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IT Manager

Technology

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as electronic data processing, information systems, systems analysis, and computer programming.

Computer ScienceBusiness

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Manage backup, security and user help systems.
  2. 2Direct daily operations of department, analyzing workflow, establishing priorities, developing standards and setting deadlines.
  3. 3Meet with department heads, managers, supervisors, vendors, and others, to solicit cooperation and resolve problems.
  4. 4Review project plans to plan and coordinate project activity.
  5. 5Assign and review the work of systems analysts, programmers, and other computer-related workers.
  6. 6Provide users with technical support for computer problems.
  7. 7Develop computer information resources, providing for data security and control, strategic computing, and disaster recovery.
  8. 8Stay abreast of advances in technology.
  9. 9Recruit, hire, train and supervise staff, or participate in staffing decisions.
  10. 10Consult with users, management, vendors, and technicians to assess computing needs and system requirements.
  11. 11Evaluate the organization's technology use and needs and recommend improvements, such as hardware and software upgrades.
  12. 12Develop and interpret organizational goals, policies, and procedures.
  13. 13Review and approve all systems charts and programs prior to their implementation.
  14. 14Prepare and review operational reports or project progress reports.
  15. 15Evaluate data processing proposals to assess project feasibility and requirements.
  16. 16Control operational budget and expenditures.
  17. 17Purchase necessary equipment.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • CISO
  • IS Manager
  • IT Manager
  • IS Director
  • IT Director
  • ITS Director
  • MIS Director
  • IS Supervisor
  • IT Coordinator
  • Network Manager

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. Typical entry

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

Computer Science / ICTDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Electrical & Electronic Eng. StudiesDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BusinessDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EconomicsDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
PhysicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Computers and Electronics95%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

  • Customer and Personal Service81%
  • Administration and Management74%

    BusinessEconomics

  • Engineering and Technology70%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • English Language70%

    English

  • Personnel and Human Resources68%

    Business

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Leading or coordinating othersVery high
  • Handling conflict situationsOften
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentAlmost never
  • Time spent sittingAlmost all the time

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

30%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

0.41%

Of Malaysian Claude conversations, about this kind of work

Measures how much people use Claude for this work, not how many Malaysians do this job — and more AI use can mean people relying on it, not that it's replacing them.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

On Malaysia's official shortage list

TalentCorp and ILMIA's Critical Occupations List — evidence of a real hiring shortage in Malaysia right now.

Information and Communications Technology Managers · Shortage indicators met: 3/12

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Computer and Information Systems Managers

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org