What are the Different Development Manager Jobs?

The various terms used to describe development manager jobs may refer to a number of different positions. Though the job titles are similar, the development manager job descriptions for each role will be quite different. Some of the roles covered under the development manager jobs title are business developer manager, application development manager, development project manager, and product development management.

In the case of business development manager jobs, the positions usually center on sales and marketing, and these are not frequently technical roles. People in this role may be charged with researching and building new markets to find new opportunities for a company’s products and services. Business development managers may manage relationships with customers, rather than supervising subordinates. In some organizations, they may oversee relationships with strategic third parties to leverage the third parties’ expertise in a technology or market.

Application development manager jobs are comprised of highly technical duties, and the manager will usually supervise a team of developers. The application development manager will review subordinates’ job performance, and may also guide training and employee development activities. She frequently assigns subordinates to projects based on skill level and availability. The application development manager assumes a leadership role in the organization, and she may need to both fully understand business operations and promote her department to her business partners. She should maintain a long term outlook and align her department's skills and training to what she perceives to be future technology and development needs.

Development project managers are devoted to day-to-day managerial tasks for the duration of a project. A person in this role does not necessarily have subordinates reporting to him. He is responsible for all aspects of a development project, including initializing the scope, requesting funds, developing a schedule, requesting estimates, obtaining work-completed updates, managing the financial budget, and ensuring the application is implemented successfully. The development project manager must work closely with both the business unit that requested the application development and the project team. Depending on the nation, region, or organization, project management certification may be available and may be a requirement for development project manager jobs.

A fourth role that falls under the development manager jobs category is that of a product development manager. This role is part of a marketing department’s planning activities. People working as product development managers may be involved in generating concepts for new products and launching that product into the marketplace.