Dropbox: Technical Program Manager Career Framework

Impact

• I work with my manager to prioritize tasks that add the most value and deliver high-quality results for my customer
• I understand and effectively participate in the core processes of my team (planning, on-call rotations, bug triage, metrics review, etc)

Ownership

• I follow through on my commitments, take responsibility for my work, and deliver my work on time
• I ask questions to clarify expectations
• I own my failures and learn from them

Decision Making

• I escalate to my manager when I get stuck and reflect on ways that I can improve from my mistakes

Agility / Innovation

• I share new ideas and can adapt my work when circumstances change

Personal Growth

• I'm open to and act upon feedback from my manager and peers
• I'm gaining self-awareness about my strengths and areas for development
• I have a high standard of excellence for my work

Hiring

• I am learning to interview and assess candidates to help us build a diverse and talented team. I consistently provide timely, detailed, and evidence-based interview feedback.
• I am able to represent my team’s initiatives and goals to candidates in a compelling way

Collaboration

• I can effectively collaborate to get work done
• I work with my manager to manage conflict with empathy in mind

Organizational Health

• I listen to different perspectives and I remove biases from my words and actions
• I practice the Dropbox Diversity Commitments on a regular basis

Communication

• I write and speak clearly
• I listen to understand others and ask clarifying questions
• I share relevant information on my project including difficult task-level trade-offs that impact the product to my manager and team (including product/business partners).

Managing Programs

• I work on specific features/modules of the product, roadmap, project management, issue/risk management, and cross-division coordination.
• While I will not be independently leading execution of a feature/module, I will be responsible for the project assigned to me and it would require my working closely with engineers and more senior TPMs on the project or program.
• I regularly and clearly communicate progress, risks and difficult trade-offs to my manager and more senior Technical Program Managers.
• I ensure the quality and maintainability of my work. I follow my team’s best practices.

Technical Acumen

• My technical acumen is commensurate with my work experience.
• I am beginning to develop domain specific expertise related to my role in a Group, Area, or Team.

Ownership

• I follow through on my commitments, take responsibility for my work, and deliver on time
• I proactively identify and advocate for opportunities to improve the current state of projects
• I own my failures and learn from them
• I think a step or two ahead in my work, solve the right problems before they become bigger problems, and problem-solve with my manager when I'm stuck

Impact

• I act with urgency and deliver high-quality work that will add the most value
• I work with my manager to direct my focus so my work advances my team's goals
• I prioritize the right things and don't overcomplicate my work. When necessary, I propose appropriate scope adjustments. I effectively participate in the core processes of my team, including recommending and implementing process improvements

Decision Making

• I Identify and gather input from others and consider customer needs to make informed and timely decisions

Agility

• I’m open to change and enthusiastic about new initiatives
• I work with my manager to navigate complex and ambiguous situations

Innovation

• I ask questions and contribute to new ideas/approaches
• I experiment with new approaches and share what I learned

Personal Growth

• I proactively ask for feedback from those I work with and identify ways to act upon it
• I have self-awareness about my strengths and areas for development
• I drive discussions with my manager about aspirational goals and seek out opportunities to learn and grow

Hiring

• I contribute to interviewing and assessing candidates to help us build a diverse and talented team. I am calibrated and consistently perform high-signal interviews
• I am able to represent my team’s initiatives and goals to candidates in a compelling way

Talent Development

• I model integrity and a high standard of excellence for my work.
• I help the more junior members of my team, host interns, or am a residency mentor
• I offer honest feedback that is delivered with empathy to help others learn and grow

Collaboration

• I can effectively collaborate to get work done
• I work with my manager to manage conflict with empathy and cooperation in mind

Organizational Health

• I contribute to a positive sense of community on the team (e.g. engage in team lunches, team offsites, and other group activities, help with new-hire on-boarding).
• I listen to different perspectives and I cut biases from my words and actions
• I practice the Dropbox Diversity Commitments on a regular basis

Communication

• I write and speak clearly
• I listen to understand others and ask clarifying questions
• I share relevant information on my projects to my manager, team and customers.

Managing Programs

• I can independently run sub-projects of programs or own short term projects.
• nI take input from stakeholders about projects and program components I own. I use this data to influence technical decisions as well as refine processes
• I’m able to effectively leverage and apply components of process frameworks for my assigned sub-projects and short term projects.
• I am able to identify risks and issues and manage mitigation and resolution strategies. [I effectively break down projects and communicate the plan/progress to my team and leadership

Technical Acumen

• I have working knowledge and /or direct experience in working in a technical domain such as software development, system administration, quality engineering, etc.
• I understand technical elements that are part of the programs I manage and can effectively communicate about it to engineers, managers and other TPMs.

Impact

• I deliver some of my team’s goals on time and with a high standard of quality
• I understand my customers, the business’s goals and my team’s goals. I ensure my work will have the greatest customer impact
• I can identify when my results aren’t moving the needle for our business/team goals or serving the needs of customers in a meaningful way and work with manager to redirect my focus
• I get work to a simple place by focusing on the heart of the problem and prioritizing the right things

Ownership

• I proactively identify new opportunities and advocate for and implement improvements to the current state of projects
• I take responsibility for any failures on my project and take action to prevent them in the future. I embrace and share the learnings from those failures
• When I encounter barriers, I unblock myself and my team by proactively assessing and eliminating the root cause

Decision Making

• I make informed decisions by consulting the right stakeholders and balancing details with the big picture. I execute against the spirit, and not just the letter, of the requirements
• I understand the implications of my decisions and adjust my approach based on the impact and risk in the short and long-term
• I make timely decisions but don’t cut corners that would compromise my customer’s trust

Agility

• I embrace change and adapt quickly to it
• I’m able to navigate ambiguity and remain resilient through ups and downs

Innovation

• I ask questions and contribute to new ideas/approaches
• I experiment with new approaches and share what I learned

Strategy

• I work collaboratively with my manager to set realistic and ambitious short- and long-term goals to deliver customer value quickly and break these goals down into smaller projects for my team or myself
• I execute the development roadmap for multi-phase projects, possibly as a project tech lead

Personal Growth

• I proactively ask for feedback from those I work with and identify ways to act upon it
• I have self-awareness about my strengths and areas for development
• I drive discussions with my manager about aspirational goals and seek out opportunities to learn and grow

Hiring

• I contribute to interviewing and assessing candidates to help us build a diverse and talented team by conducting more advanced domain-specific and leveling interviews
• I am able to represent my team’s initiatives and goals to candidates in a compelling way

Talent Development

• I model integrity and a high standard of excellence for my work. I leverage this to influence and establish best practices
• I support the growth of my teammates by taking into account their skills, backgrounds and working styles
• I solicit and offer honest and constructive feedback that is delivered with empathy to help others learn and grow

Collaboration

• I build relationships across teams and help get to positive outcomes
• I proactively communicate and coordinate my team’s requirements with other groups and teams in engineering
• I am capable of working with cross-functional stakeholders to identify technical blindspots and clarify ambiguity in their ideas.
• I avoid blame and solve the right problems, disagreeing and committing when necessary

Organizational Health

• I contribute to a positive sense of community on the team (e.g. engage in team lunches, team offsites, and other group activities, help with new-hire on-boarding)
• I listen to different perspectives and I cut biases from my words and actions
• I practice the Dropbox Diversity Commitments on a regular basis
• I champion good virtual first practices that help my team collaborate effectively
• I help shape the Dropbox engineering culture through my involvement with activities outside of my team (e.g. presenting tech talks, participating in Eng RFCs, creating interview questions, planning hackweek)

Communication

• I tailor my message to my audience, presenting it clearly and concisely at the right altitude
• I proactively share information so the right people are informed and aligned
• I foster effective communication across the team and promote inclusive meeting culture

Process Design

• My experience and judgment allows me to build maintainable programs (e.g. clear incentive structures, good documentation, effective communication standards).
• I am able to apply the right project and program solutions based on need (e.g. Risk Frameworks, Decision Frameworks, etc.)

Managing Programs

• I own coordination and execution of the Product Development roadmap for multi-phased programs.
• I deliver results by driving execution of programs spanning multiple organizations from design to rollout
• I am able to effectively define the Scope, Goals, and Key Milestones for my project or program.
• I establish the plan for managing and reviewing my project and programs. (e.g. Status updates, Milestones, Retrospectives, etc.)
• I develop communication strategies for my programs and projects. Depending on the type of program, and who the ultimate audience or users will be, I will identify and plan for communications streams internally and externally at the right altitude and cadence.
• I create comprehensive plans outlining my entire program or project. It lists the goals and components of the program, all the projects contained within it, the resources responsible for each piece, calendars, deliverables, deadlines and more. This is living, breathing document, that I update on a regular basis.
• I pro-actively track issues, risks, and project dependencies to ensure that I can elevate to my team for timely mitigation and resolution.
• I take responsibility for any failures on my project and take action to prevent them in the future
• I proactively look and advocate for opportunities to address KTLO work, creation of new processes and programs to significantly drive down technical debt.

Technical Acumen

• I have a well-rounded set of technical skills and domain expertise in the architecture of my area that enables me to tackle engineering programs.
• I understand the technical capabilities and limitations of many of my team’s dependencies and can effectively reason about and communicate the consequences to engineers, TPM and other cross-functional partners

Impact

• I deliver many of my team’s goals on time and with a high standard of quality
• My understanding of the business context and my team’s goals enable me to have the greatest customer impact and allows me to make independent technical decisions in the face of open-ended requirements
• I can identify when my results aren’t moving the needle for our business/team goals or serving the needs of customers in a meaningful way and work with manager to redirect my focus
• I get work to a simple place by focusing on the heart of the problem and prioritizing the right things

Ownership

• I proactively identify new opportunities and advocate for and implement improvements to the current state of projects — potentially having broader business impact across teams or products
• I take responsibility for any failures on my project and take action to prevent them in the future. I embrace and share the learnings from those failures
• When I encounter barriers, I unblock myself and my team by proactively assessing and eliminating the root cause

Decision Making

• I make informed decisions by consulting the right stakeholders and balancing details with the big picture
• I understand the implications of my decisions and adjust my approach based on the impact and risk (e.g. choosing a more iterative approach based on the degree of uncertainty with respect to product fit, while maintaining a view of the long term arc needed to accomplish business goals).
• I make timely decisions but don’t cut corners that would compromise my customer’s trust

Agility

• I embrace change and adapt quickly to it
• I’m able to navigate ambiguity and remain resilient through ups and downs

Innovation

• I am beginning to push boundaries to generate and implement ideas that aim to drive our products and tools forward
• I set audacious goals, take risks, and share lessons learned

Strategy

• I define the technical roadmap for impactful multi-phase projects, refining it as the projects progress to deliver customer value quickly, and provide leadership for the people executing on the project
• I define my team's priorities and secure buy-in in partnership with my manager
• I generate excitement for my/the team's strategy

Personal Growth

• I proactively ask for feedback from those I work with and identify ways to act upon it
• I have self-awareness about my strengths and areas for development
• I drive discussions with my manager about aspirational goals and seek out opportunities to learn and grow

Hiring

• I gain the trust of candidates and can represent Dropbox's mission, strategy, and culture throughout the interview process
• I am able to represent my team’s technical challenges to potential candidates in a compelling way (e.g. 1:1 sell chats, blog posts, public speaking)

Talent Development

• I model integrity and a high standard of excellence for my work. I leverage this to set and hold the bar for quality and best practices for my team (e.g. via code and design reviews)
• I identify and support areas of growth for my teammates that take into account their skills, backgrounds and working styles
• I solicit and offer honest and constructive feedback that is delivered with empathy to help others learn and grow

Collaboration

• I build relationships and drive coordination across teams & disciplines, helping get to positive outcomes
• I proactively communicate and coordinate my team’s requirements with other groups and teams in engineering
• I am effective at working with cross-functional stakeholders to identify technical blindspots and clarify ambiguity in their ideas.
• I avoid blame and solve the right problems, disagreeing and committing when necessary

Organizational Health

• Working with my manager, I leverage the strengths & skills of the members of my team, and help identify talent gaps required for team success
• I act as a partner to my manager in setting the cultural tone for the team. I support an environment where all Dropboxers are included and heard
• I motivate others to bring their authentic selves every day and contribute to building community at Dropbox
• I champion good virtual first practices that help my team collaborate effectively
• I help shape the Dropbox engineering culture through my involvement with activities outside of my team (e.g. presenting tech talks, participating in Eng RFCs, creating interview questions, planning hackweek)

Communication

• I tailor my message to my audience, presenting it clearly and concisely at the right altitude
• I proactively share information so the right people are informed and aligned

Process Design

• I manage planning long-term, multi-phase programs accounting for aspects of development, release, and maintenance.
• I ensure that I’m are not the only person capable of owning programs that I have built to guarantee long-term success.
• I understand the pain points of my customer and I’m able to translate them into problems my team has to solve
• I provide valuable input to Managers to ensure high impact activities are prioritized and staffed.

Managing Programs

• I effectively partner with Product, Engineering, Design, and Product Marketing teams to define strategy and requirements for product and program execution.
• I have proven my capacity to own and execute on multiple programs simultaneously.
• I can translate business objectives into execution strategy, lead and successfully execute the strategy through strong collaboration and agile leadership.
• I create functional specs, project definition docs, release plans, and roadmaps.
• I lead and influence peers and stakeholders in identifying risks, drive change in behavior, process, technology, documentation standards and policy.
• I effectively influence cross functional peers, product managers, and engineering to build consensus while dealing with ambiguity.
• I develop strong partnerships with business and functional leaders to drive focus on strategic program business objectives and optimize program throughput.
• I understand complex issues and apply simplifying frameworks to facilitate broader organizational understanding, decision-making, and action.
• I manage project operational aspects, scope, change management, and track scheduled progress through the appropriate metrics to meet changing needs and requirements.
• I am proficient in working with engineering teams to design, scope, and shepherd feature execution.

Technical Acumen

• I have sound technical skills with deep domain expertise in the architecture within my area of responsibility that makes me uniquely qualified to help drive technical decisions.
• I have deep knowledge of not only my team’s technical capabilities and limitations, but the architecture that we support, so that I can effectively reason and communicate consequences of technical decisions to engineers, TPM and other cross-functional partners.

Impact

• I identify and execute on opportunities that have area/group-wide impact
• I execute large projects to a very high standard — e.g. against a tight deadline with significant consequences of failure, or in a manner that allows rapid learning to clarify significant ambiguity, or to a standard of quality well exceeding that of the current system (though not all simultaneously)
• I know which levers to pull to drive meaningful results and understand the wider, cross-functional implications of my work. I proactively account for risks and monitor their likelihood. My project planning accounts for new capabilities necessary to deliver large-scale business impact and I work closely with partner teams to prioritize the development of these capabilities.
• I proactively identify and help to refocus my team's efforts when projects are off-course or not technically feasible and results aren’t moving the needle for our business/team goals or serving the needs of customers in a meaningful way

Ownership

• I have a sense of responsibility and obligation to act on opportunities I see across the engineering org/company

Decision Making

• I have a holistic view of the engineering org and Dropbox’s goals and use my experience and judgment to make decisions optimized for the wider org, rather than my local project alone
• I act thoughtfully and decisively in critical situations even when making challenging or unpopular decisions
• I'm able to reach the right decision despite conflicting perspectives

Agility

• When necessary, I am able to introduce change into the organization, help others understand the business case for change, and create excitement to drive adoption of the change

Innovation

• I push boundaries to generate and implement breakthrough ideas that aim to create new products or advance existing products and drive our tools forward
• I create an environment supporting experimentation and iteration towards audacious goals.

Strategy

• I define a long-term vision for my team that factors in company-wide priorities as well as the technical limitations and possibilities of Dropbox’s software and systems. I inspire my team and cross-discipline stakeholders to work toward that vision
• I anticipate challenges and am able to influence the technical direction of the team or org to execute on that vision even in the face of potential significant misalignment

Personal Growth

• I proactively ask for feedback from those I work with and identify ways to act upon it
• I have self-awareness about my strengths and areas for development
• I drive discussions with my manager about aspirational goals and seek out opportunities to learn and grow

Hiring

• I am an active participant in the hiring process for senior candidates (for example, by participating in hiring committee, debriefs, etc.)
• I gain the trust of candidates and can represent Dropbox's mission, strategy, and culture throughout the interview process
• I am an effective partner to my manager and am able to represent my team’s technical challenges to candidates in an exciting way (e.g. 1:1 sell chats, blog posts, public speaking)

Talent Development

• I am a role model for other Dropboxers and model a standard of excellence that supports a culture of high performance on my team
• I invest time to coach and mentor my teammates (particularly ones looking to grow into L4/L5). I take into account their skills, backgrounds, working styles and solicit and provide thoughtful, constructive feedback to them.
• I devote time to spreading my knowledge widely via talks, blog posts or written documentation
• I participate in SPRiTEs calibration sessions by providing meaningful feedback to ensure fair and consistent decisions

Collaboration

• I help break down silos within and across functions and influence others to reach the best outcome for Dropbox
• I build deep cross-functional relationships, facilitate the right conversations, and settle disagreements by managing different viewpoints
• I disagree and commit when necessary to move critical priorities forward

Organizational Health

• I act as a partner to managers in setting the cultural tone for the team. I create an inclusive environment for others and ensure diverse perspectives are included
• Working with my manager, I leverage the strengths & skills of the members of my team, and help identify talent gaps required for team success
• I personify Dropbox's culture and values. I champion community building efforts and inclusion initiatives. I work in close partnership with the management team to ensure a healthy engineering org.
• I lead by example. I am aware of my public presence and actions and my influence on the people around me and Dropbox’s culture

Communication

• I tailor my message to my audience, presenting it clearly and concisely at the right altitude
• I fine tune my approach to getting buy-in and influencing stakeholders across a variety of audiences

Process Design

• I own and am accountable for multi-quarter objectives for my team or org and responsible for the success of those efforts
• I execute these large programs at a very high level, e.g. to a standard of quality well exceeding that of the current system, a tight deadline with significant consequences of failure, or in a manner that allows rapid learning to drive out significant ambiguity (though not all simultaneously)
• I build simple, well-designed programs that take into account the architecture and systems in my area. The programs I create are easily adapted without accruing additional complexity over time
• I am able to proactively introduce new group or org wide processes that anticipate and prevent future problems when necessary

Managing Programs

• I own planning for long-term, multi-phase programs accounting for all aspects of development, release, and maintenance.
• I understand many of my team’s cross-functional dependencies deeply and can effectively communicate about them to individuals on my team and others.
• I accurately anticipate long-term consequences and make prudent decisions.
• I make tough calls to reprioritize or recommend ending or course-correcting projects as new information comes in
• I am aware of the dangers of over-influencing decisions because of my title or standing
• I take an active role in defining and evaluating long-term goals for my group
• I may initiate and/or own larger org-wide initiatives (introducing best practices, etc.)
• I understand the pain points of my customer and am able to translate them into problems my team has to solve
• I provide valuable input to Managers to ensure high impact activities are prioritized and staffed.

Technical Acumen

• I am proficient at executing on open-ended problems that require difficult prioritization and technical innovation to meet user and business needs.
• I have a proven set of technical skills and development methodologies, and apply them with a sophisticated approach that is best suited for each project.

Talent Development

• I devote time to spreading my knowledge widely via talks, blog posts or written documentation.
• I model a standard of excellence that supports a culture of high performance on my team. I drive EPD-wide processes and define the bar for engineering-wide quality and best practices.
• I invest time to coach and mentor my teammates (particularly ones looking to grow into L5/L6). I take into account their skills, backgrounds, working styles and solicit and provide thoughtful, constructive feedback to them.
• I participate in SPRiTEs calibration sessions by providing meaningful feedback to ensure fair and consistent decisions

Impact

• I identify and execute on significant group/company-wide opportunities by understanding how technical capabilities meet customer needs. I proactively work with business owners to help them understand these new capabilities and work with them to build the right roadmap for the business.
• I execute large projects to a very high standard — e.g. against a tight deadline with significant consequences of failure, or in a manner that allows rapid learning to clarify significant ambiguity, or to a standard of quality well exceeding that of the current system (though not all simultaneously)
• I proactively identify and help to refocus my team's efforts when projects are off-course or not technically feasible and results aren’t moving the needle for our business/team goals or serving the needs of customers in a meaningful way
• I know which levers to pull to drive meaningful results and understand the wider, cross-functional implications of my work

Ownership

• I have a sense of responsibility and obligation to act on opportunities I see across the engineering org/company
• I transcend organizational boundaries by taking a holistic view of my group’s goals and taking responsibility across my group, not just within my immediate scope of ownership.

Decision Making

• I act thoughtfully and decisively in critical situations even when making challenging or unpopular decisions
• I'm able to reach the right decision despite conflicting perspectives

Agility

• When necessary, I am able to introduce change into the organization, help others understand the business case for change, and create excitement to drive adoption of the change

Innovation

• I push boundaries to generate and implement breakthrough ideas that aim to drive our products and tools forward
• I demonstrate creativity, e.g. by finding simple, generalizable solutions that open up or unblock new technical or business opportunities in unexpected ways.
• I create an environment supporting experimentation and iteration

Strategy

• I partner with Directors and other members of senior EPD leadership to define a long-term vision for my group that factors in both a deep understanding of what is happening in the business and in the market as well as the technical limitations and possibilities of Dropbox’s software and systems.
• I anticipate challenges and am able to influence the technical direction of the team or org to execute on that vision even in the face of significant misalignment

Personal Growth

• I proactively ask for feedback from those I work with and identify ways to act upon it
• I have self-awareness about my strengths and areas for development
• I drive discussions with my manager about aspirational goals and seek out opportunities to learn and grow

Hiring

• I am an active participant in the hiring process for senior candidates (for example, by participating in hiring committee, debriefs etc)
• I attract talent for a variety of roles with diversity in mind
• I gain the trust of candidates and can represent Dropbox's mission, strategy, and culture throughout the interview process.
• I am an effective partner to my manager and am able to represent my team’s technical challenges to candidates in an exciting way (e.g. 1:1 selling, blog posts, public speaking)

Collaboration

• I help break down silos within and across functions and influence others to reach the best outcome for Dropbox
• I build deep cross-functional relationships, facilitate the right conversations, and settle disagreements by managing different viewpoints
• I disagree and commit when necessary to move critical priorities forward

Organizational Health

• I act as a partner to managers in setting the cultural tone for the org. I create an inclusive environment for others and ensure diverse perspectives are included
• Working with my manager, I leverage the strengths & skills of the members of my team, and help identify talent gaps required for team success
• I personify Dropbox's culture and values. I champion community building efforts and inclusion initiatives. I work in close partnership with senior EPD leadership to ensure a healthy engineering org.
• I lead by example. I am aware of my public presence and actions and my influence on the people around me and Dropbox’s culture.

Communication

• I develop compelling messages and effectively present them at the executive level
• I fine tune my approach to getting buy-in and influencing stakeholders across a variety of audiences

Process Design

• I work with executives and leaders from Product, Product Marketing, Growth, Legal, CX and other business and go-to market functions to execute programs and initiatives with a direct linkage to our Company strategies (innovation, growth, and scale).
• I collaborate with leadership from Product and Go-to-Market to ensure appropriate alignment with and support for Company goals and objectives and vice versa.
• I bring structure to managing the full lifecycle of complex programs from requirements gathering and program definition, to design and implementation, and to operational excellence.
• I improve alignment and execution from company strategy to program, design and execution.
• I manage leads planning and delivery of key programs, which engage a wide cross-section of internal and external constituent groups.
• I implement structure to sometimes ambiguous visions and craft programs to bring them to life.

Managing Programs

• I am responsible for executing on some the most complex, cross-functional projects for Dropbox.
• I partner closely with Senior Leadership to decompose corporate strategies into execution-ready programs as well as initiatives, then drive cross-functional execution teams to deliver on those objectives..
• I drive several company-wides, cross-geo programs at a time, ensuring clear, proactive communication and follow-up with partners to meet deadlines.
• I facilitate cross-company collaboration to tackle our biggest problems with a whole-company motion.
• I set-up appropriate communications infrastructure for program execution and executive-level engagement.
• I identify and track key milestones from program inception to program retrospective; anticipate areas of risk and proactively mitigate them.
• I cultivate a culture of openness and transparency to increase the likelihood of program success.
• I lead by influence rather than authority to build trust across the organization.
• I positively impact the effectiveness and efficiency of program team members by sharing your experiences and contributing to the continuous improvement of our methodology.

Technical Acumen

• I am an expert at executing on open-ended problems that require difficult prioritization and technical innovation to meet user and business needs.
• I have a well-rounded set of technical skills and development methodologies, and apply them with a sophisticated approach that is best suited for each project.
• I either have a wide breadth of technical knowledge across multiple domains, or particularly strong depth of technical knowledge in my chosen domain.
• I proactively address potential technical, product or other obstacles and concerns with my team and leadership