
Ask HN: What After Software Development Manager Role? - panjaro
I&#x27;m at the crossroads. In my current role as software development manager, I wear different hats - sometimes I am project manager, sometimes Business Analyst, sometimes programmer, scrum master, product owner, or just a support guy. 
What is the next role or progression after Software Development Manager role? How have you all progressed?
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hkarthik
The way to progress as a manager is to develop the vision to grow the scope of
your team, justify additional headcount, and groom some of your tech leads to
become managers under you.

If done well, the optics are that you have a strong upwards trajectory as a
leader and are well respected by your teams and executive leadership. From
here, it's fairly easy to continue to move upwards toward an upper management
role.

If done poorly, the optics are that you are an empire builder and not capable
of actually moving the company forward, or supporting your people effectively.
You will be not be respected and many people, including your own reports, will
talk behind your back end eventually you will be pushed out.

Another path up requires a patron or sponsor. This might be your direct boss
who moves up and takes you with them.

The last option is waiting for your boss to quit and be given the opportunity
to take their job by your boss's boss. The best bosses will groom you for
this.

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CyberFonic
The fact that you wear different hats suggests that you are more hands-on than
the typical manager in a mid/large company. In order to progress you might
need to show leadership, P&L accountability, business knowledge. Technical
prowess is rarely the path to upper management levels.

If advancing your career is your ambition, then you might need to side-shuffle
into a role where you do more management and direct others to perform the
roles that you current perform from time to time.

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jerkstate
I went back to IC at a bigger company, make more money, and spend a lot more
time with my family. The perspective from being a manager helps me understand
how to work with my management. I have turned down a couple of manager roles
in my current company since then.

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q-base
Yeah I am not sure of the advantages of going the manager-path either. Unless
perhaps you break above a certain threshold after some years. Because at a lot
of managerial roles you get to work a hell of a lot more, without much more
compensation and perhaps even less. So it seems like a tough sell unless you
are really more interested in the managerial work.

~~~
UK-Al05
I would imagine the advantages of manager roles are highly context dependent.

Being a manager when everything works well is great. When everythings falling
apart, awful.

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sethammons
Depends on the org. At mine, you go from manager to sr. manager (maybe that
means another team under your belt, but still keeping your total reports
manageable). From there, the next level up is Director, then VP, then CTO.

I recommend The Manager's Path by Camille Fournier. It takes you all the way
from individual contributor to CTO. [https://www.amazon.com/Managers-Path-
Leaders-Navigating-Grow...](https://www.amazon.com/Managers-Path-Leaders-
Navigating-Growth/dp/1491973897)

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yitchelle
I am adjusted my scope for only project management and its roles, kinda of
like niching my responsibilities away from those other roles you have
mentioned. It allowed me to enjoy my work a great deal more and I am learning
as well.

I have found the book "The Manager's Path: A Guide for Tech Leaders Navigating
Growth and Change" by Camille Fournier thought provoking for me.

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xs83
VP Engineering / Head of Software is probably a good next step - some orgs
have different paths but I would say seeing as you are focusing more on the
actual engineering & product processes rather than tech strategy this is a
senior management / exec role to move up to!

