Last updated on August 15th, 2024 at 12:58 pm

Over the past decade, the role of a Technical Program Manager has become very important to grow and scale organizations of every size and to execute the organization’s vision efficiently. If you are not familiar with the role of a TPM, you can learn more here.

Based on the needs of the organization, the role of a TPM can be categorized as either a Generalist TPM or a Specialist TPM. In this article, we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of being a Generalist vs being a Specialist TPM. This post will help you with insight into the following:

  • Definition of a Generalist TPM and a Specialist TPM
  • How the two roles differ (Comparative Analysis)
  • Career Paths for TPMs
  • TPM Perspective
  • Organizational Perspective
  • Conclusion

Let’s dive deep into each and see what we can learn about them!

Definition of a Generalist TPM and a Specialist TPM

TPM roles vary by organization and they can be classified based on the areas of expertise they cover.

Specialist TPM: A Specialist TPM is a subject matter expert. They are usually part of the product/engineering/design teams and are responsible for launching features or sets of features for their product. 

Examples of Specialist TPM:

  • Payments TPM: Responsible for delivering features on payment platforms 
  • Data and Analytics TPM: Responsible for driving technical programs on data platforms using data engineering, machine learning, data warehousing, etc
  • Cloud TPMs: TPMs who are highly technical and have depth of experience in one or more cloud technologies. 

Specialist TPMs are also known as Depth TPMs since they have years of experience and the required skills for specific domains.

Generalist TPM: A Generalist TPM is one who is responsible for driving larger programs which span different cross-functional teams such as legal, finance, marketing, sales, ops and business units/product lines or even organizations. 

Examples of Generalist TPM: 

  • Product/Platform Launch TPM (NPI): Responsible for product development and GTM for launching a new product like Alexa or PS5
  • Mergers and Acquisition TPM: Responsible for integrating programs of new acquisitions 

Generalist TPMs are also known as breadth TPMs since they have varied experience in driving diverse strategic business programs.

generalist vs specialist tpm

How the Two Roles Differ (Its Advantages and Disadvantages)

Since we now understand what these two categories of TPM are, let’s take a look at how they differ in various aspects:

Category Generalist TPM Specialist TPM

Program Scope

A TPM is responsible for driving strategic cross-functional business programs. These programs could vary in sizes and types.
  • A generalist TPM is usually well aware of an organization’s business strategy and vision for the future. This makes a generalist TPM the right candidate for driving large programs/initiatives in any area of the business. 
  • Program Examples: Mergers and Acquisition programs, GTM programs, Strategic Run The Business programs and Customer Experience Transformation programs.
  • E. g. An M&A program TPM will generally have high business acumen, especially with business strategy, product roadmap, and relationships with Executive-Level teams as well as Cross-Functional teams to drive a large global, Cross-Functional program which impacts each area of the business. Technical Skills include Business Systems, Strategy, Resourcing, Partner/Vendor Integrations and Various Tools.
  • A specialist TPM is usually a subject matter expert in a functional domain. One whose technical acumen is extremely high and who knows the ins and outs of the domain. 
  • Program Examples: Data Analytics programs, Billings and Payments programs, Infrastructure programs, Marketing programs and Sales programs.
  • E. g. A Billings and Payments TPM is usually very well versed in commerce-related technologies for billing platform stack, payments services and partner integrations. Technical Skills include DB, API, Web, PSP technologies, Global Government Regulations, etc

Career Opportunities

TPM growth path as either IC/People Manager
  • Generalist TPMs have experience with driving diverse programs which enable them to pursue careers and organization level roles such as listed below:
    • Expand their portfolio into Portfolio Managers, Chief of Staff, Planning PMO, M&A PMO, Crossfunctional TPM, etc.
  • A generalist would also need to be able to dive deep into a given subject when required. 
  • Domain-specific knowledge helps them function as experts in their fields, leading to faster growth in niche areas. 
  • A TPM doubling up as an SME could add incredible value to the team. They could also play a dual role -:
    • Product Manager (Specific domain)
    • Solution Architect
    • Domain-specific Evangelist
    • Subject Matter Expert
  • Growth may be limited, as the scope and team may be limited. This should not be considered as a negative like it is in certain other areas. An SME TPM generally has a lot of authority and is well compensated. 
  • TPM SMEs can always expand their knowledge areas by becoming proficient in related fields. 

Professional NetworkSphere of Influence/

Peer Network
  • Drives breadth programs – usually has a large network of the go-to people in the organization when they need to get something done 
    • Legal, Finance, Localization, Marketing, Operations, Field, Security and Platform.
  • Well aware of the organizational dynamics and behavior, and expertly navigates it.
  • The network will be specific to the domain or dependent on cross-functional teams like production, engineering, design, infrastructure, etc.
  • Might be siloed and hence, might not have awareness of the other teams beyond the domain scope.  

Value Add

TPM’s contribution to the organization’s programs
  • Understands the Organization and how it operates extremely well.  
  • Brings exceptional communication & interpersonal skills to the table. 
  • Executes strategic business acumen that helps the organization drive impactful & complex programs.
  • Adds value by giving clear direction and being the voice of reason. 
  • Strategically protects the developers and represents them effectively. 
  • Can become highly tactical and technical with a focus on solving customer’s problems using domain-specific technology.

Competency 

TPM skills needed to excel 
  • Executive Presence – Knows how to drive and get results in key business strategic programs that are visible to the leadership and C-Suite teams
  • Communication Skills – Ability to articulate up and across to all stakeholders 
  • Business/Portfolio knowledge – Maintains focus on the big picture/organization’s strategy.
  • Stakeholder Management – Excels in building relationships and organizational dynamics; demonstrates savvy in navigating challenges
  • Technical Proficiency: Ability to learn new domains/technical skills and evolve into a specialist, as required.
  • Technically Proficient/SME – Extremely (in-depth) knowledgeable about the domain space, and technical skills and tools
  • Problem-solving Skills – Ability to solve the customer’s problems.
  • Product Roadmap Leadership – Ability to guide the team on the development of the product/engineering roadmap
  • Communication Skills – Ability to articulate complex domain-specific problems and technical knowledge to leadership and across the organization. 

Industry Demand

Recent Organization’s demands for such roles
  • Startups and small/mid-size companies need generalists who can drive any kind of program, as per the organization’s need.
  • The roles for generalists are evolving and can then be categorized into GTM TPM, Portfolio TPM, Chief of Staff, PMO, etc. 
  • Examples of a few roles:
  • Mid-size to larger organizations(B2B) usually need domain-specific TPMs to support product strategy while managing the complexities of large scale programs.
  • Examples of a few roles:
  • Specialist roles are increasing in demand, as per the latest trend (LinkedIn, Indeed, jobs.com), as organizations are looking for SMEs who add strategic value to their expertise. 
  • A specialist might find it hard to switch jobs/teams due to the niche they are in. 

 

Career Path for TPMs

Now that we understand what generalist TPMs and specialist TPMs are, and how they differ in scope, impact and roles, we can look at the career path they offer. Below are some aspects to be considered from the perspective of a TPM as well as from the Organizational Point Of View (hiring front).

TPM Perspective

There is definitely no one right answer when you see the difference listed above. Both types of TPMs play a critical role in the success of the organization. 

If you are early in your career journey and are not sure about what you want to pursue, you might want to try to get experience in both types roles. This will help you determine your capability and interests, and help you understand what excites you the most. Also, one can always decide to play each role at different stages in their career as well based on opportunities and interests.

Organizational/Hiring Manager’s Perspective

As a hiring manager or as one who defines the organization’s structure, it is critical to understand what the short-term and long-term needs of the business are. If you need one with versatile experience, who can wear multiple hats and drive various programs, a generalist could be a good start. But if you are looking to hire a TPM to help with certain organizational product goals, which align with the larger organizational strategy, then you could consider SME TPMs who can lead the teams on specific customer problems. Budget and talent pool are critical factors when making these decisions, as SMEs from niche domains are usually hard to find within a specific timeline. 

Conclusion

As you have seen, TPMs play a very critical role in organizations when bringing the strategic vision to life. The need for these roles has been increasing in the last decade. We hope that the above content has helped you understand the two roles, their value adds, and how they differ. There is NO right role, and it’s based on one’s interest, skill sets, experience, and what really excites you when you do your best every day.

So which role do you plan on taking?

We would love to hear your feedback in the comments below. 

Thanks,
Snehal Shaha, Visva Mohanakrishnan, Kapilan K

 

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Authors

Snehal Shaha

Snehal Shaha

A Program Management Leader – I have enjoyed several executive positions throughout my career in Product Management, Technical Program Management, Release Management, and Software Engineering.

Visva Mohanakrishnan

Visva Mohanakrishnan

A Sr. TPM from Amazon. She’s been in the industry for the last 10+ years and has worked at Microsoft, Expedia, and several other organizations. We cover what a TPM needs to be mindful of when they join a new tech organization.

Kapilan K

Kapilan K

A demonstrated manager with superior analytical abilities, can define business strategies, requirements and timelines and lead multiple cross functional development teams through design, delivery, management and support.