Roles in Product Management
From Product Management School
Product Management does not have a particularly well defined structure.
Many of the job titles are interchangeable and mean different things within different organizations. Large organizations may have dedicated Product Management teams with a VP of Product Management sitting on the executive board. Smaller organizations could just have a single Product Manager that carries out the full scope of roles for one product.
That said, here are the most commonly specified Product Management roles and what they actually entail.
Contents |
Junior Product Manager
This role can also be known as a product analyst or an associate product manager. This role is generally taken on by a graduate that has just finished their degree.
They usually do not have overall responsibility for strategy. They will usually be tasked with owning single features in a product release. This would entail defining the feature; controlling the functional direction; writing the specification; and managing the feature through to release and beyond. They will also be given the opportunity to carry out benchmarking; market analysis; and competitive analysis. They may be mentored by a Product Manager.
Product Manager
The product manager role generally requires 3-5 years previous experience in a product management role. Degrees in Business and/or Engineering are the usual requirement.
The product manager takes on a bigger vision and more responsibility. They are normally responsible for the overseeing of all activities associated with the lifecycle of a particular product. Additionally they have to guide a cross-functional team to generate and implement new product initiatives and increase the profitability of the existing products. This may or may not be done under the supervision of a Lead Product Manager.
Lead Product Manager
This role usually requires 6-8 years’ experience of product management. Degrees in Business and/or Engineering are the usual requirement; additionally an MBA is sought after.
Lead Product Managers have largely the same responsibilities as Product Managers. In addition, their role involves managing/mentoring product managers, as well as taking a fuller role in strategizing and execution of the product roadmap for the short, medium and long term..
Director of Product Management
Also known as Director, Product Management this role usually requires about 10-15 years of experience in product management.
A Director of Product Management is likely to be responsible for a large proportion if not all of a product line. Responsibility here lies with creation of an overall strategic roadmap. They manage a team of Lead Product Managers, Product Managers and Junior Product Managers. They ensure that the Product Management process that is in place fosters activities that result in compelling products being produced.
VP of Product Management
Also known as VP, Product Management this role is a member of the of the executive team of the business. Considerable experience in product management and business is required for this senior role.
This is a strategic role that leads the definition, development, and implementation of the businesses product strategy. Often have direct responsibility for the profit and loss for every product in the business portfolio.
