Educational Requirements

• Most technical managers must have a bachelor's degree in management information systems or computer science. Some organizations require a master's of business administration (MBA) for a well-rounded skill set in technical and management areas.
  
  

Certifications

• Depending on an organization's technology, some technical managers require certifications in specific software packages, networks and platforms. Most technology professionals pursue certifications to allow for advancement in their career and higher salaries.
  
  

General Responsibilities

• The technology manager typically oversees a staff of information technology professionals, and all office systems, software, and equipment. This may include company phone systems, cell phones, desktop computers, and laptops, as well as office equipment such as fax and copy machines.
  
  The technology manager schedules the staff to work on specific projects. She must be able to make decisions quickly and in a cost-effective manner.
  
  Other responsibilities can include preparing and adhering to technology budgets, analyzing new systems and software to improve an organization's technology, and improving current technologies to run more efficiently and allow for ease of usability.
  
  

Work Environment

• A technology manager typically works on site in an office environment. Depending on the size of an organization and scope of responsibilities, the technology manager may oversee satellite offices nationally and internationally. This can involve remote supervision of employees in satellite offices, or traveling to satellite offices to address problems or set up new technology systems.
  
  Most organizations feel it's more cost-effective to keep technology systems operating properly during normal business hours, so technology managers may be required to work nights and weekends to upgrade systems, handle emergencies, or back up systems and software.
  
  

Average Salaries

• According to 2009 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, average salaries for a technology manager can range from approximately $83,000 to $109,000 a year, depending on the size of an organization, number of employees to be managed, and amount of technology used and monitored.