What does a Network IT Manager do?

The responsibilities of a network IT manager can be varied depending on the work environment, size of company, or business type this individual supports. In a small business environment the IT department may run the network very differently than a global enterprise. Also, the specific role of a network IT manager may be more specialized in one organization but may cover more areas of expertise in another who may hold the same responsibilities as a field technician who is required to support customers face to face. In most cases, a network IT manager should have a specific background, experience, skill set and degree of leadership to effectively maintain and support a network within the business environment.

First, a qualified network IT manager should be an experienced, accomplished network architect who has designed, built and supported a network infrastructure at other organizations during their career. This individual should also have a wide range of experience working with numerous operating systems, hardware platforms, assorted software applications most often related to network management and should be experienced in the repair and maintenance of network hardware, firmware updates, and software upgrades pertaining to the consistency and functionality of network support tools. The network IT manager should also be accustomed to having a flexible schedule since a network environment functions twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week.

The daily tasks performed by the network manager differ depending on the individual job description. At a smaller organization, this individual may be required to respond to requests related to an individual computer system and its inability to access the network. At this level, this person will need to identify specific problems, troubleshoot on the computer desktop and consult with users. At a larger organization, this individual’s primary concentration will be the configuration, maintenance, performance and security of the LAN, or local area network, and its servers. Quite often with this level of responsibility, the network manager must control and maintain an accurate inventory of all networking equipment and software, design and enforce policies and procedures for both local area network and WAN (wide area network) usage throughout the organization.

A network IT manager is a multifunctional technical professional who must be a technician, an analyst, and a leader who can effectively and efficiently run the backbone of their organization. As technology progresses, the role of this individual will continue to become more valuable within the corporate environment.