Manager, you could spend some days speaking with company officials while familiarising them with various hardware or software solutions.

On other days you could work with the company’s IT staff to implement certain IT strategies. An Information Systems Manager’s responsibilities include the following:

  • Identifying hardware and software choices that will help the organisation run more efficiently.
  • Meeting with corporate representatives or executives to discuss the implementation of certain technological solutions.
  • Assisting IT departments with the integration of devices and applications across enterprise networks.
  • Putting in place equipment and programs that provide employees with the tools they require to succeed.
  • Investigate any new or evolving technologies that might help the company increase its output.
  • Upgrading an organisation’s current networks and applications to keep up with ever-changing security requirements.
  • Educating company staff on how to use any new technologies that have been deployed.

Salary

The national average salary for an Information Systems Manager in the UK is £45,692. Ranging from £30,000 to £69,000.

Like most other jobs, salaries for Information Systems Managers are influenced by the type of company and geographic location. Information System Managers in London earn significantly more than those in other regions of the UK. 

The average salary for an Information Systems Manager in London amounts to £52,519, ranging from £34,000 to £80,000.

Working hours and work location 

Information Systems Managers spend most of their time in offices, working 40 hours a week and frequently working evenings and weekends to fulfil deadlines. Managers in charge of the organisation’s technical goals can be under a lot of pressure due to tight deadlines and limited finances. Because more work is done remotely,  most Information System Managers are not required to do fieldwork and travel.

What to expect

Systems analysts, computer programmers, and other members of the technology team are overseen by Information Systems Managers. Information Systems Managers assess equipment performance, run diagnostic tests, and make purchases. Installing network servers and creating virtual private networks are skills that these experts have. They solve network problems, improve computer goods, and provide executive advice. Information Systems Managers must have knowledge of computer science and programming, as well as software development and arithmetic.

However, technical knowledge isn’t enough; this position also requires financial and project management experience. Manufacturing, banking and insurance, computer systems design, and other related businesses may employ Information Systems Managers. Consumers, suppliers, computer systems analysts, and other information technology experts work with Information Systems Managers.

Some of the programmes that Information Systems Managers use in their work include:

  • Management Information Systems (MIS)
  • Decision Support System (DSS)
  • Online Analytical Processing (OLAP)
  • Transaction Processing System (TPS)
  • Knowledge Management Systems
  • Office Information Systems
  • Database Management Systems

Qualifications

A few academic prerequisites must be met before you can start working as an Information Systems Manager. First and foremost, having a Bachelor’s Degree in IT Management or a closely related discipline is crucial. This curriculum will help you enhance your data management, network security, and critical thinking abilities, all of which will be instantly useful when you start a professional IT job.

Many Information Systems Managers pursue a Master’s Degree in Information Technology to further their education and ensure they get the most prestigious and best-paid jobs. This curriculum will help you round out your IT skillset by enhancing your IT administration, data analysis, and accounting abilities. Additionally, an MSc in IT could be a good fit if you don’t have an extensive IT background.

Skills

Information Systems Managers rely on a wide range of abilities every day. You'll need a strong technology-related skill set whether you're speaking with corporate management or individually integrating software tools. As an Information Systems Manager, you'll require the following skills:

must have skills:
  • Technological proficiency: The ability to operate all of a company’s needed hardware and software systems.
  • Network management: The capacity to oversee all parts of a company’s networks, including assigning appropriate user permissions and connecting all workers to the resources they require.
  • Research: The capacity to find and incorporate new technology-based solutions that can help a firm boost its production.
  • Interpersonal communication: The capacity to successfully communicate with coworkers, corporate leaders, and technology reps.
  • Training: The capacity to train personnel on how to utilise a company’s hardware and software successfully.
  • Public speaking: The ability to address employees and executives with confidence about a company’s usage of technology in the workplace.
  • Teamwork: The capacity to work successfully with others in a shared workspace to integrate programs to meet organisational needs.


These and other skills aid Information Systems Managers in their attempts to help businesses succeed by integrating technological applications that make operations more efficient.

Work experience

As an Information Systems Manager, you need to make sure you continue to learn and improve your IT abilities after you finish your bachelor's degree and obtain your master's.

During college, you can work in entry-level technical support positions and do IT internships to get professional experience that will help you improve your resume. The field of computer technology is constantly changing. Information Systems Managers need to attend continuing education courses to stay up to speed on the latest standards, networking equipment, hardware platforms, programming languages, and software.

To qualify for an Information Systems management position, you must have extensive professional experience, regardless of whether you have a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Before adopting an IT management role, a job seeker may need three to five years of experience, depending on the employer’s needs.

While preparing for the position of an Information Systems Manager you should consider gaining experience through some useful job titles like:

  • IT technician
  • Computer programmer
  • IT analyst
  • Systems administrator


One of the advantages of working in IT is that you may give technical help and solutions to a wide range of businesses. Consider your passions and hunt for information systems management jobs in one or more of your favourite sectors. If you’re interested in public health, for example, look for information systems management jobs in the healthcare business.

Career prospects

Most Information Systems Management positions require several years of experience in comparable information technology (IT) positions.

Only a few years of experience may be required for lower-level managerial roles. Directors are more likely to require 5 to 10 years of expertise in a comparable field. Before being considered for a job, a chief technology officer (CTO) who controls a major organisation’s technology plan may need more than 15 years of expertise in the IT area.

Depending on the company, the required number of years of experience varies. Smaller or younger businesses, in general, do not require as much experience as bigger or more established businesses. Computer systems are employed in every sector of the economy, and IT workers can work in a range of businesses. An applicant’s job experience, however, should be in the same industry as the position they are seeking for. An IT security manager, for example, should have prior experience in information security. A hospital IT director should have prior healthcare experience.

Most computer and Information Systems Managers begin their careers as lower-level managers and work their way up through the IT department. Information Systems managers might start as IT directors or project managers and work their way up. An Information Systems Manager with a strong business background might rise to become the organisation’s chief information officer (CIO), who is in control of all IT-related decisions. CIOs have good potential to rise through the ranks of an organisation’s management.

Related Courses

MSc Information Technology

Delivered by the University of the West of Scotland, this course is delivered at the London Campus which means you will be studying at the centre of the UK tech industry. This one-year, full-time curriculum is designed for students who do not already have a background in IT or computing. The course will help you build much needed business-relevant IT knowledge and abilities and help you land that dream job in Information Systems Management. 

FAQ Summary

An Information Systems Manager is in charge of a team of professionals that install and maintain hardware and software upgrades, and their major function is to develop, administer, and monitor information systems in a business or organisation.

The national average salary for an Information Systems Manager in the UK is £45,692. Ranging from £30,000 to £69,000.

A few academic prerequisites must be met before you can start working as an Information Systems Manager.

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