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What is a director of information services and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Expert
Matthew Liotine Ph.D.

A director of information services is in charge of a company's Information Technology (IT), which can include data servers, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, and more. They can work for a university, local government, or any other large organization that has a lot of IT needs. Directors of information services manage the IT department's budget and buy new technology when necessary.

They develop an overall strategy to make sure a company's technological equipment allows it to keep up with competitors and that the equipment won't fail in an emergency. Directors of information services supervise other employees in the IT department, such as those working at the help desk. They need excellent technological knowledge and organizational skills.

Although some directors of information services have only an associate's degree, an advanced college degree such as a bachelor's or a master's is usually required. A director of information services also needs many years of professional experience in the field of IT, for example as a program manager. Directors of information services earn an average salary of $126,560 a year.

What general advice would you give to a Director Of Information Services?

Matthew Liotine Ph.D.Matthew Liotine Ph.D. LinkedIn Profile

Clinical Professor and Director of Master of Science in Supply Chain and Operations Management, University of Illinois at Chicago

Most employers tell me that soft skills are equally, if not more important, than technical skills or domain knowledge. This translates into external/internal customer-facing skills, such as communication, team collaboration, writing, presentation, problem-solving, and being resourceful. (Many graduates overlook writing as a vital skill, but they fail to realize that in the course of their jobs, they will likely be required to write lots of memos and tons of emails.) The need to perfect these skills within the confines of a virtual world has become even more challenging and amplified with COVID. I teach in the information systems discipline, and when you view student resumes, many people look the same on paper. The soft skills will make a candidate stand out head and shoulders above the rest. That's why the candidate should pay attention to the screening interviews that they will undergo during the hiring process since employers will use these interviews to vet these skills.
ScoreDirector Of Information ServicesUS Average
Salary
8.4

Avg. Salary $132,219

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
8.6

Growth Rate 16%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
1.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.21%

Asian 12.58%

Black or African American 6.82%

Hispanic or Latino 10.24%

Unknown 5.22%

White 64.93%

Gender

female 24.33%

male 75.67%

Age - 47
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47
Stress Level
8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.7

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
6.1

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

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Director Of Information Services career paths

Key steps to become a director of information services

  1. Explore director of information services education requirements

    Most common director of information services degrees

    Bachelor's

    68.9 %

    Master's

    16.2 %

    Associate

    11.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific director of information services skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Project Management10.30%
    Network Infrastructure7.84%
    Application Development3.53%
    Disaster Recovery3.53%
    Database Administration3.35%
  3. Complete relevant director of information services training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New directors of information services learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a director of information services based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real director of information services resumes.
  4. Research director of information services duties and responsibilities

    • Manage PMO that launch company's first electronic trading branch.
    • Manage and tune storage on the SAN as well as host level file system characteristics.
    • Project manage and participate in the deployment of ATM network to support voice over IP application.
    • Manage the equipment installation and system setup for all PC's, thin-client appliances and peripherals.
  5. Get director of information services experience

    Generally, it takes 6-8 years to become a director of information services. The most common roles before becoming a director of information services include information technology director, programmer analyst team lead and project manager.
  6. Prepare your director of information services resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your director of information services resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a director of information services resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Director Of Information Services Resume templates

    Build a professional Director Of Information Services resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Director Of Information Services resume.
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    Director Of Information Services Resume
  7. Apply for director of information services jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a director of information services job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Director Of Information Services Job

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Average director of information services salary

The average Director Of Information Services salary in the United States is $132,219 per year or $64 per hour. Director of information services salaries range between $92,000 and $188,000 per year.

Average Director Of Information Services Salary
$132,219 Yearly
$63.57 hourly

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Director Of Information Services reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2023
Cons

No cons as far as I'm concerned.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2023
Pros

Staying abreast of technology and helping an organization define Technology strategy.

Cons

Work Life Balance can be difficult based on size of team and infrastructure.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019
Pros

The opportunity to render services to client, and managing technology by giving key information to customers.

Cons

Not meeting up to expectation of a client.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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