A product manager job description records what the role is accountable for, not every task a product manager touches in a week. Most are written as long lists of activities borrowed from the last incumbent, which is why they are out of date by the time they are signed. This page sets out what to put in one, using the structure from my guide to the job description and the standard described in the product manager competency framework.
I use the US term job description here. In Australia the same document is usually called a position description, and everything below applies unchanged. The job description vs position description page covers the wording differences.
What is a product manager job description?
A product manager job description is a short written record of why the product manager role exists, the outcomes it is accountable for across product direction, priorities, delivery and results, and the essential requirements of doing it well.
Product manager is one of the least standardised titles in any organisation. O*NET has no separate occupation for it. It lists "Product Manager" among the reported job titles for marketing managers, whose tasks include evaluating the financial aspects of product development and consulting with product development personnel on product specifications.
That list describes activities. A job description needs the outcomes behind them, which change far less often.
A note on terminology. A competency framework is also called a competency model, especially in the United States. I use competency profile for the competencies and required levels for one role, and competency matrix for the grid of required against current proficiency. Usage varies by region, and I explain the differences in this competency model definition.
What is the purpose of a product manager role?
The purpose statement is one or two sentences that say why the role exists. The NSW Government describes a role description as a short summary of a job that explains why the role exists and what outcomes it delivers, and the NSW guidance on creating a role description is a sound model for the wording.
The UK Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework says a product manager makes sure that their products provide value and achieve the right outcomes by balancing user and business needs. A workable purpose for a product manager draws on that idea:
To decide what the product does next and why, by balancing user needs and business outcomes, so that the team builds the right thing and the organisation can show it delivered value.
What accountabilities should a product manager job description include?
Five to seven accountabilities is enough. Each one is written as an outcome that someone could check, not as a duty. The same framework lists the core of the role as working with multidisciplinary teams, making decisions on priorities and making sure teams comply with standards. The table shows how common product manager tasks convert into outcomes.
| Task people usually list | Accountability written as an outcome |
|---|---|
| Writes the product roadmap | The team and its stakeholders share one prioritised direction, and changes to it are explained |
| Talks to customers and users | Decisions rest on evidence of user needs, and the evidence is recorded where the team can use it |
| Works with engineering and design | Trade-offs are made jointly and early, and the team can explain why it built what it built |
| Tracks product metrics | The measures that show whether the product is working are defined, reported and acted on |
| Manages stakeholders | Stakeholders know what is coming, what is not, and why |
The how to write a job description page walks through the steps and the review checklist for this part.
What essential requirements should it list?
O*NET places marketing managers, the occupation that carries the product manager title, in Job Zone Four. Its description says most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. That is a useful caution. A degree is common, not universal, so list one as essential only if the work cannot be done without it.
Keep the essential list short and separate from the desirable list.
- Essential: experience owning a product or a significant part of one, experience making and explaining prioritisation decisions, and experience working with engineering and design colleagues.
- Desirable: experience in the organisation's sector or customer segment, which can be learned in the first months.
What competency profile fits a product manager?
The job description says what the role is accountable for. The competency profile says what standard the role needs, and it selects from the organisation's framework rather than inventing new competencies. Written together they form a role profile. The levels below use a four-level scale and are illustrative. Set them against your own framework.
| Competency | Required level | What it looks like in this role |
|---|---|---|
| Product strategy and direction | Level 3 | Sets the direction for one product and links each priority to a user or business outcome |
| Discovery and user insight | Level 3 | Decides when there is enough evidence to commit, and gathers more when there is not |
| Prioritisation and decision making | Level 3 | Orders competing demands and defends the order to people who disagree |
| Delivery partnership | Level 3 | Works with engineering and design to settle trade-offs without escalating routine ones |
| Data and measurement | Level 2 | Defines product measures and uses them to adjust decisions |
Do not confuse these proficiency levels with role levels. The UK framework describes five product manager role levels, and rates each skill on four ascending levels. The role level says how big the job is. The proficiency level says how well a competency is held.
What a product manager job description is not
It is not a task list, a job advertisement, a performance review or a competency profile. Each of those answers a different question, and mixing them is the main reason these documents become unusable.
Where do product manager job descriptions go wrong?
- Task inventories. The list grows with every tool and process the team adopts, until nobody can tell what the role is for.
- Project manager in disguise. The role is described as running delivery and tracking tasks, when the accountability is for what gets built and why.
- Levels set by seniority. Required levels are inflated to justify a grade, instead of being set by scope, autonomy and complexity.
Starting from the job description template avoids the first, and the job description examples show the same structure applied to other roles.
What are the trade-offs when writing one?
Outcome wording takes longer to write than a task list. It pays back at review time, because outcomes survive a change of tools, teams and methods.
A product manager description also has to fit the product. An internal platform, a consumer app and a regulated service share the title but not the users or the measures. Write for the product you have, and let the competency profile hold the common standard.
FAQ
What is the difference between a product manager and a project manager job description?
A product manager job description is accountable for what is built and why, and for whether it delivers value. A project manager job description is accountable for delivering an agreed scope on time and within budget. The competency profiles differ accordingly.
How long should a product manager job description be?
One to two pages. A purpose statement, five to seven accountabilities, a short essential and desirable list, and a pointer to the competency profile is enough.
What qualifications does a product manager need?
There is no single standard. O*NET says most occupations in the group that carries the title require a bachelor's degree, but some do not. List one as essential only if the work needs it.
Is a product manager job description the same as a position description?
Yes. Position description is the common term in Australia and job description is the common term in the United States. The content and structure are the same.