Thinking about becoming a Delivery Manager?

Written By Jon Rhodes

Over the last year, more people have been asking me: is delivery management for me? It’s a brilliant role, but it’s not the right fit for everyone. This post is a collection of thoughts and advice from my 20 years in the job, written to help you work out whether delivery might be your thing, and how to get started if it is.

This is the most time I’ve spent writing and refining something. If it’s helpful, bookmark it, share it, and let me know.

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I spend a lot of time in schools, colleges and universities doing my piece to encourage children and young adults to consider working not just as a delivery manager but in the user centred design space in general. One thing I share are the qualities I think that I think are really important.

Here’s how I describe this to children in Y5 and Y6 at primary school, so 9 to 11 years old (and don’t worry, the rest of the article is written for people who’ve left school).

If you…

  • are super organised (like you know what lessons you have each day and what things you’re doing after school)

  • are a good listener (like being present and really listening to what someone is saying)

  • good at remembering things (like remember when it’s your mum, dad or siblings birthday)

  • thoughtful (like you say thanks to a teacher, assistant or someone else for doing, well, anything)

  • often look out for people (like if you spot someone in the playground looking a bit sad and ask if they’re ok)

  • help people get stuff done (like if you help your pals out if you’ve finished some class work before everyone else)

…then you have the qualities of being a delivery manager.

Right, let’s get into a bit more detail for any adults reading this.

 

7 core delivery skills that I think matter

After two decades of doing this kind of work I’ve boiled down the main skills that have been helpful for me. I see most, if not all, of these in the best delivery folk I’ve worked with and those that I look up to.

01. Empathy

If you don’t care about people, you’ll struggle. You’ll work with all sorts: stressed people, overwhelmed people, people trying their best but missing the mark. Your ability to understand where they’re coming from and support them (without taking it all on yourself) is core to the job.

02. Organisation

You won’t be managing one neat to-do list. You’ll be spinning plates across people, teams, tools, meetings, blockers and goals. You need to keep the important things visible, and help others do the same. You need to remember what you need to do next, context switching often.

03. Turning chaos into clarity

Often, you’ll walk into a mix of opinions, documents, plans, thoughts, and worries and your job is to help people understand what’s actually going on and what needs to happen. Listening well and reflecting back what you’ve heard clearly is a big part of that.

04. Being calm under pressure

You’ll see stress, conflict, and emotion all the time. Delivery roles often mean being the steady one when things heat up. Projects slip, people get upset. Things, often dates, change. You don’t have to be unshakeable, but you do need to be able to pause, breathe, and respond with clarity.

05. Understanding how to communicate

Some people need a chat, others a checklist. Not everyone works the way you do. Some need space, some need structure. You’ll need to read the room, flex your style, and know when to speak plainly and when to listen.

06. Being good with numbers

You’ll need to be good at understanding costs, contracts, commercials. You don’t need to be a spreadsheet wizard, but you do need to understand money: what things cost, what budgets and business cases mean, and how contracts and suppliers fit into the big picture.

07. Spotting risks

It’s your job to notice the “Hmm, that might be a problem” moments before they become real problems. It’s not about being pessimistic, it’s about spotting patterns and helping teams plan for the wobbles that always happen. Or even going with a gut feel on something.

My advice: You might be drawn to some more than others on this list, but if you are self-aware to know you’re limits with each one, I think you can practice most of these.

 

Networks over networking

The word networking makes me shudder and think of endless evenings nervously balancing a cup on a saucer waiting for things to be over. I am utterly terrible at networking and avoid them. I am not alone. My good pal Cam joked about only attending events with shrubbery he could hide behind. 

On the other hand I absolutely love having chats with people who work in broadly the same discipline or who do interesting work. I have no other goal other than having a chat and to listen more than I talk.

I generally read about interesting events on LinkedIn or on mailing lists that I’ve signed up to over the years. Almost all are indirectly related to delivery; maybe something about design, research, psychology, a project release or whatever it might be. I find I am more present at in-person events. Most remote sessions I now sign-up for aren’t work related.

There are some mighty fine conferences that are well worth thinking about. My absolute favourite, for many reasons but mainly it’s the one I feel most ‘me’, is Camp Digital. There isn’t often delivery-specific material, but it’s the always filled with wonderful people and the organisers put a real shift in to make it properly inclusive and accessible. Early bird tickets generally go on sale in early Spring and can save a few quid.

Personally I have no problems paying to attend events as they take time and cost money to organise. I appreciate the position of privilege I have saying that, but it’s an important point to make.

My advice: look for events where there’s talks, interviews or something alongside a networking element. Check any past events you’re interested in and see if the tone of the organisers sounds right for you and if any pictures show the sort of people you think you’d want to hang out with. I try to avoid events where a) any panel isn’t made up of people that look like me and b) any sponsors names make me feel disappointed. If you’re not enjoying it, leave -  your time is valuable.

 

Books

If you like books then this area is pretty thin on the ground. There’s only one which I’d recommend spending money on and that’s Delivery Management: Enabling Teams to Delivery Value by Jonny Williams. I’ve gotten to know Jonny reasonably well over the past few years and he’s crafted something that’s infinitely more usable than any course for a tiny fraction of the price. It’s on my list one day to write a book that I hope sits alongside this on any bookshelf.

There are some really great reads that are parallel to working in the delivery space, particularly if you’re interested in services that people use, or a user-centred design angle.

Here are my go to’s and they’re linked out in the Resources section at the bottom of the page.

  • The Team Onion by Emily Webber

  • Good Services by Lou Downe

  • Content Design by Sarah Winters

  • The Agile Comms Handbook by Giles Turnbull

 

Courses

Most people ask what courses they should do, often which ones they should pay for. I’ve done plenty of courses and exams and I wouldn’t recommend spending money on any of them to begin with, if ever.

My advice: Don’t pay for a course right away. There’s no shortcut to becoming a good delivery person and no certificate that proves you are one. The best way to learn is by doing. If you can, or want to, then spend any heard earned money from the books section above.

 

Don’t rush the seniority thing

I’m increasingly seeing people rapidly progress through roles. I’m torn on this, but it mainly makes me worry. I think some jobs - like delivery and project management - needs time, memories, stories and war stories as part of a natural development. I don’t think that experience has to be in the same role or role family, but I think it should be relevant and relatable. Bank everything you’ve done and think about how to tie it back to the core delivery skills mentioned at the start.

My advice: I waited six years before I even considered my first ‘senior’ role.. Looking back I still think that was right for me. Choose your own timings and don’t rush if you can.

 

Find your delivery style

I was style-less for more than a decade, repeating and copying more than anything else before realising that I needed to try and find my own style.

My advice: Try stuff. Stop doing the things you didn’t enjoy or you felt didn’t work. Do more of the stuff that people seemed to enjoy. Ask for feedback.

 

To add some balance to these words, if you dislike ambiguity, or get overwhelmed by juggling multiple priorities, this might not be the role for you. I think it’s important to share this, as it’s not everyone.

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If you’re curious about delivery management, remember it’s a role that suits those who genuinely care about people, enjoy turning chaos into clarity, and can keep calm when things get tough. It’s not always easy, but it’s deeply rewarding and you don’t need a certificate to get started. The best way to learn is by doing, listening, and adapting as you go. Take your time, find your own style, and don’t be afraid to try new things or walk away if it’s not for you. Most importantly, be kind to yourself and others along the way.

If you find this helpful, share it with someone else who’s thinking about this path.

Resources

Jon Rhodes
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The case for quiet delivery