Delivery Manager: Role and Responsibilities

A figure that is becoming increasingly popular in the IT world is that of the Delivery Manager. In this article, we will discuss the role, duties and responsibilities of a Delivery Manager.

The Role of the Delivery Manager

The Delivery Manager is responsible for facilitating the timely production of software and other IT products by effectively managing team members, budgets and working hours. Their role is instrumental in eliminating any obstacles and issues that may slow down the team’s work, negatively affecting product delivery and meeting deadlines.

In addition, Delivery Managers are also in charge of both incoming and outgoing shipments of products, materials and goods and managing contacts with suppliers and customers. They have to solve any problems with all parties involved and supervise the delivery process and the entire shipping department.

The Responsibilities of the Delivery Manager

The tasks that a Delivery Manager has to perform are very varied:

• Managing Delivery Teams: this involves assigning tasks and delivery rhythms, participating in staff selection and recruitment, training new members and supervising the whole team.
  
• Managing the budget: the Delivery Manager’s tasks include monitoring and managing the department’s operational budget. This may also require the compilation of weekly or monthly reports for the general manager.
  
• Distribution planning: Delivery Managers are in charge of creating distribution plans that are as efficient as possible in terms of cost and time, in order to guarantee delivery to customers (using special software and programmes to do so)
  
• Order and inventory management: orders are also under the supervision of the Delivery Manager. They have to make sure that the orders are completed and dispatched on time, as well as managing the warehouse inventory to ensure that there are sufficient resources and no risk of out-of-stock products.
  
• Meeting deadlines: as all distribution and order management is under the supervision of the Delivery Manager, ensuring that the team meets deadlines also falls under his or her job description.
  
• Negotiating contracts: in addition to dealing with new contracts and their negotiation, Delivery Managers are also in charge of reviewing and renegotiating existing contracts.
  
• Handling customer problems: Being in contact with and responsible for the entire supply chain, customer problems must also be taken care of by the Delivery Manager in order to manage their resolution.

The soft skills of a Delivery Manager

Some soft skills in particular are required for a Delivery Manager to be able to fulfill this role successfully:

• Communication skills: the Delivery Manager has to deal with all players in the supply chain, from suppliers to consumers. For this reason, he/she must have developed excellent communication skills that enable him/her to perform all management, negotiation and problem-solving tasks to the best of his/her ability.
  
• Organisational skills: the Delivery Manager must be able to manage and coordinate many different resources and work groups, assigning deliveries and deadlines that can be compatible with the workflow and delivery needs.
  
• Team leader: It is essential that the Delivery Manager acts as a glue both within the individual teams and between the different work groups managed by him/her. This will ensure a smooth workflow with as few interruptions as possible.
  
• Change management: Being able to handle problems and changes is a fundamental skill required of all Delivery Managers, so that any delays and interruptions in processing can be minimised.

What certifications should a Delivery Manager obtain?

PMP: The PMP (Project Management Professional) certification is issued by PMI (Project Management Institute) and is internationally recognised as the standard in the project management world. This certification requires real commitment and proven experience in project management.

PRINCE2: PRINCE2® (PRojects IN Controlled Environments), is a project management method. Created in 1996, it is now used in over 150 countries, both in the public and private sector, establishing itself as the most widely used project management method in the world. PRINCE2 offers professionals and organisations the essential information they need to successfully manage projects of all types and sizes.

AgilePM: AgilePM is a project management method that consists of an innovative approach that combines the governance and rigour required for project management with the agility and flexibility needed by organisations to adapt to constant change.

ITIL 4: ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) is a set of specific organisational capabilities aimed at creating value for end customers in the form of services. ITIL lays the foundation for international practices that organisations can adopt, in whole or in part, to deliver valuable services to their customers.

If you are a Delivery Manager and would like to obtain certification, we offer PMP, PRINCE2, AgilePM and ITIL training. Visit our website or contact us for any information!