What does a Senior IT Project Manager do?

A senior information technology (IT) project manager often is vested with ultimately responsibility for the design, development, launching, and successful sales of an IT product, be it software or hardware. The success or failure of a project usually is ultimately her responsibility. The senior IT project manager generally works with the engineering, manufacturing, finance, research, marketing, sales, and installation departments of a corporation in order to coordinate IT projects.

The senior IT project manager's responsibilities usually are broad, and she needs to have an in-depth knowledge of the field of information technology. The senior IT project manager must also keep abreast of current developments within the field. She also typically needs to have a profound knowledge of the market of IT, its users, their needs and desires, and to be able to translate these needs and desires into high-value products.

When a senior IT project manager is assigned to a specific project, she usually should be able to recognize and identify the opportunity that led to the creation of the project, and conceptualize how to create a project that will fulfill the goals of the task. She might be responsible for deciding what product to create and how to go about creating it. It is often her job to approve the content of the product, including designs, innovations, or necessary improvements.

The senior IT project manager might have to deal with conflicts between engineers, the finance people, and the sales team so that all concerns regarding the project are addressed. Meanwhile, she may also work with the marketing department to come up with strategies for positioning the finished product from the project, and tactics for the creation of effectual promotional campaigns. Finally, she could manage workers on the project and may even complete some of the project work herself.

Upon completion of the project, the senior IT project manager often conducts acceptance tests. If the tests are successful, the product created by the project is then presented. This can entail making presentations and demonstrations of the product to potential customers to create product awareness and demand, and to help generate sales.

Once the product has been accepted and is in its growth stage, if the project manager remains involved, usually her efforts switch to a focus on increasing public awareness and sales, soliciting customer feedback, spotting bugs in the product, and passing on the glitches to the engineering department for repair, updating, and evolution. These responsibilities often are passed on to someone in marketing or product sales, but in some companies, project managers will continue to take a business interest in the finished project. The structure of the company and the project manager's personal attitude toward the project can determine her level of involvement in the post-production stage.