Emily Clarke

What is a Technical Project Manager?

Project management professionals are the people who oversee the details, workflows and deadlines of projects that have many moving pieces. Virtually all industries utilize project managers of some sort, but some projects require a more in-depth understanding of an industry and its standards than others. For these types of projects, a technical project manager is usually put in place to not only oversee the details of the project but also to provide insight.

A technical project manager serves as the central point of contact for all entities involved in a large project. They will manage deadlines, communicate with departments involved in a project, coordinate supply orders with vendors and manage expectations if deadlines need to be re-assessed.

Technical Project Manager Backgrounds

Most technical project managers will need to have backgrounds in the industries they serve. This is particularly true in projects involving things like information technology. Because of the technical nature of complex industries like IT or programming, the technical project manager will need to have a deeper knowledge of the work required to complete tasks.

While a traditional project manager is usually put in place to provide direction and communications, a technical project manager may need to confer with experts in a technical subject area. Without a thorough understanding of these subjects themselves, technical managers won't be able to effectively manage deadlines, ensure the right vendors are involved, set budgets and complete additional tasks that come along with the role.

What is the Labor Market Outlook for Technical Project Managers?

Technical project manager jobs are in demand due to the rise of Big Tech, and these jobs will likely be in demand for many years to come. Additionally, residential and commercial services providers are often in need of technical project managers to help keep large construction and systems installation projects managed properly.

This means that even without the tech industry, technical project manager jobs are still plentiful in all areas of the country where large-scale development is taking place. The key to getting these jobs, however, is having the background and/or education in the industry needing a technical project manager.

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Emily Clarke writes about tech, online jobs, internship jobs and more. You can find her thoughts at jobs for grads blog.