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IT Project Manager

Technology

Plan, initiate, and manage information technology (IT) projects. Lead and guide the work of technical staff. Serve as liaison between business and technical aspects of projects. Plan project stages and assess business implications for each stage. Monitor progress to assure deadlines, standards, and cost targets are met.

Computer ScienceBusiness

What you'd do all day

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

  1. 1Manage project execution to ensure adherence to budget, schedule, and scope.
  2. 2Confer with project personnel to identify and resolve problems.
  3. 3Monitor or track project milestones and deliverables.
  4. 4Submit project deliverables, ensuring adherence to quality standards.
  5. 5Assess current or future customer needs and priorities by communicating directly with customers, conducting surveys, or other methods.
  6. 6Initiate, review, or approve modifications to project plans.
  7. 7Schedule and facilitate meetings related to information technology projects.
  8. 8Direct or coordinate activities of project personnel.
  9. 9Perform risk assessments to develop response strategies.
  10. 10Identify need for initial or supplemental project resources.
  11. 11Develop implementation plans that include analyses such as cost-benefit or return on investment (ROI).
  12. 12Develop or update project plans for information technology projects including information such as project objectives, technologies, systems, information specifications, schedules, funding, and staffing.
  13. 13Prepare project status reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing information and trends.
  14. 14Identify, review, or select vendors or consultants to meet project needs.
  15. 15Develop and manage annual budgets for information technology projects.
  16. 16Establish and execute a project communication plan.
  17. 17Develop and manage work breakdown structure (WBS) of information technology projects.
  18. 18Monitor the performance of project team members, providing and documenting performance feedback.
  19. 19Coordinate recruitment or selection of project personnel.
  20. 20Assign duties, responsibilities, and spans of authority to project personnel.
  21. 21Negotiate with project stakeholders or suppliers to obtain resources or materials.

Also known as

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

  • PM
  • IS Planner
  • IT Manager
  • Scrum Master
  • IT Supervisor
  • Release Manager
  • Technical Manager
  • IS Project Manager
  • IT Program Manager
  • IT Project 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.

EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
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).

What you'd need to know

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

  • English Language86%

    English

  • Customer and Personal Service85%
  • Computers and Electronics84%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

  • Administration and Management80%

    BusinessEconomics

  • Engineering and Technology72%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Economics and Accounting67%

    Principles of AccountingEconomics

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
  • Dealing with customers or the publicA little
  • Leading or coordinating othersHigh
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentAlmost never

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.

5%

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.

0.09%

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.

Matched to a related occupation on the list, not this exact job title.

Business Services Managers · Shortage indicators met: 4/12

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: Information Technology Project 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

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue