Engineering manager tasks

Your tasks as an engineering manager 

The role of engineering manager is one of the higher positions in the technical and engineering field. Engineering managers work at the interface between strategic planning and operational business, combining elements manager jobs and engineering jobs. But what do they do exactly? 

Engineering manager – job description 

As an engineering manager, you're responsible for the technical and financial planning of technical development projects, followed by the management of the project team during implementation. 

What does an engineering manager do? 

Engineering managers work in a variety of fields and have similarly diverse responsibilities. But regardless of whether it's software or construction, mechanical engineering or a completely different sector altogether, engineering managers are an indispensable part of many projects when it comes to ensuring everything runs smoothly. Their tasks include: 

• Technical and economic supervision of a project throughout all project phases 
• Planning and coordination of the individual sub-projects including their interfaces between the different parties involved 
• Ensuring adherence to deadlines for individual work activities 
• Coordination of the project team during project implementation 
• Implementing the requirements of management and reporting on the progress of the project 
• Ensuring adherence to compliance guidelines, legal requirements and standards 
• Monitoring of planning and realisation while ensuring cost, quality and time objectives are respected 

Engineering managers act as the line of communication between top management and the employees directly involved in the project. While management keeps an eye on the progress of the project as a whole and the overall strategic direction, the project team handles the specific details of implementation and has to deal with constantly changing circumstances, external influences and problems that emerge over the lifespan of the project. Engineering managers bring these two worlds together. On the one hand, they know the strategic goals of management and are able to communicate these to the project team and translate them into concrete project activities. On the other hand, they're in direct contact with all project participants, know their individual needs and can represent the team to management. 

What skills does an engineering manager need? 

Working as an engineering manager involves a variety of different activities and therefore demands a number of highly developed individual skills. Key competencies include: 

• Technical expertise – for flawless project planning and support 
• Strong communication skills – both for the coordination of the project team, communication of project specifications and reporting to the project managers 
• Ability to work in a team and leadership qualities – to encourage each individual team member and systematically implement the project specifications 
• Ability to work independently – engineering managers make a huge number of decisions, sometimes under time pressure and with incomplete information 

Since engineering managers have to be so versatile, most companies prefer individuals with relevant professional experience, for example from within the industry or project management.