What is an ITIL® Manager?

An ITIL® Manager is an individual who holds the Manager's Certificate in Information Technology (IT) Service Management. This certificate is part of the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL®) qualification scheme. ITIL® is a registered trademark of the United Kingdom Office of Government Commerce (OGC), and ITIL® best practices are often regarded as an accepted standard by organizations throughout the world.

In ITIL® version 2 (V2), the three levels of qualification are ITIL® Foundation, the initial and most basic qualification; ITIL® Practitioner, a more advanced qualification which may be obtained via a number of different study options; and ITIL® Service Manager. The ITIL® Service Manager level qualification is the most demanding qualification in ITIL® V2. The examinations required to qualify as an ITIL® Manager are essay-based exams that are usually taken after a 10-day training course. The two exams required are titled Service Support and Service Delivery, and the candidate must achieve a pass mark in both of these in order to achieve the ITIL® Manager qualification.

In ITIL® version 3 (V3), the ITIL® Manager qualification has been replaced by a new qualification, the ITIL® Expert in IT Service Management. The ITIL® Expert level is, like the ITIL® Manager qualification it replaces, the third level of certification. This level is attained by means of taking a number of modular examinations, which each provide credit points towards ITIL® Expert certification.

Individuals who have previously attained the ITIL® Manager certificate on ITIL® V2 may cross train to the equivalent ITIL® Expert level on ITIL® V3. Such individuals may have their knowledge and expertise recognized by sitting a bridging examination to demonstrate knowledge of ITIL® V3. The bridging examination is called the ITIL® V3 Managers Bridge examination. An ITIL® Manager who has successfully passed the Bridge examination may then continue on to train and be certified to the new Master level, the highest level of V3 certification, in which candidates must demonstrate an ability to apply the ITIL® concepts and processes to new areas.

The use of ITIL® service delivery and ITIL® management do not necessarily require to be implemented by an individual with the formal ITIL® Manager or ITIL® Expert qualification. Many organizations run ITIL® service desk facilities with staff trained only to ITIL® Foundation level. Investing in training staff to the higher level qualifications do, however, often bring benefits to an organization in terms of more successful and thorough application of the ITIL® best practices.