roles
Group Product Manager (GPM)
Primary Role:
Manages multiple PMs and owns a product portfolio
Reporting Relations:
Reports to Director/VP
Decision Making Authority:
Roadmap authority across portfolio
Stratigic Planning
Drives portfolio-level planning
Team Management:
Manages 2–5 PMs
Meeting Involvment:
Leadership team contributor
Project Management:
Oversees parallel product tracks
Communication:
Org-wide alignment
Professional Development:
→ Director of Product
Chief Product Officer (CPO)
Primary Role:
Executive accountable for product vision, growth, and long-term differentiation
Reporting Relations:
Reports to CEO; board-facing
Decision Making Authority:
Enterprise-level product authority
Stratigic Planning
Defines company-wide product vision
Team Management:
Leads full product leadership org
Meeting Involvment:
Executive + board leadership
Project Management:
Portfolio and M&A input
Communication:
External thought leadership; investor comms
Professional Development:
→ CEO
Product Lead
Primary Role:
De facto head of product in small org or startup
Reporting Relations:
Reports to CEO/Founder
Decision Making Authority:
Full product decision authority
Stratigic Planning
Owns company product vision
Team Management:
May manage 1–3 PMs/designers
Meeting Involvment:
Executive team participant
Project Management:
Owns all product initiatives
Communication:
Internal + external (customers/investors)
Professional Development:
→ Head of Product / VP