What does a senior product engineering manager do?
The primary tasks of a senior product engineering manager include the design, prototype, authentication, and implementation of new products. Senior product engineering managers the capital plan and budget of the organization. They lead the efforts of technicians and engineers or other team members of the organization to ensure the successful completion of engineering projects. It is expected for them to possess skills and knowledge in project management, product development, application development, and process improvement.
Senior product engineering manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real senior product engineering manager resumes:
- Manage all internal and BSI external ISO auditing activities.
- Manage a group of engineers that design semi-custom commercial / industrial HVAC and refrigeration equipment.
- Maintain engineering documents per ISO procedures.
- Demonstrate the first commercial implementation of next-generation design software utilizing level-set methods to model and correct manufacturing errors in semiconductor photomasks.
- Define requirements for divisional SharePoint projects and collaborate on high level design and testing of new software projects.
Senior product engineering manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 18% of Senior Product Engineering Managers are proficient in Control Systems, Product Management, and Java. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of Senior Product Engineering Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Control Systems, 18%
Supervised 10 engineers and technicians developing new microcomputer-controlled engine control systems, interfacing with Chrysler.
- Product Management, 9%
Worked directly with Product Management and Marketing teams to develop product specifications and marketing collateral for communication to external customers.
- Java, 5%
Managed small team of Java developers to design and develop custom applications supporting Conditional Access and Interactive TV applications.
- SR, 5%
March, 2006 Lattice Semiconductor San Jose, CA to Sr.
- Product Development, 5%
Directed product development and market entry into integrated environmentally controlled power systems and turnkey EF&I off-grid solar energy installations.
- Continuous Improvement, 5%
Supported Packaging Engineers on continuous improvement opportunities that were efficiency and customer improvement driven.
Most senior product engineering managers use their skills in "control systems," "product management," and "java" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential senior product engineering manager responsibilities here:
Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a senior product engineering manager to have is analytical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "architectural and engineering managers evaluate information to solve problems." Senior product engineering managers often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "support analysis-led integrated product development by initiating and developing cross-group or cross-department work processes and training within the company. "
Communication skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling senior product engineering manager duties is communication skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "architectural and engineering managers must effectively convey information and expectations related to projects." According to a senior product engineering manager resume, here's how senior product engineering managers can utilize communication skills in their job responsibilities: "host the communication meetings (ic, hardware system, software, qa)"
Math skills. A big part of what senior product engineering managers do relies on "math skills." You can see how essential it is to senior product engineering manager responsibilities because "architectural and engineering managers use calculus and other mathematics to develop new products and processes." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical senior product engineering manager tasks: "used 3d cad, magnetic fea, mathematical modeling, flux and gaussmeters to optimize performance and determine best application solutions. "
Organizational skills. Another common skill required for senior product engineering manager responsibilities is "organizational skills." This skill comes up in the duties of senior product engineering managers all the time, as "architectural and engineering managers keep track of many workers, schedules, and budgets simultaneously." An excerpt from a real senior product engineering manager resume shows how this skill is central to what a senior product engineering manager does: "evaluated developer technology and organizational structure for development of new ip for projects ranging $1m-$50m+ dollars. "
See the full list of senior product engineering manager skills
The three companies that hire the most senior product engineering managers are:
Choose from 10+ customizable senior product engineering manager resume templates
Build a professional senior product engineering manager resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your senior product engineering manager resume.
Compare different senior product engineering managers
Senior product engineering manager vs. Research and development manager
A research and development manager is responsible for supervising project development procedures to support business operations and identify business opportunities that would pave the way for more revenue resources and profits. Research and development managers monitor the production plans from the conceptualization to the final outputs, inspecting inconsistencies and flaws in every phase and revising strategies as needed to achieve the required specifications and requirements. They delegate tasks to the staff, oversee progress, and conduct research and development programs to maximize productivity and team efforts.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between senior product engineering managers and research and development manager. For instance, senior product engineering manager responsibilities require skills such as "control systems," "product management," "sr," and "continuous improvement." Whereas a research and development manager is skilled in "customer service," "project management," "patients," and "c++." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Research and development managers really shine in the professional industry with an average salary of $143,083. Comparatively, senior product engineering managers tend to make the most money in the automotive industry with an average salary of $151,474.research and development managers tend to reach similar levels of education than senior product engineering managers. In fact, research and development managers are 3.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 5.0% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Senior product engineering manager vs. Design manager
A design manager is responsible for creating graphic and digital designs, following clients' specifications, and managing project deliverables efficiently. Design managers work closely with the marketing and public relations department, developing strategies to promote the brand to the target audience. They coordinate with the creative team and present the design ideas to the management, ask for final approval, perform revisions as needed, and follow the budget goals. A design manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills to handle the design team's concerns and needs.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real senior product engineering manager resumes. While senior product engineering manager responsibilities can utilize skills like "control systems," "product management," "java," and "sr," design managers use skills like "sketch," "project management," "visualization," and "user experience."
On average, design managers earn a lower salary than senior product engineering managers. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, design managers earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $121,279. Whereas senior product engineering managers have higher pay in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $151,474.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Design managers tend to reach lower levels of education than senior product engineering managers. In fact, they're 12.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 5.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Senior product engineering manager vs. Product lead
A product lead is responsible for monitoring the development of new products and services of an organization, starting from brand conceptualization to official market release and distribution. Product leads identify effective product management by conducting data analysis and evaluating market statistics of customer demands. They coordinate with the clients on their specifications and requirements, including the budget limit and timely deliverables. A product lead manages the brand promotion on media platforms, creating content that adheres to the target audience.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a senior product engineering manager is likely to be skilled in "control systems," "sr," "product engineering," and "seo," while a typical product lead is skilled in "project management," "architecture," "digital marketing," and "cloud."
Product leads earn the highest salary when working in the hospitality industry, where they receive an average salary of $129,039. Comparatively, senior product engineering managers have the highest earning potential in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $151,474.When it comes to education, product leads tend to earn similar degree levels compared to senior product engineering managers. In fact, they're 3.3% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 1.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Senior product engineering manager vs. Product director
The duties of a product director depend on one's place or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around overseeing the product development operations to ensure smooth flow and efficiency, devise strategies to improve processes, gather relevant data such as sales and customer feedback, and coordinate with different departments in developing new products and services. Furthermore, as a director, it is essential to lead and encourage departments to meet goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations, including its mission and vision.
Types of senior product engineering manager
Updated January 8, 2025
