Product Manager Levels
How to use this doc:
This is your roadmap. Find your current level, understand what's expected, and see what it takes to reach the next one. Use this when setting quarterly goals.
Every level builds on the previous one. You don't lose skills as you level up - you add new ones.
Quick Reference
| Level | Core Question | Primary Focus |
|---|---|---|
| IC0 - APM | Can you ship tasks with guidance? | Learning product craft |
| IC1 - PM | Can you ship features independently? | Execution |
| IC2 - Senior PM | Can you own a product area? | Product strategy |
| IC3 - Lead PM | Can you drive multi-product strategy? | Vision & influence |
| IC4 - Principal PM | Can you set company direction? | Company-wide impact |
| M1 - PM Manager | Can you grow a team of 3-5 PMs? | Team success |
| M2 - Senior PM Manager | Can you scale PM org (10-15)? | Org building |
| M3 - Director of Product | Can you own entire product portfolio? | Business outcomes |
IC Track: Individual Contributor
IC0 - Associate Product Manager (APM)
You are here if: You're learning product management. You execute pieces of the product process with guidance.
What you do:
- Scope: Given tasks with clear guidance ("Write user stories for login flow using this template")
- Discovery: Help with user research. Tag along on interviews. Synthesize feedback.
- Delivery: Own small features. Write specs with heavy review. Track progress.
- Collaboration: Work closely with PM mentor. Support eng/design on execution.
Success looks like:
- You ship small features on time
- Your specs are clear enough that eng can build from them
- You run standups and keep team unblocked
- You're learning the product craft every week
Path to IC1: Focus on:
- Run 10 user interviews independently - Synthesize findings into product insights
- Ship 3 features end-to-end - Spec → Launch → Measure impact
- Learn one product framework per month - Jobs-to-be-done, RICE, North Star metric, etc.
Example quarterly goal (IC0): "Run 10 user interviews, synthesize into 3 validated problem statements. Ship onboarding flow redesign that increases activation from 60% to 70%."
IC1 - Product Manager
You are here if: You ship features independently. You understand user problems. You execute reliably.
What you do:
- Scope: Own features end-to-end ("Increase user retention in week 1")
- Discovery: Run user research. Validate problems. Prioritize solutions.
- Delivery: Write specs. Ship features. Measure outcomes. Iterate based on data.
- Collaboration: Work with eng/design as peers. Communicate status clearly.
Success looks like:
- Features you ship move metrics (activation, retention, revenue)
- Eng and design trust your judgment
- You identify and solve user problems, not just ship requests
- Stakeholders don't wonder what you're working on
Path to IC2: Focus on:
- Own a product area - Not just features, but ongoing strategy (e.g., "onboarding")
- Drive metric improvement - Ship 2-3 initiatives that measurably improve a key metric
- Influence roadmap - Pitch and land 1-2 ideas that weren't on the roadmap
Example quarterly goal (IC1): "Own onboarding product area. Ship 3 experiments that increase week-1 retention from 40% to 50%. Run 20 user interviews to identify next set of opportunities."
IC2 - Senior Product Manager
You are here if: You own a product area. You set strategy. You drive business outcomes.
What you do:
- Scope: Own entire product areas ("Own checkout experience, $5M revenue impact")
- Discovery: Define product strategy. Run discovery to find high-impact opportunities.
- Delivery: Ship roadmaps, not just features. Drive cross-functional initiatives.
- Collaboration: Influence stakeholders. Work with leadership. Partner across product.
Success looks like:
- Your product area directly impacts company OKRs
- Leadership trusts you to set direction, not just execute
- You unblock teams through clarity and prioritization
- Other PMs learn from how you work
Path to IC3: Focus on:
- Drive multi-quarter strategy - Ship initiatives that span 2-3 quarters
- Influence product org - Set standards, run guilds, improve how PMs work
- Partner with executives - Present strategy to exec team, get buy-in
Example quarterly goal (IC2): "Ship checkout redesign that increases conversion from 8% to 12% ($2M ARR impact). Define 12-month payments roadmap. Present quarterly strategy to exec team."
IC3 - Lead Product Manager
You are here if: You drive strategy across multiple products. You influence beyond your team. You set vision.
What you do:
- Scope: Own multi-product strategy ("Define our marketplace strategy across 3 products")
- Discovery: Set product vision. Identify company-level opportunities. Shape roadmaps.
- Delivery: Coordinate across teams. Ensure coherent product experience. Drive complex initiatives.
- Collaboration: Partner with exec team. Influence company strategy. Mentor PMs.
Success looks like:
- Your strategy impacts multiple teams and millions in revenue
- PMs across the company seek your input on hard problems
- You shape what the company builds over the next 1-2 years
- You develop other PMs into senior+ level
Path to IC4: Focus on:
- Set company-wide product direction - Define what the company builds for next 2-3 years
- Drive transformational initiatives - Things that change the business trajectory
- Build product culture - How PMs work, hire, grow across the company
Example quarterly goal (IC3): "Define marketplace strategy for next 18 months. Ship v1 marketplace that generates $1M GMV in first quarter. Develop 2 IC2 PMs into product leaders through mentorship."
IC4 - Principal Product Manager
You are here if: You set company product direction. You drive transformational outcomes. You're a product leader.
What you do:
- Scope: Own company-level product strategy ("Define our AI strategy across all products")
- Discovery: Identify market opportunities. Shape company vision. Define what we build.
- Delivery: Drive initiatives that span the entire company. Ensure product excellence.
- Collaboration: Partner with CEO/exec team. Represent product in strategic decisions.
Success looks like:
- Your decisions shape the company's future
- Product strategy you set impacts every team
- Company hits product-market fit or reaches new market because of your work
- You build product leaders, not just execute
What's next:
- CPO (Chief Product Officer) - Own all of product
- M1 Manager - Transition to managing PMs (see Manager track below)
Example quarterly goal (IC4): "Define and launch AI product strategy. Ship AI features that unlock new $10M market segment. Build product excellence framework adopted by all product teams."
Manager Track
M1 - Product Manager (Manager)
You are here if: You manage 3-5 PMs. Your success = their success + your team's impact.
What you do:
- Scope: Drive outcomes through your team. Grow 3-5 product managers.
- Team: Run 1:1s, goal setting, performance reviews. Hire 1-2 PMs/year. Develop talent.
- Product: Set direction for your area. Review specs and strategy. Less hands-on PM work.
- Ownership: Team ships impact. PMs are growing. Team morale high.
Success looks like:
- Your team consistently ships features that move metrics
- 1-2 PMs level up each year
- PMs want to work on your team (retention + reputation)
- You unblock your team through clarity and prioritization
Path to M2: Focus on:
- Grow your team from 3 to 6-8 PMs - Hire well, onboard fast, develop
- Level up 2 PMs - IC1→IC2 or IC2→IC3
- Drive major product initiative - Something that takes 2+ quarters, multi-team
Example quarterly goal (M1): "Hire 2 IC1 PMs with start dates before Q3. Level up Maria from IC1 to IC2. Ship marketplace v2 that increases GMV by 30%."
M2 - Senior Product Manager (Manager)
You are here if: You manage 10-15 PMs (2-3 teams or 1-2 PM managers under you). You scale product org.
What you do:
- Scope: Own multiple product areas. Coordinate teams. Build product org structure.
- Team: Manage managers or multiple ICs. Standardize PM practices. Build culture.
- Product: Set product vision across areas. Ensure coherent experience. Strategic, not tactical.
- Ownership: Product org delivers business outcomes. Talent pipeline healthy. Processes scale.
Success looks like:
- Multiple teams execute high-quality work without constant oversight
- You've built a PM pipeline (people want to join, people are growing)
- Product quality and impact improved since you took over
- Other PM leaders learn from your org
Path to M3: Focus on:
- Scale impact across entire product portfolio - Influence all product areas
- Develop 1-2 PM managers - Grow IC3s into M1s or M1s into M2s
- Drive company-wide product excellence - Set standards, processes, culture
Example quarterly goal (M2): "Reorganize 12 PMs into 2 teams with clear area ownership. Promote Alex to M1 and transition 5 PMs to them. Ship annual roadmap across payments + marketplace ($10M ARR impact)."
M3 - Director of Product
You are here if: You own the product portfolio. You manage 20-40 PMs (multiple managers). You set product strategy.
What you do:
- Scope: Own entire product strategy. Partner with CEO/exec team. Define what company builds.
- Team: Grow PM managers. Build world-class product org. Attract top PM talent.
- Product: Set product vision. Make build vs buy decisions. Ensure product-market fit.
- Ownership: Business outcomes. Product org health. Long-term product strategy.
Success looks like:
- Product org drives company growth (revenue, users, market expansion)
- PM managers under you are thriving and growing
- PMs want to work at your company (reputation as great PM org)
- CEO/board trusts your product judgment
What's next:
- VP Product - Own all of product at scale (50+ PMs)
- CPO - C-level product leadership
Example quarterly goal (M3): "Ship product strategy that unlocks $20M new market. Hire 2 senior PM managers. Reduce time-to-market by 30% through process improvements."
How to Use This for Career Growth
At quarterly 1:1s:
- Identify your current level
- Pick 2-3 things from "Path to Next Level"
- Make them your quarterly goals
- Track progress in biweekly 1:1s
Example: IC1 wanting to reach IC2
Current level: IC1 - shipping features, understanding users, executing reliably
Path to IC2:
- Own a product area (not just features)
- Drive metric improvement
- Influence roadmap
Quarterly goal: "Own onboarding product area end-to-end. Ship 3 initiatives that increase activation from 60% to 75%. Propose and get buy-in for mobile app onboarding (wasn't on roadmap)."
Common Questions
"I do some things at the next level. Does that mean I should be promoted?"
No. You need to operate consistently at the next level for 2-3 quarters before promotion. Shipping one senior-level project doesn't make you a senior PM.
"I've been at this level for 2 years. When do I get promoted?"
When you consistently demonstrate next-level impact. Time doesn't earn promotions - outcomes do. Use "Path to Next Level" to focus your efforts.
"What if I don't want to manage people?"
IC track goes to IC4 (Principal PM). You can have massive impact without managing. IC3/IC4 PMs often have more product impact than managers.
"Can I go from IC to Manager and back?"
Yes. Management is a role change, not a promotion. IC3 and M2 are roughly equivalent in seniority.
"What's the difference between IC3 and IC4?"
IC3 drives multi-product strategy. IC4 sets company-wide product direction. IC4 is rare - you're shaping what the entire company builds.
Product Manager vs. Product Leader
IC0-IC1 (PM): You ship features. You solve user problems. You execute.
IC2-IC3 (Product Leader): You set strategy. You drive business outcomes. You influence.
IC4 (Product Visionary): You define what the company builds. You shape markets.
Manager Track: You multiply impact through people. You build product orgs.
The transition from IC1 → IC2 is the hardest. You go from "ship this feature" to "what should we build and why?" Use your quarterly 1:1s to build that muscle.
Key Skills by Level
IC0-IC1:
- User research
- Writing specs
- Working with eng/design
- Shipping features
- Measuring outcomes
IC2-IC3:
- Product strategy
- Roadmap planning
- Stakeholder management
- Data-driven prioritization
- Cross-functional leadership
IC4:
- Product vision
- Market sensing
- Executive communication
- Organizational influence
- Building product culture
M1-M3:
- People management
- Hiring & developing talent
- Org design
- Process building
- Strategic delegation
TL;DR
- IC0-IC1: Learn to ship features that matter
- IC2: Own a product area, drive strategy
- IC3: Multi-product strategy, org-level influence
- IC4: Company-wide product direction
- M1-M3: Multiply through people
Find your level. Focus on 2-3 things from "Path to Next Level". Set quarterly goals. Execute.