In the era of Product Management, many people aspire to become product managers and want to learn all the necessary skills.
Having a clear understanding of the different types of product managers is crucial for identifying potential opportunities and making informed decisions.
Before getting into this topic, let’s first deep dive to understand in general Who is product manager and what product managers do and where exactly they lie.
Product Managers are responsible for crowdsourcing, developing and curating ideas that will deliver value to customers.
A product manager is a role that oversees all stages of the software product development cycle, starting from initial product and customer discovery to ideation, development, launch, and beyond. As you can see in the below image, the Product Manager is an intersection point between customers and stakeholders. Product manager responsibility is to focus on product outcomes instead of business outcomes because:
Business outcomes are lagging indicators and measure business performance
Product outcomes are leading indicators and measure human behaviour
Product outcomes are within the influence of the team
Type of Product management are listed below:
a)Digital Product Manager
b) Product Marketing Manager
c) Growth Product Manager
d) Technical Product Manager
e)AI Product Manager
f) Data product Manager
g) Product Owner
h) Product Operating Manager
i) UX Product Manager
Seniority levels in product management
Product managers hold different job titles. These are often related to their level of seniority.
Some common roles include:
Associate/Junior Product Manager – an entry-level role focused on assisting with product development, gathering insights, and learning the basics of the trade.
Mid-Level Product Manager – a seasoned role with experience in driving product strategy, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and taking ownership of feature development.
Senior Product Manager – experienced role responsible for leading product vision, strategy, and execution, often overseeing multiple products.
Product Lead – a senior role that combines leadership and product expertise, guiding teams to align product development with business objectives.
Group Product Manager – a leadership role overseeing a group of product managers, fostering collaboration, and ensuring product alignment within a specific portfolio.
Director of Product Management – an executive role that involves managing a team of product managers, setting department goals, and aligning product efforts with organizational strategies.
VP of Product Management – a high-level executive role responsible for shaping the overall product vision, strategy, and direction across the organization.
Chief Product Officer– executive role at the top level, overseeing all aspects of product development, strategy, and management, and often having a significant influence on the company’s overall direction.
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