NSXNational Skills ExchangeSign in
Back to Framework

Computer and Information Systems Managers

SOC 11-3021.00Job Zone 4 · Considerable Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers IT and information systems management practice in mid-to-large organizations, spanning daily operations, staff supervision, project coordination, data security, and strategic technology leadership across Job Zone 4 environments.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Daily department workflows — observe and document under supervisor direction to identify bottlenecks in an IT operations environment.
  2. Project plans and task lists — review and summarize key milestones under guidance from a senior IT manager.
  3. Systems analysts and programmers — assist in tracking work assignments using a project management tool in a mid-size technology department.
  4. Technical support requests — respond to routine computer problems by following established troubleshooting protocols with end users.
  5. Vendor communications — participate in meetings with technology vendors to learn procurement and cooperation procedures.
  6. Data security policies — apply existing backup and access-control standards under supervision in a corporate IT setting.
  7. Technology industry publications — read and summarize advances in computing to support awareness briefings for the management team.
  8. Staff recruitment processes — assist HR and senior managers in scheduling interviews and compiling candidate materials.
  9. CRM and database management software — navigate and enter data accurately following departmental procedures.
  10. Written reports and status updates — draft routine correspondence and progress summaries under editorial review by a department manager.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Departmental workflow priorities — analyze and adjust daily task sequencing with limited oversight to meet established service-level deadlines.
  2. Cross-functional coordination meetings — facilitate discussions with department heads and supervisors to resolve recurring operational issues.
  3. Project activity plans — review and coordinate timelines across multiple IT projects, flagging conflicts for senior leadership.
  4. Programmer and analyst work products — assign tasks and conduct structured reviews of deliverables against technical specifications.
  5. User technical support escalations — diagnose and resolve moderately complex computer problems, coordinating with vendor support as needed.
  6. Data security and disaster recovery procedures — implement and test established recovery protocols in a corporate IT environment.
  7. Emerging technology assessments — evaluate new tools and platforms and prepare adoption recommendations for management review.
  8. Staff performance and training — deliver onboarding guidance and performance feedback to junior IT staff under departmental HR frameworks.
  9. Database and development environment software — configure and query systems to support reporting and operational decision-making.
  10. Operational standards documentation — author and maintain departmental procedures, standards, and policy updates for IT staff use.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Full-scope department operations — direct daily IT workflows autonomously, establishing priorities, setting deadlines, and enforcing performance standards across the team.
  2. Stakeholder problem resolution — lead meetings with department heads, vendors, and executive sponsors to negotiate solutions to complex cross-functional technology issues.
  3. Enterprise project portfolios — coordinate and review multi-phase project plans, reallocating resources and adjusting scope to maintain strategic alignment.
  4. Technical staff performance — assign, mentor, and evaluate systems analysts, programmers, and IT specialists, ensuring work quality meets organizational requirements.
  5. Complex user and system problems — diagnose and resolve non-routine technology failures, applying advanced troubleshooting and root-cause analysis methods.
  6. Information resource strategy — develop and enforce data security frameworks, strategic computing architectures, and disaster recovery plans for the organization.
  7. Technology landscape monitoring — synthesize emerging advances in hardware, software, and cybersecurity to proactively adapt departmental capabilities.
  8. Full-cycle staffing management — recruit, interview, hire, and train IT staff, making independent hiring recommendations aligned with departmental growth plans.
  9. Integrated technology platforms — evaluate and govern CRM systems, portal servers, and development environments to optimize enterprise-wide IT service delivery.
  10. Analytical and written communications — produce executive-level reports, systems evaluations, and strategic recommendations with clarity and precision.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Organizational IT strategy — set multi-year technology direction and investment priorities aligned with enterprise business objectives at the executive level.
  2. Cross-enterprise stakeholder leadership — convene and lead senior leadership, board-level, and vendor partnerships to drive transformational technology initiatives.
  3. Portfolio governance frameworks — establish program management standards and project governance structures that guide IT delivery across the entire organization.
  4. High-performing IT workforce — design talent pipelines, succession plans, and professional development programs that build organizational capability at scale.
  5. Enterprise data governance — architect and champion data security, privacy, and disaster recovery policies that meet regulatory and strategic resilience requirements.
  6. Technology innovation culture — sponsor emerging technology research and organizational learning initiatives that position the enterprise as an industry leader.
  7. Systems evaluation at organizational scale — lead enterprise-wide assessments of IT infrastructure effectiveness, driving optimization decisions with measurable business impact.
  8. Executive-level decision making — apply advanced judgment and inductive reasoning to resolve unprecedented technology and organizational challenges with enterprise-wide consequences.
  9. Strategic vendor and partner ecosystem — negotiate and govern major technology contracts and alliances that shape the organization's long-term competitive positioning.
  10. Organizational change leadership — guide culture, process, and technology transformation efforts, developing other managers and ensuring sustained adoption across all business units.

AI-at-Work Competency Framework

Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.
Subscriber feature

Authoritative source data identified for 998 occupations

How a worker at each mastery level uses, directs, and evaluates AI tools in this occupation. Each statement cites its evidence inline; click a citation chip to verify the source.

Emerging
  1. AI-assisted workflow summarization — prompts an LLM to draft summaries of department activity logs and project status reports, reviewing output manually before sharing with stakeholders Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
  2. Basic policy drafting support — uses an AI tool to generate first-draft IT policies and standards documents, then edits for accuracy and organizational fit WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
Developing
  1. Meeting preparation acceleration — directs an AI assistant to synthesize vendor proposals, project plans, and stakeholder notes into briefing documents, reducing preparation time substantially before cross-department meetings Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
  2. Priority-setting analysis — feeds workflow data and backlog descriptions into an AI tool to surface scheduling conflicts and resource bottlenecks, then applies managerial judgment to set final deadlines and priorities Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
  3. Technical support triage — routes routine user-submitted IT problem descriptions through an AI assistant to generate initial diagnostic steps and resolution scripts, then assigns unresolved cases to the appropriate technical staff Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
Proficient
  1. Project plan review orchestration — delegates AI-assisted gap analysis across multiple concurrent project plans, using synthesized outputs to identify timeline risks and coordinate activity across systems analysts and programmers Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
  2. Staff work evaluation — benchmarks AI-generated quality criteria against deliverables from systems analysts and programmers, integrating AI assessments with direct managerial review to maintain accountability Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
  3. Vendor communication drafting — instructs an AI assistant to draft structured responses to vendor proposals and escalation emails, retaining final approval authority and adjusting tone and commitment language personally Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
  4. Critical-thinking checkpointing — evaluates AI-generated recommendations against organizational strategy and risk tolerance, recognizing that the occupation's core Critical Thinking skill remains moderately automation-resistant and therefore irreplaceable by the AI output alone Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
Advanced
  1. AI governance framework design — architects department-level policies governing which IT management tasks are delegated to AI tools versus retained by human managers, calibrating autonomy thresholds based on task criticality and observed AI reliability Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
  2. Human-technology workflow integration — redesigns cross-functional IT operations so that AI-assisted monitoring and reporting pipelines feed directly into manager decision dashboards, enabling real-time operational oversight at scale WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab. Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
  3. Strategic AI adoption leadership — leads organization-wide evaluation and onboarding of AI tools for IT management functions, setting standards for prompt governance, output validation, and staff upskilling across all technology teams WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
  4. Autonomous-task boundary arbitration — defines and continuously refines the boundary between fully AI-automated IT tasks and those requiring human-in-the-loop sign-off, leveraging measured AI autonomy data and ongoing performance audits to adjust delegation decisions Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
Evidence pack
AEI usage
Task observations: 350
Augment share: 35%
Time saved: 84.2%
AI autonomy: 3.15
SAFI positioning
Top skill: Critical Thinking
Score: 57.9 / 100
precision: category_estimate
WEF cluster
Human-Technology Interaction
human_technology_interaction
Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.

Pathsmith Durable Skills Framework

Sources:Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Subscriber feature

Ten durable-skill domains mapped to four proficiency/role levels for each occupation. Each statement is aligned to the Pathsmith taxonomy, derived from trusted grounding data and mapped to occupation-specific O*NET tasks and skills.

1Communication16 statements
Emerging
  1. Technical concept translation — explains basic IT system functions to non-technical stakeholders using accessible analogies in team meetings Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Incident status reporting — drafts initial outage or system-failure updates using structured templates for distribution to affected users O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Vendor interaction — participates in vendor calls by asking clarifying questions about product capabilities and support terms Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  4. Meeting preparation — reviews departmental agendas and summarizes key technical discussion points prior to cross-functional sessions O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Stakeholder briefing — presents project status updates and risk summaries to department heads using clear, jargon-free language in scheduled reviews Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. IT policy documentation — drafts procedures, standards, and user guides that translate technical requirements into actionable instructions for end users O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Active listening in problem resolution — captures and reflects back concerns from managers and supervisors during conflict or workflow-disruption discussions to ensure shared understanding Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Cross-team coordination messaging — composes clear written communications that align systems analysts, programmers, and operations staff around shifting project priorities O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Executive technology briefing — delivers concise, data-supported presentations on infrastructure strategy, budget needs, and risk posture to senior leadership and board-level audiences Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Disaster recovery communication — authors and executes communication plans that notify all stakeholder tiers of system failures, recovery timelines, and preventive actions O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Vendor negotiation dialogue — leads structured contract and SLA discussions with vendors, articulating organizational requirements and technical constraints to reach binding agreements O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Performance feedback delivery — conducts structured one-on-one reviews with systems analysts and programmers, providing specific, evidence-based developmental feedback Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Organizational technology narrative — architects enterprise-wide messaging frameworks that align IT strategy communications with business transformation goals across all leadership levels Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Crisis communication leadership — directs multi-channel communications during major security breaches or system outages, maintaining stakeholder trust and regulatory compliance under time pressure O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Communication capability mentoring — coaches IT managers and team leads on translating technical complexity into strategic language for executive and external audiences Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  4. Cross-functional listening systems — designs feedback loops and listening mechanisms that surface end-user IT pain points and integrate them into infrastructure planning cycles Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
2Leadership16 statements
Emerging
  1. Task delegation initiation — assigns clearly scoped work items to systems analysts or programmers and follows up to confirm understanding of expectations Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Team meeting facilitation — leads routine departmental stand-ups, ensuring each team member reports progress and blockers within structured time constraints O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Priority setting awareness — identifies high-impact tasks within the IT queue and begins applying triage logic to daily workflow decisions O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Staffing process participation — contributes candidate evaluations and structured interview feedback during IT hiring panels O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Workflow standards establishment — develops and enforces departmental procedures that improve team throughput and reduce rework for systems and programming staff O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Staff development planning — creates individual growth plans for direct reports that align technical skill-building with departmental roadmap needs Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Deadline accountability — sets realistic project milestones, monitors adherence, and intervenes early when timelines are at risk O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Vendor and partner cooperation — solicit alignment from external partners and internal department heads by framing shared objectives and mutual benefits O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. IT department strategy execution — directs daily operations of the department by analyzing workflow bottlenecks, reallocating resources, and enforcing performance standards consistently O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Cross-departmental initiative leadership — leads multi-team technology projects from initiation through delivery, coordinating managers and technical contributors toward shared outcomes Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Talent pipeline development — recruits, onboards, and develops a pipeline of IT professionals capable of advancing into senior technical and management roles O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Change leadership — guides the department through technology migrations or organizational restructuring by sustaining morale, clarity of purpose, and operational continuity Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. IT organizational vision — defines and champions a multi-year strategic technology vision that integrates infrastructure investment, talent development, and business enablement Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Leadership culture modeling — establishes norms of accountability, continuous improvement, and psychological safety that cascade through all IT management tiers Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Enterprise influence — earns and exercises influence with C-suite and peer executives to secure resources and organizational commitment for transformational IT initiatives Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Succession architecture — designs and executes succession plans for all critical IT management and specialist roles, ensuring organizational resilience O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
3Metacognition16 statements
Emerging
  1. Self-assessment of technical gaps — identifies areas where personal knowledge of emerging technology lags current organizational needs and flags them for targeted learning Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Decision reflection — reviews past IT prioritization choices after project completion to identify what assumptions were accurate or flawed Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Learning strategy awareness — selects among formal training, peer learning, and vendor resources based on the type of technical or managerial skill being developed Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  4. Meeting outcome review — assesses own facilitation effectiveness after cross-functional sessions and adjusts approach for subsequent interactions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Technology learning planning — constructs a structured personal development plan for staying current with advances in computing, security, and infrastructure technologies Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Judgment calibration — tracks decision outcomes across IT project and personnel choices to identify systematic biases or blind spots in own reasoning Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Role complexity monitoring — monitors the cognitive demands of managing simultaneous projects, personnel, and vendor relationships and adjusts workload strategy accordingly Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  4. Feedback integration — actively solicits input from direct reports and peers about own leadership effectiveness and incorporates it into managerial behavior changes Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Strategic assumption auditing — examines the underlying assumptions in IT roadmap proposals and stress-tests them against alternative scenarios before committing resources Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Mental model updating — revises internal frameworks for evaluating technology investments when market conditions, security landscapes, or business priorities shift materially Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Learning transfer facilitation — applies insights from industry conferences, certifications, and peer networks directly to departmental policy and technology decisions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Cognitive load management — structures own decision-making environment to protect high-stakes judgment tasks from fragmentation by routine operational interruptions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Organizational metacognition cultivation — embeds reflective practice into IT team culture through after-action reviews, blameless post-mortems, and structured retrospectives Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Epistemic leadership — models intellectual humility and transparent reasoning processes for IT managers, demonstrating how to update beliefs in response to new evidence Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Strategic foresight discipline — maintains a disciplined personal practice of horizon-scanning, assumption-logging, and belief-updating that informs multi-year technology planning Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Learning system design — architects team-wide knowledge management systems that capture lessons learned and make them accessible across the IT organization Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
4Critical Thinking16 statements
Emerging
  1. System problem identification — isolates the technical root cause of user-reported computer problems by applying structured diagnostic questioning rather than accepting surface-level descriptions O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Requirements scrutiny — reviews project plans to identify missing assumptions, undefined dependencies, or unrealistic timelines before work begins O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Vendor claim evaluation — assesses vendor product capability claims against organizational technical requirements and independent documentation Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Workflow analysis initiation — examines departmental workflows to identify inefficiencies or redundancies using observable data rather than anecdotal reports O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Risk-benefit analysis — evaluates technology investment options by weighing total cost of ownership, security implications, and operational fit against stated business objectives Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Incident causation analysis — conducts structured root-cause analysis following system outages or security events to distinguish contributing factors from primary causes O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Priority logic application — applies explicit criteria for ranking IT project requests from competing departments, defending prioritization decisions with reasoned justification O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Standards development reasoning — constructs departmental technical standards by synthesizing industry best practices, regulatory requirements, and organizational constraints O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Strategic technology evaluation — assesses competing infrastructure architectures or platform options by constructing comparative frameworks that surface trade-offs across security, scalability, and cost Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Disaster recovery logic — designs recovery strategies by systematically analyzing failure modes, recovery time objectives, and interdependency risks across the technology stack O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Personnel decision analysis — evaluates staffing decisions using evidence from performance data, project outcomes, and peer feedback rather than reliance on availability or familiarity Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Assumption stress-testing — challenges the logical foundations of proposed IT policies and project plans in cross-functional review sessions, surfacing unexamined risks Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Enterprise reasoning architecture — establishes organization-wide frameworks for technology decision-making that enforce evidence standards and reduce cognitive bias across all IT management levels Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Adversarial systems thinking — applies red-team methodologies to identify security vulnerabilities, vendor dependencies, and strategic blind spots invisible to conventional analysis Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Judgment quality mentoring — coaches IT managers in structured reasoning techniques including pre-mortems, decision journals, and scenario analysis to improve judgment quality Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  4. Cross-domain synthesis — integrates technical, financial, legal, and human factors data into unified strategic recommendations for executive leadership with explicit confidence levels and uncertainty ranges Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
5Collaboration16 statements
Emerging
  1. Cross-functional meeting participation — contributes technical perspective constructively in joint sessions with non-IT department heads and managers O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Team task coordination — coordinates daily task hand-offs between systems analysts and programmers to minimize blockers and duplicate effort O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. User support collaboration — partners with end users to understand and resolve computer problems, incorporating their operational context into technical solutions O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Shared goal alignment — connects individual IT staff assignments to departmental and organizational objectives during team planning discussions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Inter-departmental project coordination — aligns IT project schedules and resource commitments with the delivery expectations of business unit partners O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Conflict navigation — mediates disagreements between technical staff and business stakeholders over system requirements or project scope using principled negotiation approaches Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Vendor partnership management — builds collaborative relationships with technology vendors that produce mutual accountability for deliverables and service levels O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Diverse perspective integration — incorporates input from staff with varying technical specializations into infrastructure planning to surface blind spots and improve solution quality Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Enterprise-wide technology initiative coordination — orchestrates collaboration across multiple departments, vendor partners, and IT sub-teams to deliver complex infrastructure or application projects on schedule O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Cooperative problem resolution — facilitates multi-stakeholder problem-solving sessions that produce agreed-upon technical solutions acceptable to IT, operations, and business leadership Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Staff collaboration enablement — designs team structures, communication norms, and shared tools that increase effective collaboration among systems analysts, developers, and operations staff Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  4. Cross-organizational resource sharing — negotiates shared technology resources and joint development efforts across organizational boundaries to achieve economies of scale O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Collaborative governance design — architects IT governance bodies and decision-making forums that structurally embed cross-functional collaboration into technology strategy processes Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Partnership ecosystem leadership — cultivates strategic alliances with external technology partners, academic institutions, and industry peers that generate collaborative innovation for the organization Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Collaboration culture advocacy — champions inclusive, psychologically safe team environments across the IT function and models collaborative leadership behaviors for all IT managers Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  4. Organizational alignment brokering — serves as the primary bridge between IT and executive leadership, translating organizational strategy into collaborative technical execution plans Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
6Character16 statements
Emerging
  1. Data handling integrity — treats sensitive user data, system credentials, and organizational information with strict confidentiality in all daily interactions O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Accountability initiation — acknowledges own errors in project planning or technical decisions promptly and takes corrective action without external prompting Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Professional conduct modeling — maintains respectful, consistent behavior toward direct reports, peers, and users regardless of operational pressure Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  4. Ethical vendor interaction — discloses organizational relationships and constraints transparently during vendor discussions to avoid conflicts of interest O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Security-first decision making — upholds data security and access control principles even when business pressure favors expediency over protection O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Transparent communication of problems — reports system failures, project delays, and staffing issues to leadership honestly and with complete relevant context Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Equitable personnel practices — applies consistent evaluation criteria across all staff during performance reviews, hiring, and disciplinary decisions O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Commitment reliability — follows through on commitments made to business unit partners and internal teams, renegotiating openly when circumstances change Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Ethical technology stewardship — ensures that data security, privacy protections, and disaster recovery provisions are implemented as organizational obligations, not optional controls O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Accountability culture establishment — holds direct reports to clear behavioral and performance standards and addresses deviations consistently and fairly Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Conflict of interest management — identifies and recuses from procurement or vendor decisions that present personal conflicts of interest, documenting rationale transparently O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Professional integrity under pressure — maintains ethical decision-making standards during high-stakes incidents such as security breaches or major system failures Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Organizational ethics leadership — establishes IT department codes of conduct, ethical AI and data use policies, and whistleblower protections that reflect genuine commitment to integrity Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Character mentoring — actively develops ethical reasoning capability in IT managers by debriefing real dilemmas and modeling principled decision-making under ambiguity Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Systemic accountability architecture — designs performance management and incident review systems that reinforce individual and team accountability without fostering blame culture Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Trust-based organizational reputation — builds and maintains a reputation for the IT organization as a trustworthy, transparent partner that executives and users can rely on unconditionally Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
7Creativity16 statements
Emerging
  1. Workflow improvement ideation — proposes initial process improvement ideas for departmental operations based on observed inefficiencies and technical capabilities Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Alternative solution generation — generates more than one technical approach to a user problem before selecting a resolution path O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Technology exploration — investigates emerging tools and platforms speculatively to assess their potential application to organizational needs O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Novel priority framing — reframes competing IT requests as design problems with creative resourcing solutions rather than zero-sum trade-offs Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Infrastructure innovation proposal — designs IT architecture options that solve business problems in non-obvious ways by combining available technology components creatively Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Process redesign — reimagines departmental workflows by challenging inherited assumptions about how systems support, development, and operations should be structured O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Technology adoption experimentation — pilots emerging technologies in controlled environments to generate organizational learning before committing to full deployment O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Creative staffing solutions — designs flexible team structures or role configurations that address talent gaps without conventional full-time hiring O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Strategic technology innovation — identifies and pursues technology investments that create new organizational capabilities rather than solely maintaining existing infrastructure Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Disaster recovery innovation — designs creative resilience architectures that provide recovery options beyond conventional backup and failover assumptions O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Cross-domain solution design — applies concepts from adjacent technical domains or industries to create novel approaches to persistent IT management challenges Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  4. User experience transformation — reimagines how IT services are delivered to internal users by redesigning support, provisioning, and access processes from a user-centered perspective O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Technology strategy invention — creates organizational technology strategies that anticipate capability needs not yet articulated by the business, positioning IT as a proactive innovation driver Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Innovation infrastructure design — builds organizational mechanisms including labs, hackathons, and vendor co-development programs that institutionalize creative technology experimentation Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Creative leadership cultivation — develops creative thinking capability in IT managers and technical staff through structured innovation challenges and protected experimentation time Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  4. Ecosystem creativity — generates novel partnership and platform strategies that create technology-enabled competitive advantages unattainable through conventional procurement approaches Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
8Growth Mindset16 statements
Emerging
  1. Technology learning commitment — proactively reads industry publications, attends webinars, and completes online modules to stay current with advances in computing and information systems O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Feedback receptivity — receives critical feedback from senior leadership or peers on project or personnel decisions without defensiveness and identifies specific adjustments to make Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Challenge acceptance — volunteers to manage projects that require developing technical or managerial competencies not yet fully mastered Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  4. Setback reframing — treats project delays or technology failures as information-generating events rather than indicators of fixed limitations Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Structured self-development — pursues certifications, formal courses, or mentorship relationships aligned to identified gaps in technical knowledge or management capability Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Iterative improvement orientation — applies lessons from post-project retrospectives and incident reviews to measurably improve subsequent project and operations outcomes Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Organizational learning promotion — encourages direct reports to view errors as learning opportunities by conducting psychologically safe post-mortems that focus on systemic improvement Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  4. Peer learning engagement — actively participates in professional networks and industry communities to exchange learning with counterparts at other organizations O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Continuous capability development — maintains an evolving personal and departmental learning roadmap that anticipates future technology and management competency requirements Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Failure normalization — leads departmental culture in treating controlled failures as valid learning inputs by institutionalizing blameless post-mortems and sharing findings transparently Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Stretch assignment design — creates developmental assignments for IT staff that build new capabilities by placing them at the productive edge of their current competence Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Resilient persistence — sustains focused effort on long-horizon infrastructure programs and organizational change initiatives through extended periods of resistance or setback Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Learning organization architecture — designs organizational systems, incentives, and rituals that embed continuous growth as a defining feature of IT department culture Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Mastery mentoring — coaches IT managers and senior technologists through sustained developmental relationships that accelerate their growth into expanded leadership and technical roles Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Enterprise growth narrative — articulates and champions a compelling organizational story about IT capability growth that attracts talent and secures executive investment in development Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  4. Adaptive strategy leadership — models and teaches the department how to embrace strategic pivots driven by new information rather than defending original plans when evidence warrants change Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
9Mindfulness16 statements
Emerging
  1. Attention management in incidents — maintains focused, sequential attention during active system incidents rather than fragmenting response across simultaneous unrelated tasks Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Emotional regulation in conflict — recognizes personal stress responses during difficult vendor or personnel conversations and applies stabilizing techniques before responding Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Intentional meeting presence — enters cross-departmental meetings with explicit awareness of listening objectives and manages internal distraction to sustain engagement Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Decision pacing — pauses before making consequential IT staffing or investment decisions to confirm that judgment is based on current evidence rather than reactive impulse Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Workload awareness — monitors own cognitive and emotional bandwidth across simultaneous project, personnel, and operational responsibilities and adjusts commitments proactively Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Present-moment technical review — brings focused attention to project plan and system architecture reviews, resisting the pull of interruption to ensure thorough evaluation Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Emotionally regulated feedback — delivers performance feedback and corrective guidance to technical staff with intentional tone calibration that separates facts from frustration Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  4. Situational awareness in operations — maintains continuous awareness of departmental system status, team health, and project trajectory without requiring crisis to prompt attention O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Intentional leadership presence — brings deliberate attentiveness to interactions with direct reports, vendors, and executives, demonstrating that each interaction receives full cognitive engagement Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Stress-state recognition — identifies early indicators of team burnout or operational overload and intervenes before performance degradation or attrition occurs Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Mindful change management — navigates organizational technology transitions with full awareness of the human emotional dimensions of change, not only the technical and logistical components Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  4. Regulated high-stakes judgment — maintains clear, evidence-based decision-making under incident pressure or executive scrutiny by applying practiced attention and emotional regulation techniques Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Mindful culture stewardship — creates departmental norms that protect focused work time, limit reactive interruption, and sustain team cognitive health as a strategic resource Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Organizational stress sensing — develops systemic mechanisms for detecting and responding to team wellbeing and cognitive load signals across the entire IT organization Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Mindfulness mentoring — coaches IT managers in attention regulation and emotional intelligence practices that improve their effectiveness in high-stakes technical and interpersonal situations Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  4. Intentional strategic reflection — schedules and protects dedicated reflective time for strategic thinking that is insulated from operational reactivity, producing higher-quality long-range planning Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
10Fortitude16 statements
Emerging
  1. Incident persistence — maintains composure and sustained effort during extended system outages or security events without abandoning diagnostic rigor under time pressure Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Uncertainty tolerance — proceeds with IT planning and staffing decisions in conditions of incomplete information rather than waiting for certainty that is unavailable Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Resistance management — continues pursuing necessary operational improvements despite initial resistance from staff or peer departments Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Difficult conversation initiation — initiates performance conversations with underperforming technical staff despite the discomfort of potential conflict Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Project adversity navigation — sustains leadership effectiveness and team direction during multi-month projects experiencing budget cuts, scope changes, or resource losses Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Regulatory and audit endurance — maintains operational continuity and team morale during extended compliance audits, security assessments, or regulatory inquiries O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Technology failure recovery — leads the department's emotional and operational recovery following major system failures, restoring confidence and momentum without minimizing accountability Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  4. Courageous advocacy — presents unpopular but technically sound recommendations to executive leadership, including security investments and infrastructure risks, without softening the message Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Sustained transformation leadership — leads multi-year technology transformation programs through phases of resistance, setback, and organizational fatigue while maintaining strategic direction Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Crisis command — exercises clear, decisive leadership during simultaneous high-severity incidents, maintaining team stability and systematic response when pressure is highest Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Organizational courage — champions necessary but politically difficult IT decisions including legacy system decommissioning, vendor termination, or personnel restructuring in the face of organizational inertia Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  4. Resilience modeling — demonstrates visible, authentic perseverance during prolonged organizational adversity that sustains team morale and commitment to mission Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Fortitude culture development — institutionalizes resilience practices including disciplined incident response, structured recovery processes, and team psychological safety that build collective organizational endurance Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Adversity leadership mentoring — prepares IT managers to lead with composure and effectiveness during crises by providing coaching, simulation, and post-incident developmental feedback Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Strategic courage under sustained pressure — maintains the integrity of the long-term technology strategy through extended periods of budget constraint, executive skepticism, or competitive disruption Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Organizational resilience architecture — designs IT systems, staffing structures, and operational redundancies that make the technology organization structurally resistant to disruption rather than dependent on individual heroics Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Sources:Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Show O*NET source anchors64 anchors · skillscrosswalk.com

O*NET enrichment · skillscrosswalk.com

Suggest an O*NET correction

Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Application Development Director · Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) · Computer and Information Systems Manager · Computer Operations Manager · Computer Programming Manager · Computer Security Manager · Computer Systems Information Director · Computing Services Director · Consulting Technical Director · Cyber Workforce Manager · Cybersecurity All-Source Collection Manager · Cybersecurity All-Source Collection Requirements Manager
RAPIDS apprenticeships
—
O*NET skills
Critical ThinkingReading ComprehensionActive ListeningJudgment and Decision MakingMonitoringSpeakingCoordinationWritingComplex Problem SolvingSystems AnalysisSystems EvaluationSocial PerceptivenessManagement of Personnel ResourcesTime ManagementActive LearningLearning StrategiesOperations AnalysisMathematicsPersuasionInstructingNegotiationManagement of Financial Resources
Knowledge domains
Computers and ElectronicsCustomer and Personal ServiceAdministration and ManagementEngineering and TechnologyEnglish LanguagePersonnel and Human ResourcesMathematicsEducation and Training
Abilities
Inductive ReasoningDeductive ReasoningProblem SensitivityOral ExpressionWritten ComprehensionOral ComprehensionInformation OrderingWritten ExpressionNear VisionSpeech Clarity
Work styles
DependabilityLeadership OrientationAttention to DetailIntegrityInnovationIntellectual Curiosity
Technology
Customer relationship management CRM softwareDesktop publishing softwareWeb platform development softwareObject or component oriented development softwareData base management system softwareData base user interface and query softwarePortal server softwareDevelopment environment softwareVideo creation and editing softwarePresentation software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Direct daily operations of department, analyzing workflow, establishing priorities, developing standards and setting deadlines.
  2. Meet with department heads, managers, supervisors, vendors, and others, to solicit cooperation and resolve problems.
  3. Review project plans to plan and coordinate project activity.
  4. Assign and review the work of systems analysts, programmers, and other computer-related workers.
  5. Provide users with technical support for computer problems.
  6. Develop computer information resources, providing for data security and control, strategic computing, and disaster recovery.
  7. Recruit, hire, train and supervise staff, or participate in staffing decisions.
  8. Stay abreast of advances in technology.
CIP education codes
11.010111.010311.040111.070111.080211.090111.100111.100211.100311.100530.080130.160130.310130.390130.700152.020552.120152.120652.120752.129952.2101

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.