Principal TPMs are rare, with strong engineering background or life-long career in project management. TPM is basically a project manager, with nowhere to grow past senior level other than eventually move to eng or PM and learn substantial technical or business skills. Agree?
It is an overhead role. The career path is limited. This role will either report in to engineering or product management.
Would a TPM role actually lead back to engineering past a senior level? Seems like a hard stretch only for the very best that use those relevant skills as a TPM
No
It would be a parallel move, at best. This is my original point: getting to principal level is probably easier if you stay on eng or PM track. If you are senior TPM, you have to make a choice and prove yourself as a senior eng/PM to get promoted, which takes years. Otherwise, you are stuck, as principal TPM is a unicorn.
I believe it’s the other way around. TPMs can easily transition into a director/executive role.
Hello Steel-man, are you talking about moving away from FANG into non-FANG companies? OR are you saying TPM's can move into exec roles within FANG?
From what I have seen, TPM's are mostly retirees on the job...
TPM is an IC role. I agree with principal TPM being a unicorn — you have to be technically superior, domain expert \ SME and also be a project management guru. It is super hard. I have seen folks transitioning to SDM. That is hard in itself too. So I agree TPM is a dead end role one I am currently stuck at and would like to transition out of.
Very interesting thread as I was thinking of moving into this role. Now I'll reconsider.
Some organizations don't even respect and regard the role as something of a value add to the team. That is why the growth prospects are rare.
Whats is the difference between PM and TPM? On another note, MS has a lot of Principal PM and Principal SDM..What is the difference between Principal PM and Principal SDM?
I found to be interesting -www.mariogerard.com/technical-program-managers-vs-product-managers-vs-product-managers-technical-vs-engineering-managers/
Manager of TPM is a popular track