Product Manager Job Description Template

A product manager discussing a new product launch with his colleague.

The best project managers understand the needs and desires of consumers and the technical processes required to develop and manufacture products and services that meet customer expectations. They’re able to assess the marketplace and drive high-quality engineering processes, while being great communicators and innovators who are also data- and results-driven.

How do you find these versatile professionals who need to be one part product designer, one part production engineer, and one part chief project advocate? By building a recruitment strategy that begins with a comprehensive product manager job description.

The template below contains a flexible listing of responsibilities, skills, and qualifications that top-performing professionals in project management are most likely to possess, all of which you can customize to craft the best possible description for your company’s needs. For more ideas on what to include in your job listing you can look through current job posts for product managers.

A product manager discussing a new product launch with his colleague.

Product Manager

[Intro Paragraph] Begin your product manager job description with a concise paragraph or list of bulleted items designed to sell your workplace to applicants. Are you an industry leader working on cutting-edge technology, a known brand with worldwide reach and lots of opportunity for advancement, or a fast-paced young startup developing cool gadgets in a creative workspace? Whatever makes your workplace special should be highlighted near the top of your job post.

This is also a great place to talk about your philosophy toward work-life balance, community service and engagement, career development and advancement, or diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Product Manager Job Responsibilities: In this section, you’ll want to use a bulleted list to explain the role’s responsibilities in order of importance, as illustrated below:

  • Leads product development, strategy, and redesign from concept through development and manufacturing to market launch.
  • Develops products by identifying potential products, conducting market research, generating product requirements, developing marketing strategies, and determining specifications, production timetables, pricing, and time-integrated plans for product introduction.
  • Determines customers’ needs and desires by specifying the research needed to obtain market information.
  • Recommends the nature and scope of present and future product lines by reviewing product specifications and requirements, appraising new product ideas and/or product or packaging changes.
  • Assesses market competition by comparing the company’s product to competitors’ products.
  • Provides source data for product line communications by defining product marketing communication objectives.
  • Obtains product market share by working with sales director to develop product sales strategies.
  • Assesses product market data by calling on customers with field salespeople and evaluating sales call results.
  • Provides information for management by preparing short-term and long-term product sales forecasts and special reports and analyses, and answering questions and requests.
  • Facilitates inventory turnover and product availability by reviewing and adjusting inventory levels and production schedules.
  • Brings new products to market by analyzing proposed product requirements and product development programs, preparing return-on-investment analyses, and establishing time schedules with engineering and manufacturing.
  • Introduces and markets new products by developing time-integrated plans with sales, advertising, and production.
  • Determines product pricing by utilizing market research data, reviewing production and sales costs, anticipating volume, and costing special and customized orders.
  • Works with marketing and sales departments to ensure product success and market growth.
  • Recruits, trains, and manages product team by planning, monitoring, and appraising job results.
  • Completes operational requirements and meets product development deadlines by scheduling and assigning employees, and following up on work results, including quality control and testing.
  • Identifies and manages new and existing product partnerships.
  • Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications and content, and participating in professional societies.

[Work Hours and Benefits] In this section you should aim to sell the position to potential applicants, just like the first section of your technical writer job description sold candidates on your workplace. Highlight the salary range, bonus potential, 401(k), and other benefits. To ensure that the salary range you mention is in line with similar salaries for product managers in your region, use a salary tool that allows you to input job title and location.

Product Manager Skills and Qualifications: In this section of your product manager job description, you should use a bullet list to articulate the required and preferred qualifications you are seeking in an ideal candidate. If the list gets long, consider breaking it into two separate lists labeled as “Required” and “Preferred.” Whether you use one list or two, begin with the most important skills you are seeking first, as illustrated below:

  • Product innovation and development track record
  • Project management skills
  • Customer focus
  • Budgeting and purchasing
  • Understanding of the marketplace
  • Technical and manufacturing know-how
  • Leadership and team management
  • Data analytics and metrics management skills
  • Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Strong communication, presentation, and public speaking skills
  • Organizational, planning, and documentation skills
  • Ability to work on multiple projects in various stages simultaneously
  • Experience drafting Product and Market Requirements Documents
  • Familiarity with Agile work management and/or the ability to effectively communicate complex processes within and across teams
  • Experience using computer-aided design (CAD) platforms
  • Experience using System Applications and Products (SAP) software

Product Manager Education, Experience, & Licensing Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in business, industrial engineering, or a field tied to the product’s sector (tech, finance, etc.) required, master’s in engineering or MBA a plus
  • 2-3 years relevant work experience, including project management experience
  • Prior management experience a plus
  • Certified Product Manager (CPM) or New Product Development (NPD) Professional Certification a plus
  • Experience using Agile/Scrum methodology and/or workflow management tools

[Call to Action] Your industrial engineer job description should finish strong with a call to action (CTA) that urges applicants to fill out an online application, and/or send a resume and cover letter to a designated recruiter.

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