Non engineering roles

Product owner / product manager

A Product Manager sits at the intersection of users, business, and technology. The role focuses on deciding what to build, why it matters, and what problem it solves, then working closely with others to make it happen. Product Managers don’t usually write code, but they work closely with software engineers. They also collaborate with designers, data teams, and stakeholders across the business. A large part of the role involves communication, decision making, and prioritisation.

At an early-career level, Product Managers are often learning how products are shaped in real environments. This can include:

• Understanding user needs and problems.
• Helping define product goals and priorities.
• Writing clear requirements or user stories.
• Supporting planning, delivery, and review sessions.
• Learning how decisions are made and trade-offs are handled.

It’s important to know that Product Manager roles vary widely between companies. In some places, the role is more delivery focused. In others, it leans more towards research, strategy, or coordination. Job titles alone don’t always tell the full story. For early-career candidates, this means the role isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about learning how to ask good questions, make sense of information, and work well with others. Curiosity, clear thinking, and empathy often matter more than years of experience.

When exploring Product Manager roles, it helps to focus less on the title and more on how the role actually works in a team. Conversations, job descriptions, and examples from people in the role are often more useful than generic definitions.

How to research Product Manager roles

Product Manager roles are described very differently depending on the company, team size, and industry. This makes careful research especially important.

When researching Product Manager roles:

• Add context words such as “junior”, “associate”, or “product owner” to your searches.
• Search for “Product Manager vs Product Owner” to understand role differences.
• Look for articles explaining how product teams work in startups compared to larger companies.
• Read job descriptions side by side to spot patterns and differences.
• Pay attention to how teams describe decision making, user research, and delivery.
• Look for examples of how Product Managers work with engineers and designers.

Helpful questions to keep in mind:

• Is this role focused more on delivery or strategy?
• How much technical knowledge is expected at junior level?
• Who does the Product Manager work with day to day?
• How is success measured in the 90 days?

Product Manager vs Product Owner, what’s the difference?

The terms Product Manager and Product Owner are often used interchangeably, but they don’t always mean the same thing.

A Product Manager usually focuses on the broader picture. This includes understanding user problems, setting priorities, aligning with business goals, and deciding what the team should work on next and why. The role often involves research, stakeholder conversations, and longer-term thinking.

A Product Owner is usually more delivery focused. The role often sits closer to the engineering team and involves managing the backlog, refining user stories, and supporting day-to-day development work. In many organisations, this role exists within an agile framework.

In smaller companies or startups, one person may cover both responsibilities. In larger organisations, the roles are more likely to be separated. For early-career roles, what matters most isn’t the title but the actual work involved. Always read job descriptions carefully and use conversations to understand how the role operates in practice.

Business analyst (BA)

A BA focuses on understanding business problems, gathering requirements, and documenting what a system or solution needs to do. They’re typically more analytical and detail-oriented, working to bridge the gap between business stakeholders and technical teams. They generally don’t write code, but they may be reading API specs, trying out different API calls so it is still a reasonably technical role.

They often look at business process and map out workflows to identify improvements. They are typically more execution focused than strategic and often work as part of or very closely with engineering teams. There is often overlap with the product owner and product manager roles, so it is worth asking whether they have all 3 roles and if so what the differences are during the interview process.

Project manager / Delivery manager

This role is focused on planning, delivery and execution. They are responsible for delivery specific projects on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards. They focus on the “when” and “how” of getting work done. Depending on the company and seniority they may be working very closely with one team on a project or spread across multiple teams on multiple projects.

Sometimes these roles are client facing and sometimes they are internal only. The responsibilities often include

• Creating project plans with timelines, milestones, and resource allocation
• Managing project scope and preventing scope creep
• Identifying and mitigating risks that could derail the project
• Tracking progress and reporting status to leadership
• Managing budgets and resources
• Facilitating meetings and keeping everyone aligned
• Removing blockers that slow down the team

It is quite a different role to engineering, but you will still be working closely with technical teams.