Areas of Focus for Front-line Engineering Managers
Scope & Responsibilities
Annie is a co-author of Square (aka Block)’s Engineering and Engineering Management levels company-wide. For a more generic leveling framework, please refer to this post.
Most established companies have their version of an engineering ladder which displays a criteria of expectations for various roles. As a complement to this list, I’ve broken down the scope and responsibilities of a front-line engineering manager into focus areas to help new managers visualize the many aspects to be aware of in order to support a team to success.
A manager’s job is to build a team of engineers and lead the team to deliver value toward business goals. This expectation is intentionally vague because every company, team, individual, product, engineer is unique. Every situation requires a slightly different approach to resolve.
We can, however, build a rough framework as a starting point.
The role of the engineering manager requires one to identify an opportunity that adds value to a business mission, build the appropriate team, and support that team to deliver value towards defined goals.
This can roughly be broken down into 3 categories:
(1) Supporting the internal team,
(2) Representing the team externally, and
(3) Upholding company values and shaping the culture
[1] Internal Team
This area encompasses everything that relates to setting goals and directly managing the internal team.
A | Defining and Achieving Success: Product & Strategy
Forming engineering and product strategies (in partnership with product) that align with business goals
Partnering with Product to understand business goals and build a team charter to illustrate the team’s scope and direction matches those goals
Planning, setting milestones and goals, and measuring effectiveness of work delivered.
Driving focus and motivating the team to collaborate on the shared vision
Adapting to change to meet changing company or customer priorities
B | Execution
Prioritization
Understanding user needs, balancing engineering & product
Balancing short-term and long-term needs appropriately
Team Output
Roadmapping, Setting realistic milestones and hitting deadlines
Technical Excellence
Scalability, longevity. Performance, uptime
Productivity
Ensuring speed and effectiveness of team output
Protecting the team’s time and helping them stay focused
C | People Management: Collective Team Health
Hiring & Retention
Team Composition: Building a team that balances strengths, expertise, skill-levels that matches the needs of the team and what the team is trying to achieve.
Driving alignment: Collaboration and resolving conflict
Diversity & inclusion: building a diverse set of complementary skills and ideas
maintaining the appropriate level of urgency, and monitoring the team for burnout
Eliminating single points of failure
Succession planning
Getting continuous feedback from your team members
D | People Management: Coaching and Development
Motivating satisfied and effective team members
Providing proper support and growth for all team members
— Providing continuous actionable feedback
— Regular 1:1 time
— Aligning growth opportunities with team goals
— Building career development plans
Showing appreciation and recognition for good work
Managing high and low performers
[2] Team Representation Externally
This area encompasses everything that relates to collaboration and interactions with customer teams and various stakeholders.
Communication Upwards and Outwards
Communicating effectively with stakeholders, customers, partners, and direct line of management
Communicating Success: Gaining acknowledgement and recognition for the team.
Partnering with external teams and partners on shared initiatives
Collaboration, resolving conflicts, driving alignment
Raising and mitigating risks by partnering with other teams and adjusting internal team plans
[3] Upholding Values and Shaping the Culture
This is an area that I see as the equivalent of “working through others” as an individual contributor. Once a leader is more comfortable with leading and representing their internal team, they move towards becoming a culture carrier across the company.
Demonstrating operating principles
Building frameworks, shared-learnings, communities, and driving alignment across the company
Participation in cross-company product or business initiatives
Participation in cross-company management initiatives such as hiring, promos, leveling, mentorship and coaching, etc..
Hiring & Attracting Talent