Product Manager Types

Product Management is a dynamic and integral discipline in the world of business. At its core, it's about envisioning, creating, and delivering products that meet the needs and desires of customers while achieving strategic business goals. Product managers act as the orchestrators of this process, navigating the complex intersection of customer insights, stakeholder expectations, and the technical capabilities of development teams. They are, in essence, the architects of a product's success.

Product managers’ responsibilities encompass a wide spectrum, from defining the product vision and strategy to guiding the day-to-day development efforts. They are the custodians of the user experience, ensuring that a product not only functions seamlessly but also delights its users. This multifaceted role requires strong communication skills, a deep understanding of market dynamics, and the ability to make critical decisions that impact a product's success.

While the core responsibilities of product managers remain relatively consistent, the field of product management has undergone significant evolution, leading to the emergence of distinct roles. In essence, one size no longer fits all when it comes to product management. It's essential to recognise that for each specific role, understanding the type of product manager needed is pivotal for achieving effectiveness and success.

Here are some of the key specialised product management roles, reflecting the diversity and depth of expertise in this field:

1. Technical Product Manager: These product managers bring technical prowess to the forefront, overseeing highly complex and technology-driven products. They collaborate closely with engineering teams to ensure alignment with technical requirements. This role can be a natural fit for individuals with strong technical backgrounds, such as engineers or developers.
2. Consumer Product Manager: Focused on creating products for end-users, these professionals excel in enhancing user experiences, conducting market research, and integrating customer feedback into product improvements. They are adept at capturing the pulse of the consumer market, aligning product strategies with evolving needs and preferences.
3. Enterprise Product Manager: Enterprise product managers excel at building products tailored for businesses and organisations, navigating the intricacies of scalability, security, and integration. They focus on delivering solutions that drive efficiency and productivity in enterprise settings.
4. Generalist Product Manager: These adaptable professionals are masters of the end-to-end product management journey, from concept to launch. They excel at crafting clear product visions, strategies, and roadmaps while successfully executing and launching products. What sets them apart is their remarkable ability to pivot seamlessly across industries, domains, customer segments, and technologies. They swiftly adjust product roadmaps and launch plans to respond to evolving customer needs and industry trends, making them invaluable assets in dynamic markets. They are quite likely to have previously undertaken several of the other roles on this list.
5. Platform Product Manager: Platform product managers concentrate developing and maintaining robust, developer-friendly platforms that serve as the foundation for an array of products and services. They focus on creating ecosystems where other products thrive, ensuring seamless integration and scalability. With a keen eye on both technical and strategic aspects, they empower businesses to build upon a strong foundation.
6. UX/UI Product Manager: These product managers are experts in crafting visually appealing and user-friendly products, collaborating closely with designers to ensure top-notch user experiences. This role can be a good fit for UX/UI designers moving into product management.
7. Data Product Manager: Data product managers thrive in data-driven environments, specializing in products related to data collection, analysis, and reporting, often working closely with data scientists and engineers. This role might fit former data analysts and data engineers.
8. Hardware Product Manager: Focusing on tangible products like smartphones or IoT devices, hardware product managers play a pivotal role overseeing everything from the inception of the product, through its development, to efficient distribution. They guide the journey of physical products, ensuring they meet the highest standards of quality and functionality, and ultimately reach the hands of satisfied customers.
9. E-commerce Product Manager: These experts optimise the online shopping experience, managing features like online catalogues, shopping carts, payment processing, and order fulfilment. E-commerce PMs are dedicated to crafting seamless, user-friendly online environments where customers can explore, purchase, and receive products with ease, fostering loyalty and driving revenue growth.
10. Mobile App Product Manager: These PMs are dedicated to crafting user-friendly and functional mobile applications, catering to platforms like iOS and Android. They have specialist knowledge about how to navigate the intricacies of mobile app development, ensuring that users have intuitive and satisfying experiences. Mobile app PMs bridge the gap between design and functionality, delivering apps that captivate and retain users.
11. Growth Product Manager: Growth product managers are all about user acquisition and retention, employing data-driven strategies to expand user bases and revenue. Professionals with backgrounds in marketing or business development often succeed in this role.
12. Legacy Product Manager: Focusing on improving older products, legacy product managers address issues and plan for product migration or sunsetting. Product managers with a track record in product revitalisation and strategic planning are well-suited to this role.
13. Non-Technical Product Manager (Physical Goods): For those managing non-technical products like physical goods for manufacturers, these product managers oversee everything from product design to production and distribution. They are responsible for ensuring the quality and successful delivery of tangible products to meet customer demands and market standards. This role demands a keen eye for design, production efficiency, and effective distribution strategies to deliver tangible products that satisfy customers.

Product Manager - Role - Fit (The Right Product Manager)

In the ever-evolving landscape of product management, it's essential for hiring managers to recognise that there's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all Product Manager. Even a Generalist PM isn't going to be a great fit if what you need is an experienced Growth PM. The diversity of roles and specialisations within this field provides a rich tapestry of skills and expertise. As you consider bringing a product manager on board, take a moment to reflect on the unique needs of your project or organisation. Are you developing a cutting-edge technology product that demands a deep technical understanding, or do you require a consumer product manager skilled at enhancing user experiences? Perhaps your focus is on enterprise-level solutions, in which case an enterprise product manager would be invaluable. Understanding the variety of product management roles that exist, and aligning the specific expertise of a product manager with the demands of your project, will help you find the perfect candidate for your team's needs.