A professional who directs and coordinates development and production activities of data processing department. Responsibilities include:

• Consults with management to determine information requirements of management, scientists, or engineers, determine boundaries and priorities of new projects, and discuss system capacity and equipment acquisitions.
• Confers with department heads involved with proposed projects to ensure cooperation and further define nature of project.
• Consults with computer systems hardware analyst to define equipment needs.
• Reviews project feasibility studies.
• Establishes work standards.
• Assigns and schedules work, or delegates work to subordinate managers and supervisors, and reviews work.
• Interprets policies, purposes, and goals of organization to subordinates.
• Prepares progress reports to inform management of project status and deviation from goals.
• Contracts with management specialists, technical personnel, or vendors to solve problems.
• Directs computer processing scheduler to change computer operating schedule to meet department priorities.
• Reviews reports of computer and peripheral equipment production, malfunctions, and maintenance to ascertain costs and plan department operating changes.
• Analyzes department workflow and workers' job duties to recommend reorganization or departmental realignment within company.
• Participates in decisions concerning staffing and promotions within data processing department.
• Directs training of subordinates.
• May prepare proposals and solicit sale of systems analysis, programming, and computer services to outside firms.
• May assist staff to diagnose and solve computer equipment problems.
• May participate in technical projects, such as writing equipment specifications or developing computer programs for specified applications.