The managing engineer path focuses on team and organizational leadership.
Regardless of the level, all managers are fundamentally measured by whether their team(s):
- build the right thing the right way
- foster growth, productivity, and excellence
- operate as a black box while offering full observability
A Team Lead manages a team according to agile principles. They are learning the ropes of people management and are proficient project managers. As a leader they track the team's efficiency and quality of work and work alongside their teammates to ensure timely delivery of high quality work. They should be focused on making a 10x impact on the team; which can only be done by empowering others, optimizing processes, and identifying the highest impact projects.
Technical Ability: Still primarily focused on writing code, they should start identifying bottlenecks in the process and roadblocks to success for their team and clearing these roadblocks. They are capable of owning technical design for projects of moderate complexity. They hold a depth of knowledge in systems that enables them to debug those systems effectively without issues. In addition to writing consistently high-quality (i.e. largely bug free, idiomatic, performant, secure, architecturally sound, appropriately abstracted) code they are aware of industry best practices and trends, and have acquired at least one major skill outside of their core area expertise such as monitoring, documentation, integration testing, visual design, performance optimization.
Technical Scope: They are responsible for complex tasks and complete them despite roadblocks, grabbing others for help or insight as necessary. The Team Lead requires very little oversight beyond high-level direction; they can take a complex user story, break it down into the necessary tasks, and complete it with relative ease.
In particular, leaders in this role are capable of identifying the most high-value projects and keeping their team focused on these projects. As part of keeping the team focused, the Team Lead will partner closely with the product team to manage project scope and ensure the technical deliverables are met. In addition to focusing on the performance of their current team, they assist with any hiring and recruitment efforts for their team.
Communication: The Team Lead gets support from their manager. They focus on developing skills to manage team members with different skill sets from their own. They communicate expectations clearly to all team members, and they solicit and deliver individual feedback frequently. Additionally, they identify areas of technical debt, do the cost/benefit analysis for resolving this debt and communicate suggested timelines for prioritizing this to the Product and Engineering teams.
Responsibilities:
- Run a productive, agile team
- Run sprint-cadence team meetings
- Track team and individual performance metrics
- Offer professional development (1:1s and performance reviews) for individual contributors
- Assist with hiring / people management
- Implement minor process improvements
- Project planning and management
- ~80% direct contributorship
The Engineering Manager is a senior manager responsible for running several teams. They are comfortable with management practices and are strong project managers. As a leader they track the team's efficiency and quality of work, and they assist in regularly adjusting processes and timelines to ensure high-quality work is delivered.
Technical Ability: The Engineering Manager will spend less time writing code, but there is an expectation that they still engage in some technical deliverables such as bug fixes and small features, without blocking or slowing down the progress of their team. More than writing code, they hold responsibility for identifying bottlenecks in the process and roadblocks to success for their team. They work actively to clear these roadblocks.
Technical Scope: This role is expected to have a large impact on the success of their team as a whole. In particular, leaders in this role are capable of identifying the most high-value projects and keeping their team focused on these projects. As part of keeping the team focused, the Engineering Manager will partner closely with the product team to manage project scope and ensure the technical deliverables are met. In addition to focusing the team, they are capable of identifying headcount needs for the team and planning and recruiting to fill these needs.
Communication: The Engineering Manager is an independent manager. They are comfortable managing team members with different skill sets from their own. They communicate expectations clearly to all team members and solicit and deliver individual feedback frequently. Additionally, they identify areas of technical debt, do the cost/benefit analysis for resolving this debt and communicate suggested timelines for prioritizing this to the Product and Engineering teams.
Responsibilities:
- Everything a team lead does plus...
- Run periodic meetings (Team OKRs, Term/Year retros)
- Build tools to enable tracking of performance metrics
- Manage individual contributors
- Implement major process improvements
- 20-80% direct contributorship
- CTO (C-Suite): The CTO is responsible for the management of IT, R&D and data, steering product development, and ensuring the organization's technology aligns with its business goals.
- VP (Executive VP): They are charged with overseeing the design, development, and delivery of software applications, ensuring platform stability, and owning the technical team's strategic vision.
- Director (Manager 7): The Director of Engineering plays a crucial role in managing the software engineering teams and ensuring that software delivery aligns with the company's and team's long-term objectives. This position focuses on enhancing team efficiency, defining clear metrics for team effectiveness, and managing service level agreements.
The Director of Engineering plays a crucial role in managing the software engineering teams and ensuring that software delivery aligns with the company's and team's long-term objectives. This position focuses on enhancing team efficiency, defining clear metrics for team effectiveness, and managing service level agreements.
Strategic Execution and Contribution:
- Independently execute and contribute to the long-term vision within their functional area with minimal oversight from VP-level leadership.
- Proactively identify opportunities and challenges, making strategic decisions that align with the broader goals of the organization.
- Oversee the development and prioritization of non-functional roadmaps, balancing long-term infrastructure enhancements with immediate operational needs.
- Collaborate with other directors and senior leaders to ensure that the roadmap aligns with overall business priorities and technological trends.
People Management and Talent Acquisition:
- Lead and develop their teams with a focus on building management and technical capabilities.
- Cultivate a positive and productive work environment, promoting a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Implement effective talent management strategies, including recruitment, retention, professional growth, and succession planning.
- Directly responsible for hiring and assembling a skilled team to meet the strategic and operational needs of their department.
Team & Process Design:
- Ensure the efficiency and flexibility of their teams by adapting processes and resources to meet changing demands and opportunities.
- Foster a responsive team environment where agility and continuous learning are prioritized to meet business needs.
Metrics Optimization and Reporting:
- Define clear metrics that measure team and platform effectiveness and align with organizational objectives.
- Regularly analyze and report these metrics to upper management, providing insights and recommendations for improvements.
- Ensure continuous improvement in service delivery and user satisfaction.
- Manage their segment of the platform to meet or exceed committed Service Level Objectives (SLOs) and Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
- Ensure high availability and performance standards to deliver consistent, reliable service to users.
Responsibilities:
- Deliver roadmap projects on time, within budget, and in alignment with quality standards
- Run of a group of teams focused on a sector of the business
- Define relevant performance metrics, agile project management skills
- Manage team leads and engineering managers
- Manage hiring efforts and provide input on staffing plans
- Set department mission, vision and OKRs
- Manage vendor and external relationships
- Less than 20% direct contributorship with a focus on strategic, high-impact contributions
The VP of Engineering is essential for fostering a culture of innovation and operational excellence within the development teams. They are charged with overseeing the design, development, and delivery of software applications, ensuring platform stability, and owning the technical team's strategic technology vision.
Leadership and Team Management:
- Lead and manage internal development teams, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence in software engineering.
- Mentor and develop team leads and senior engineers, ensuring professional growth and alignment with business objectives.
- Drive recruitment efforts to attract top-tier talent and build high-performing teams.
Software Development Oversight:
- Oversee the design, development, and delivery of software applications that meet the needs of both internal stakeholders and external customers.
- Implement best practices in software development processes, including Agile and DevOps methodologies, to enhance productivity and efficiency.
- Ensure the delivery of projects on time, within budget, and in alignment with quality standards.
Platform Stability and Reliability:
- Ensure the highest levels of platform stability and reliability through robust architecture and proactive maintenance strategies.
- Develop and implement comprehensive disaster recovery and business continuity plans to minimize downtime and maintain operational excellence.
- Monitor and optimize system performance, scalability, and security to support growing business demands.
Technology Strategy and Innovation:
- Collaborate with the CTO and other technology leaders to align software development initiatives with the company's technology strategy.
- Drive innovation in software engineering practices, incorporating emerging technologies and methodologies to enhance product offerings and operational capabilities.
- Lead research and development initiatives that contribute to long-term technological advancements.
Quality Assurance and Compliance:
- Ensure that all software developed adheres to the highest standards of quality and meets compliance requirements.
- Implement rigorous testing and validation processes to ensure the functionality and security of applications.
- Continuously monitor and update compliance and quality assurance standards in response to evolving industry trends and regulatory changes.
The CTO is responsible for the overarching management of IT, R&D and data, steering product development, and ensuring the organization's technology aligns with its business goals. The CTO is also responsible for driving transformative, "step-function", changes in their team. This role not only involves leading internal and external AI strategies but also acting as the public face of the company's technological initiatives.
Strategic IT Management and Development:
- Oversee the management and strategic direction of the organization's IT infrastructure and data.
- Accountable for the development and enhancement of products and services for both internal operations and external customers.
- Directly driving transformative change in the engineering organization.
AI Strategy Implementation:
- Lead both internal and external AI strategies, ensuring measurable outcomes and alignment with business objectives.
- Develop a differentiated AI roadmap that leverages technological innovations for competitive advantage.
Executive Leadership and Technological Vision:
- Serve as the public face of the company's technological vision, representing the company in tech-industry forums and public discussions.
- Provide sound technical leadership across all aspects of the business.
- Develop and execute a comprehensive technology strategy utilizing technological resources to drive business growth.
- Identify and integrate cutting-edge technologies to maintain and enhance competitive edge.
- Ensure alignment of technology, products, and services with the company's overarching business goals.
- Act as the principal technology architect, setting the architectural direction and leading innovation initiatives.
Information and Cybersecurity Oversight:
- Oversee the organization's information security, cybersecurity, and technology security strategies.
- Develop, implement, and enforce robust security policies to protect critical data and infrastructure.
- Minimize organizational security risks and ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations.
- Continuously monitor regulatory changes to maintain compliance status and adapt strategies as necessary.