What's my job title?

July 16, 2007 8:59 AM

Job / Group Title help: I have a hybrid job, currently called "Maintenance Director / Project Manager", but we're looking to fix that up a bit.. what's best?

So I was hired on to a company that wants me to do two different roles kind of split-time:

1) Project Manager - easy enough to title!

2) "Maintenance Director" .. what's that? Well, we do web applications / content management system type stuff for clients. When clients ask us to make updates, add features, etc, we currently call that "Maintenance", but my boss is looking for a better name because things like additional sections / features aren't really maintenance. I will be managing the group that handles this.

So, 2 questions:

1) What would you call this group? "The Maintenance Group" just doesn't sound great. It's also somewhat inaccurate since new functionality isn't "maintenance" in the same way that bug fixes, text changes, etc are.

2) What's the best job title for my business card / resume? is "X Director / Project Manager" OK? Do I just put "X Director" because director sounds better?

posted by twiggy to work & money (5 comments total)

Group: Content Management
Title: Director - Content Management

Simple!
posted by Burhanistan at 9:03 AM on July 16, 2007

I disagree. "Director - Content Management" implies that you're in the creative end of things, dealing with content. "Director" also often has the connotation that you are in charge of a group; if you're not and you don't want to create the illusion that you are with clients (which is perfectly fine, if that's what you're going for), I'd avoid that specific title.

The second part of your job is what's known as Release Management, so you could go with something like "Project and Release Manager".
posted by mkultra at 10:14 AM on July 16, 2007

When clients ask us to make updates, add features, etc, we currently call that "Maintenance"

I've been at two different places where they call that sort of thing "professional services". Not the most specific term, but I think most business types probably know what it means in the context of software development.

Do I just put "X Director" because director sounds better?

If you think it sounds better, then yeah, go for it. I think it is not uncommon for people with that job title to do some project management as well.
posted by sfenders at 11:07 AM on July 16, 2007

I would call the second part of your job "configuration management" or "change management", and if you can get away with "Director of $FOO", I'd say go for it.
posted by genehack at 5:06 PM on July 16, 2007

Mods Director?
posted by yoga at 5:37 PM on July 16, 2007