Today, IT is one of the most lucrative career fields in the world. While other industries may see declines in positions and employment opportunities, almost anything in the IT sector shows not only steady job growth, but well-above-average compensation and salaries for employees.

Depending on your experience and expertise, you may be qualified for a position in IT service management. There are a wide variety of ITSM career paths, with opportunities continuing to increase and evolve each year. In this article, we’re sharing some of the most common ITSM career paths, including specific jobs, what they entail, necessary skills, and additional resources.

Common ITSM Careers

If you know what you’re looking for, jump right into these career paths and positions:

Service Strategy & Design
Service Level Manager
IT Architect
Security Architect
Cyber Resilience Consultant
Service Transition
Release Manager
Change Manager
Configurations Manager
Service Operation
Service Desk Technician/Agent
Security Analyst
Incident Manager
IT Operations Manager
Additional resources

Service Strategy & Design

The ITSM field of service strategy and design determines the IT services your company delivers. Roles in this category focus on creating value and defining services, assets, and ROI for your products.

Service Level Manager

Service Level Managers are effective negotiators who are responsible for connecting service levels and key performance indicators (KPIs). You’ll document these in a set of service level agreements (SLAs) and contracts to ensure various IT support teams understand the capabilities they need to deliver. You’ll also be responsible for monitoring and analyzing performance, managing contracts, and contributing to plans to improve services.

Common tasks & responsibilities

• Maintain an up-to-date catalogue of IT services
• Negotiate SLAs with business customers and OLAs with IT support teams
• Monitor and report performance against agreed targets and KPIs
• Carry out service reviews to review performance

Potential next steps
Business Relationship Manager, Supplier Relationship Manager, IT Service Operations Manager

Skills and abilities
The skills and abilities required for a Service Level Manager will vary greatly depending on the size and complexity of the IT organization and the maturity of its service level management process. In general, service level managers need to be effective communicators, negotiators, team players, and analytical thinkers. Some necessary skills for this position include:

• Service level management
• Relationship management
• Negotiation
• Contract management
• Communication and knowledge sharing
• Cyber resilience management

IT Architect

The IT Architect title encompasses a breadth of jobs that vary significantly in both scope and responsibilities. Overall, the Architect team develops, maintains, and governs information and communication technology solutions across the organization. IT Architects usually specialize in a specific technology and utilize this expertise to evaluate new solutions or technologies and lead the move towards it.

Common tasks & responsibilities

• Assess business and technical needs
• Conduct research and provide advice regarding selection and implementation of IT products
• Lead design of architecting and integrating new and upgraded ICT solutions
• Provide technical leadership to designers and developers

Potential next steps
IT Project Manager, IT Program Manager, Chief Technology Officer, Business Analyst

Skills and abilities
IT Architects must be experts in a specialized technology area. IT Architects are skilled at planning and communicating, as you’ll often work in, lead teams, and attend meetings with key decision makers and stakeholders. Some necessary skills for this position include:

• Architecture design
• Component integration
• Technology trend monitoring
• Leadership and teamwork
• Communication and knowledge sharing
• Planning and organization
• Cyber resilience management

Security Architect

IT Security Architects are technical specialists responsible for designing cyber resilience solutions and are experts in security models, software, tools, and standards. You’ll design, build, and oversee the implementation of network and computer security for an organization and ensure the company complies with best practices, governance, and regulatory mandates. You’ll have to learn constantly to stay ahead of industry security trends and developments.

Common tasks & responsibilities

• Create and maintain the enterprise security architecture design
• Identify cyber risks specific to information systems
• Design and embed cyber resilience solutions to mitigate cyber risks
• Develop system capability for restoration after a catastrophic failure event
• Defines initiatives within the cyber resilience strategic roadmap
• Monitor technology and external developments

Potential next steps
Chief Information Security Officer

Skills and abilities
It is required that IT security architects have a strong technical background in systems and network security, and are comfortable being leaders. You must be willing and able to stay informed of security trends and understand all necessary government regulations in order to maintain compliance. Some necessary skills for this position include:

• Cyber resilience strategy
• Architecture design
• Application of best practice processes, methods, and tools
• Continuity management
• Leadership and teamwork
• Innovation and business improvement
• Communication and knowledge sharing
• Planning and organization

Cyber Resilience Consultant

Cyber resilience consultants typically have a variety of roles relating to cyber resilience and information security, sometimes working on strategy and framework development while also conducting cyber risk assessments to identify key areas of potential compromise. Collaborating with IT teams to mitigate those specific risks, you must be able to provide advice on which activities to prioritize in how to best address any risks for the business.

Common tasks & responsibilities

• Investigate and manage security incidents
• Perform or lead analysis of cyber risks
• Work with asset owners to assess risk impact
• Contribute to strategy and policy development
• Present options for mitigating cyber risks
• Support development of risk management documentation
• Promote cyber resilience learning and awareness

Potential next steps
Cyber Resilience Manager, IT Security Architect, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

Skills and abilities
Consultants need excellent communication and collaboration skills as you’ll work closely with teams and clients. You’ll also need strong analytical and problem-solving skills, continually training in order to stay up to date in a rapidly evolving security field. Some necessary skills for this position include:

• Information risk management
• Cyber resilience strategy and management
• Incident management
• Staff awareness and development
• Technology trend monitoring
• Communication and knowledge sharing
• Planning and organization