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 often share are the qualities I think really matter in this kind of role.

Here’s how I describe it to children in Year 5 and 6 at primary school (so aged 9 to 11). And don’t worry, the rest of this article is for grown-ups.

If you…

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

  • are a good listener (really paying attention when someone’s speaking)

  • are good at remembering things (like knowing when it’s your mum, dad, or sibling’s birthday)

  • are thoughtful (like saying thanks to a teacher, assistant, or anyone who’s helped you)

  • often look out for people (like noticing someone who looks a bit sad in the playground and checking they’re okay)

  • help others get things done (like giving your friends a hand when you’ve finished your class work early)

...then you already have the qualities of a great delivery manager.

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

 

First, what is a Delivery Manager?

A delivery manager helps teams do their best work, not by controlling the work, but by supporting the people doing it. It’s a role rooted in care, clarity, and collaboration.

That support can look different depending on the team and the moment, but here are some of the things I focus on as a delivery manager:

  • Keeping things moving without rushing or overwhelming

  • Helping people stay connected, across disciplines and roles

  • Protecting focus and time, so the team isn’t pulled in ten directions

  • Spotting risks early, and naming them gently so we can plan (not panic)

  • Noticing how people are feeling, and checking in before things become a problem

A good — no, great — delivery manager pays attention to both the people and the work rather than treating them as separate things.

 

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.

Whilst you may already consider yourself to be good/great/amazing at these things, wonderful. If you scan this list and they’re a worry, it’s important to recognise you might just need to find a way to learn these things.

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. You’ll need to share ideas with a whole range of people work in different teams and organisations, at different levels and with different views that your own.

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. Learning to be good with numbers

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. This isn’t something you need on day 1, but it is something you might need to learn to be good at.

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. A really experienced delivery person who I asked to review an earlier version of this article mentioned they weren’t naturally organised, but quickly learnt things to help them, like understanding making useful lists and reading up on techniques like Kanban.

 

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.

 

What to read

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 closely 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 - a model for mapping who’s in and around your team, to build the right relationships.

  • Good Services by Lou Downe - 15 principles for designing clear, inclusive, end-to-end services that work for users.

  • Content Design by Sarah Winters - a guide to creating user-focused content that’s clear, accessible, and based on real needs.

  • The Agile Comms Handbook by Giles Turnbull - practical tips for simple, honest communication in agile teams.

 

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.

 

How to get experience

If you're not in a delivery role yet, look for opportunities where you could practise the craft:

  • Offer to run a stand-up, retro, or planning session for a colleague

  • Help a team clarify priorities or break down a chunky piece of work

  • Keep an eye out for blockers or miscommunications and gently step in

  • Be the person who asks, “Do we need to pause and check in?”

  • Shadow someone in a delivery or team facilitation role, if that’s an option

  • Volunteer your time to a club, team, charity etc that might need some help with organisation

And if you are in a delivery role already, but still finding your feet, that’s normal. It’s a job you grow into by listening, adapting, and reflecting.

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.

 

A few final words

To be balanced, it’s worth saying that if you find ambiguity frustrating, or feel overwhelmed when priorities shift quickly, this might not be the role for you, and that’s okay. Delivery management isn’t for everyone.

But if you're someone who’s curious, adaptable, entrepreneurial, or steady when others are stressed, you might feel right at home here. Comfort with ambiguity isn’t just a job requirement, it’s a quality you’ll find in strong leaders everywhere. Delivery management draws on those same strengths: making sense of uncertainty, bringing people together, and moving things forward with clarity and care.

You don’t need a certificate to begin, just a willingness to listen, experiment, and grow. Take your time. Find your own style. And remember: it’s okay to walk away if it doesn’t feel right. Whatever you choose, be kind to yourself and others along the way.

If this resonated with you, consider sharing it with someone else who’s thinking about this path.

Resources

Jon Rhodes
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The case for quiet delivery