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What is an information technology project lead and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Matthew Liotine Ph.D.
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An Information Technology Project Lead gets to use their leadership brain and their technological brain at work. Talk about maintaining a diverse skill set. The Information Technology Project Lead can work on a variety of projects that involve IT, from managing a website to managing an organization's IT security systems.

They need to need to have good leadership skills and have the excellent technical knowledge to understand the fundamentals of the project and help others do their work. They help manage the project using Agile software, think of strategies to help the project run smoothly, and hire and manage other workers. Depending on the company, the IT Project Lead might report to an IT Project Manager.

What general advice would you give to an information technology project lead?

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.
ScoreInformation Technology Project LeadUS Average
Salary
7.7

Avg. Salary $102,491

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.4

Growth rate 9%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%

Asian 11.99%

Black or African American 6.24%

Hispanic or Latino 8.82%

Unknown 4.70%

White 67.73%

Gender

female 34.44%

male 65.56%

Age - 43
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 - 43
Stress level
7.4

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.6

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
3.7

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Information technology project lead career paths

Key steps to become an information technology project lead

  1. Explore information technology project lead education requirements

    Most common information technology project lead degrees

    Bachelor's

    66.9 %

    Master's

    18.0 %

    Associate

    10.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific information technology project lead skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Project Management21.58%
    Software Development4.69%
    Status Reports4.01%
    Scrum3.71%
    Project Scope3.56%
  3. Complete relevant information technology project lead training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New information technology project leads 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 an information technology project lead based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real information technology project lead resumes.
  4. Research information technology project lead duties and responsibilities

    • Manage business users and analysts through JAD sessions to develop BRD, use case scenarios, and work flow Visio diagrams.
    • Manage deployment of SaaS financial aid management solution to clients in higher education, including for-profit and non-profit institutions.
    • Facilitate working sessions, reviews, and scrum meetings with QA and project teams.
    • Involve in the complete SDLC of the project beginning with analyzing the requirements.
  5. Get information technology project lead experience

    Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become an information technology project lead. The most common roles before becoming an information technology project lead include information technology project manager, project manager team lead and programmer analyst.
  6. Prepare your information technology project lead resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your information technology project lead 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 an information technology project lead resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable information technology project lead resume templates

    Build a professional information technology project lead 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 information technology project lead resume.
    Information Technology Project Lead Resume
    Information Technology Project Lead Resume
    Information Technology Project Lead Resume
    Information Technology Project Lead Resume
    Information Technology Project Lead Resume
    Information Technology Project Lead Resume
    Information Technology Project Lead Resume
    Information Technology Project Lead Resume
    Information Technology Project Lead Resume
  7. Apply for information technology project lead jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an information technology project lead 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 information technology project lead job

Zippi

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Average information technology project lead salary

The average information technology project lead salary in the United States is $102,491 per year or $49 per hour. Information technology project lead salaries range between $75,000 and $139,000 per year.

Average information technology project lead salary
$102,491 Yearly
$49.27 hourly

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Information technology project lead reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2024
Cons

Zero work life balance and very high project stress


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.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2023
Pros

I like to work with a team. Satisfaction of seeing the successful completion of a project


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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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