Operating with less funding and fewer students has made higher education response to student needs challenging, to say the least. In response to dwindling numbers, many universities are switching their emphasis to international student recruitment, college mergers, and online education.
Why They Are a Necessity
IT project managers are the connection between every person and department in the university system, regardless of the college or geographic location. As a result, there has never been a greater need for IT project managers who can orchestrate the moving components of this massive change in focus.
IT project managers may find themselves planning infrastructure, developing a curriculum, integrating student data, coordinating large-scale department projects — and more. This work requires top-notch IT skills and the ability to communicate well. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that higher education is hiring more IT project managers to facilitate all these changes.
How Hiring More IT Project Managers Helps Higher Education
As higher education explores ways to innovate systems as a way to be more productive and responsive, hiring more IT project managers produces a significant ROI. There’s no better person to help plan and execute an array of comprehensive undertakings than the IT project managers in higher education who bring an array of skills to complicated technical systems, including:
- Web and app development
- Network configuration and hardware installation
- Software recommendations, implementation, and monitoring
- Data collection and storage for assessments, evaluations, and records
- Emergency protocols and response
You can count on your IT project manager to meet with stakeholders, conduct a needs assessment, recommend solutions, position team members to complete the work, coordinate sequences, and milestones, and complete the project on time and under budget.
Higher education institutes considering complicated initiatives like MOOCs (massive open online enrollment classes) or acquisitions and mergers need the talent of an IT project manager who can set a course and navigate toward successful completion.
IT Project Managers Demand High Salaries
IT project managers are an excellent fit for the evolving higher education system and can earn an impressive salary for their work. In fact, the annual average salary for IT project managers is $105,291. Some IT project managers in this industry earn upwards of $150,000 annually.
If you’re not sure about the salary expectations and benefits in your geographic area, your professional IT project manager recruiter can offer guidelines. They can also refer you to open positions and passive talent who might be interested in taking on a new challenge.
Final Thoughts
The rising demand for IT project managers in higher education underscores their critical role in fostering innovation and maintaining operational excellence. By leveraging their specialized skills and expertise, institutions can enhance their productivity and responsiveness, ultimately yielding a substantial return on investment.
With competitive salaries reflecting their indispensable value, IT project managers are well-positioned to drive transformative change in the higher education sector. As universities continue to evolve, the strategic hiring of skilled IT project managers will be crucial in shaping their future success and sustainability.
At PMO Partners, we connect you with elite IT Project Management and Business Analyst talent. Our strategic talent solutions are designed to support dynamic organizations in building a skilled, adaptable, and resilient workforce.