Manager Capabilities

Strategy

The ability to develop a clear technical direction that aligns with broader business goals. This includes setting and communicating a vision for the team, as well as making decisions that support the long-term success of the organization.

M3: Ensures the team’s work aligns with company strategy. Collaborates with leadership and product to define team objectives that support broader organizational goals.
M4: Aligns multiple teams toward common strategic goals and ensures team objectives support company direction. Balances short-term product goals with long-term technical health.
M5: Develops and executes long-term technical strategies that support product vision. Aligns engineering efforts with business priorities and ensures teams work toward the same goals.
M6: Develops and communicates a technical vision that supports company strategy. Represents engineering’s perspective at the executive level and helps influence product strategy.

Culture

The ability to foster a positive team culture that values collaboration, learning, and growth. This includes creating an inclusive environment, providing opportunities for professional development, and promoting a culture of continuous improvement.

M3: Creates a positive and supportive team culture. Encourages collaboration and ensures the team adheres to company values and cultural expectations.
M4: Fosters a strong product engineering culture within the teams, ensuring alignment with company values. Encourages collaboration and team cohesion across sub-teams.
M5: Promotes a strong engineering culture that aligns with company values. Ensures that growth and change are managed while maintaining the company’s core values and team dynamics.
M6: Establishes and maintains a strong engineering culture that reflects the company’s values. Drives initiatives to attract and retain top talent while promoting a healthy, collaborative environment. Collaborates actively with HR/People Ops.

Planning & Resource Management

The ability to plan and manage resources effectively to deliver projects on time and within budget. This includes setting clear goals and priorities, allocating resources appropriately, and adapting plans as needed to meet changing requirements.

M3: Allocates team resources effectively and ensures delivery commitments are met. Works with product managers to scope and define team objectives, managing capacity well.
M4: Effectively manages resources across multiple teams or sub-teams, ensuring that cross-team dependencies are handled smoothly and timelines are met. Plans ahead to balance current and future resource needs.
M5: Manages budgets and hiring plans at the department level, ensuring that resources are allocated effectively across teams to meet both short-term and
M6: Manages resources across the organization, ensuring alignment with strategic goals. Effectively balances resource allocation for large-scale, cross-functional initiatives and ensures that planning supports long-term growth.

Collaboration & Teamwork

The ability to work effectively with others, including cross-functional teams, and to build strong relationships based on trust and respect. This includes communicating clearly, offering support and feedback, and fostering a collaborative and inclusive team environment.

M3: Facilitates communication between the team and other departments, ensuring a steady work rhythm that keeps the team productive. Collaborates well with product managers and stakeholders.
M4: Ensures collaboration between teams and aligns them towards shared objectives. Keeps multiple teams or sub-teams working effectively, with consistent communication and coordination.
M5: Ensures collaboration across multiple teams or departments, aligning efforts with business goals. Keeps a steady rhythm of work across the department and resolves cross-team dependencies effectively.
M6: Ensures alignment across the engineering organization, maintaining strong communication and collaboration with other departments. Maintains a consistent rhythm of work to meet strategic goals.

Leadership & Coaching

The ability to inspire and motivate others to achieve their best work, and to provide guidance and support for professional growth. This includes setting clear expectations, offering constructive feedback, and creating opportunities for team members to develop their skills and advance their careers.

M3: Regularly conducts 1:1s and provides feedback that helps the team grow. Supports team members’ career development and addresses performance issues when necessary.
M4: Provides coaching and mentorship to both individual contributors and team leads or managers. Supports their growth and ensures performance feedback is regular and effective.
M5: Coaches senior managers and team leads effectively, providing regular feedback and career development guidance. Ensures leadership development and talent growth are consistent with team and department goals.
M6: Coaches senior leaders and managers effectively, focusing on their growth and effectiveness. Ensures leadership growth aligns with long-term company strategy and organizational goals.

Technical Expertise

The ability to provide technical leadership such that teams make sound technical decisions. This includes understanding the underlying principles of systems and technologies, as well as the ability to learn and apply new tools and technologies effectively.

M3: Ensures team’s technical decisions are aligned with product goals and user needs. Participates in technical discussions and reviews as needed to guide the team effectively.
M4: Stays involved in the technical direction of multiple teams, ensuring alignment with best practices and product goals. Provides technical oversight and supports high-level decisions.
M5: Provides high-level technical oversight for the department, ensuring that technical decisions are forward-looking and aligned with industry best practices. Keeps the team focused on long-term technical health.
M6: Stays technically relevant by keeping up with industry trends and ensuring that the organization’s technical strategies are aligned with future opportunities. Provides leadership in guiding the company’s technical evolution.