Programme launch product management

Twenty years ago, the idea of a product manager was completely new in the job market. Today, more and more companies are searching for individuals who have studied product management and are capable of bringing products to the right markets. In response to this demand, Harbour.Space designed the Product Management Masters Programme.

“Creating this programme was a very natural choice given that not all of our students want or will be able to become entrepreneurs straight away. However, they can be amazing product managers that support more mature entrepreneurs. Furthermore, it combines the three verticals that we have mastered to perfection at Harbour.Space: design, technology, and entrepreneurship. This programme completes our academic offering because it provides the students with all the roles required in a modern high-tech start-up”.

What Is Product Management and What Does a Product Manager Do?

In a nutshell, product management is about being able to develop and manage products end-to-end. Thus, you are part of the product’s entire life cycle from creation to launch to market follow-up.  

So what exactly does a product manager do? For Ben Horowitz, author of two New York Times bestsellers and co-founder and general partner at the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, a product manager is “the CEO of the product”. For him, great product managers define good products and are people capable of focusing the team on revenues and customers; they think in terms of delivering superior value to the market. 

For Martin Eriksson, founder of @ProductTank and co-founder of @MindtheProduct, this position is about maximizing the business value of a product. Shown through this Venn Diagram, a product manager is at the intersection between the business, the technology, and the user experience. 

Venn Diagram © 2011 Martin Eriksson
Venn Diagram © 2011 Martin Eriksson

To him, this person has to be passionate about all three areas, expert in at least one, and able to talk with the people that work in all of them. They must be obsessed with enhancing the product, capable of understanding the technology, and consumed with the user experience.  For Martin, a product manager gets to “define the very essence of the product, design solutions for the customer’s problems, work with everyone in the business, and play a very large part in the businesses’ success”. 

In short, product managers envision products, set goals, motivate teams, and are responsible for the outcomes within a product’s life cycle. They are people that know how to prioritize, have a clear understanding of costs vs. benefits, and know how to empower their team to make their own decisions.

What Qualities Must a Product Manager Have?

If you want to become a product manager, there are certain skills that you must master. According to Scott Judson, a product manager at HubSpot, these are the main ones:

  • High-level strategic thinking. Great product managers always have a strategy to accomplish their goals. They know how to listen and question others. They know how to prioritize and they are aware of how their actions affect others. 
  • Collaborative attitude. Product managers are individuals that work well with different teams and people both within and outside the organization. They know how to create a positive impact on others so any problem that comes up can be solved. 
  • Excellent communication skills. Product managers are storytellers that know how to deliver data, presentations, ideas to both stakeholders and other team members. 
  • Empathy. Product managers know how to place themselves in other people’s shoes. They understand the challenges other departments face (be it engineering, marketing, sales, etc.) and know what to say to uplift them and form a productive partnership.  

Product Managers' Tasks

How Much Does a Product Manager Earn and What Are the Cv Requirements Recruiters Are Looking For?

If you want to know the salary of a product manager we’ll give you a few estimates:

  • As of February 15, 2022, Glassdoor.com states that a product manager’s median salary in the United States is $94,000/year. With a high income of $166,000/year and a low income of $60,000/year. 
  • As of January, Salary.com claims that a product manager’s average salary in the US is $90,946/year, with a high income of $122,000/year and a low income of $71,000. 
  • According to ProductSchool in Barcelona the median salary for a product manager is €45,000, but in Amsterdam the average is €67,000.

If you are interested in the job, you should be aware of what recruiters are looking for. Here are a few examples:

  • “Can oversee the product life-cycle”. 
  • “Knows how to own a product strategy from concept to launch”. 
  • “Know how to utilize research and analytics to build innovative products”. 
  • “Confidence in representing the product both internally and outside the organization”. 
  • “Excellent communication skills and ability to clearly articulate vision”. 
  • “Ability to maintain a keen attention to detail, multitask, and work well under pressure”. 
  • “Natural tendency to be curious, positive, and creative”. 
  • “Team player who collaborates well with others”. 
  • “Superior project management and interpersonal skills”.

Harbour.Space’s Product Management Programme

Harbour.Space’s Product Management Programme is designed for the leaders of tomorrow who want to start their own companies, join successful startups, or help build products in large tech companies. It’s focused on the art and science of identifying a market opportunity and developing a differential product that addresses the market, while achieving superior customer satisfaction and long-term value. 

In one year, you will learn everything you need to know to lead a team that will create and launch the products of the future. In this programme you will acquire the following skills needed to succeed in a modern product manager role:

  • How to use the latest market techniques. 
  • How to apply product management frameworks.
  • How to leverage tools to successfully guide a team and product to the market. 
  • How to utilize product experimentation, strategy, marketing, and user experience to develop and refine a product.

You will be taught by teachers who are industry leaders and experts in their respective subjects. They also understand the importance of product managers in the modern product life cycles and are in the know when it comes to industry trends and how product managers fit into that future.  

Leading this programme are Kevin Madill, co-founder of Miovision, a global market leader in smart city solutions, and Investment Director for a venture capital seed fund, and Aleksandr Simukovic, Product Manager at Smartly.io and a digital marketing expert specialized in programmatic and marketing technology.  

This programme has been designed to put you in the driver’s seat of your future. So, if you want to take the next step in your career and are passionate about product management don’t ponder any longer, enroll in this programme that starts in September at our Barcelona Campus, and learn from the most respected minds of our time. Currently, we are offering up to 50% scholarships available for individuals who apply before March 31, 2022. 

If you enjoyed this article and want to learn more about living in Barcelona or the experience of studying abroad, check out these blogs: 

Take a look at Harbour.Space’s website to see other programmes that might help your professional development.  If you have any inquiries or thoughts, you can write to us at hello@harbour.space.

Thanks for reading

If you’re interested in further growth, take a look at our website to learn what your future could look like at Harbour.Space. Lastly, get in touch with us at hello@harbour.space to let us know your thoughts!

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