Management skills key to e-government

Softer management skills are more important than technical skills in senior e-government roles, such as e-champion and head of ICT, according to the Delivering Local E-government report from Socitm.

The study warns that a lack of clarity about how e-government should be managed, and the roles at the heart of e-government, will add to the risks of failure for e-government programmes.

The role of e-champion is to promote service transformation and to set the strategic direction.

Organisational awareness, relationship building, communicating, customer service, leadership and influencing are all necessary skills for an e-champion, said the report.

On the other hand, the head of ICT is responsible for developing technical infrastructure, delivering operational services and for setting e-government strategic direction.

"The head of ICT must possess the professional expertise required to deliver operational services and be able to manage performance and projects," said the report.

Socitm also noted that leaders of the two positions must demonstrate emotional and strategic intelligence, skills in strategic working and a solid political understanding.

And if that wasn't enough, the report added: "In fact the head of ICT or e-champion is expected to lead like the chief executive, have the analytical powers of the director of finance and be able to deliver the ICT service like the most effective service department."

The report pointed out that the majority of heads of ICT have come up through the ICT ranks, but that the skills they need for success have little to do with technology.

Tony Riding, author of the report, said in a statement: "The move to a more strategic role requires a shift from management to leadership and a need for much softer skills.

"The task of promoting and delivering e-government requires skills and behaviours more closely associated with chief executives than the traditional ICT role.

"This report helps explain how to balance on the e-government tight rope by providing a management framework as well as identifying the roles and responsibilities - and the skills - required to deliver e-government."