Are both level 7? Are these positions considered on par?
GM means you run product and engineering. Most GMs are Director-level. Sometimes Principal PMs and Sr. SDMs will be given “mini” GM roles to get them on that track.
Does that mean that Director level is better? GM tends to grow into a Director?
(Ignoring the exceptions for a moment). All GMs are Directors, but all Directors are not GMs. It’s rare for a principal to stay at that level for long if they are being given a GM role.
In other words, why do they have two titles? My guess is Director is clearly higher than a GM. Would you agree?
Director may oversee multiple services, so some GMs will report into a director whether they are L7 or L8. In some cases, director reports into another director if their scope is narrower.
There is also a Director of PM role that is L8
Director