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Engineering

VP Engineering Role

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The role for a VP of Engineering can be difficult to define because different companies treat it differently. Broadly, a VP of engineering is responsible for people management within the engineering organization, a member of the executive team, is responsible for technical execution, and sometimes they're responsible for technical direction. Technical direction responsibility has the most variance - sometimes the VPE reports to a CTO, who is responsible for technical direction.

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    The Practica AI Coach helps you improve in VP Engineering Role by using your current work challenges as opportunities to improve. The AI Coach will ask you questions, instruct you on concepts and tactics, and give you feedback as you make progress.

  2. Intro: What is a VP of Engineering?

    The role of a VP of Engineering is multifaceted and varies depending on the company and its stage of growth. According to Bruno Miranda, the primary responsibility of a VP of Engineering is to ensure the productivity and success of their engineering teams. This involves creating an environment where team members are happy and motivated, as well as providing them with the resources they need to excel. Will Larson acknowledges the different definitions of VP Engineering and CTO roles across companies. For the purpose of his recommendations, he defines a VP of Engineering as an executive team member responsible for technical execution and people management within the engineering organization. Both Bruno and Will agree that the role of a VP of Engineering involves ensuring the productivity and success of engineering teams, identifying the route to achieve goals, and understanding the business and culture of the company. They must listen to team members, optimize processes, and deliver high-quality code and deliverables. Building and managing a qualified team is crucial, as is embodying and channeling the team's values.
    • Doximity logo
      The Role of a VP of Engineering

      Bruno Miranda, Senior Vice President of Engineering, Doximity

      Given that the role of a VPE is often nebulous, Bruno provides a breakdown of the responsibilities of a VPE based on his experience: • Measuring Team Performance & Optimizing • Building Teams • Setting the Values of a Team • Stay in Touch with the Technical Side of a Team • Manage Up, Down, and Sideways with Peers • Mediate & Help Others Succeed • Uplift & Invest

  3. The Role of a VP of Engineering vs. a CTO

    While the CTO usually focuses on providing vision and setting standards for code development, the VP of Engineering is often more focused on managing teams, ensuring efficient workflows, and fostering a strong engineering culture. The specific responsibilities and definitions of these roles can vary across different companies. According to Mark Suster, a CTO is someone who provides the vision for the infrastructure and sets the standards for code development. They are often highly creative and focused on the quality of what is built. A VP of Engineering is more focused on managing teams and ensuring that the trains run on time. They also have strong people management skills and understand the human element of leading a team. Will Larson explains that the roles of CTO and VP of Engineering can vary across different companies. Some companies view the CTO as a senior-most individual contributor, while others see the CTO as responsible for both people and technical aspects of the engineering organization. Similarly, the VP of Engineering can be seen as the engineering people leader or as a proto-CTO. Eric Elliot emphasizes the importance of the VP of Engineering in fostering a culture that manages the "how" of engineering. They monitor the team's progress, process, culture, and communication, and encourage effective collaboration and software development workflows. They also work with product heads and managers to ensure a good product discovery process and adequate review of deliverables by engineers.
    • Upfront Ventures logo
      Want to Know the Difference Between a CTO and a VP Engineering?

      Mark Suster, Partner, Upfront Ventures

      Mark defines the CTO role as one that focuses on architecture, while the VP of Engineering role prioritizes people management. He also advocates for a program management function once the company reaches a certain scale.
    • Adobe logo
      Software Roles and Titles

      Eric Elliot, Computer Scientist, Adobe

      This article shares a great introductory overview to engineering positions. Eric provides general guidelines with the caveat that the details of the roles can vary from company to company. • Engineering Fellow • CEO • CTO • CIO/Chief Digital Officer/Chief Innovation Officer • VP of Engineering/Director of Engineering • Chief Architect • Software Architect • Engineering Manager • Technical Lead/Engineering Lead/Team Lead • Principal Software Engineer • Senior Software Engineer • Software Engineer • Junior Software Engineer • Intern Software Engineer
    • Sotheby's logo
      VPE and CTO - the first 90 days

      James Turnbull, SVP of Engineering, Sotheby's

      James provides a map for all the areas that new CTO or VPE needs to dive into and understand, broken down into 4 categories: Company, Product, Humans, and Technical

  4. VP of Engineering Skills

    A successful VP of Engineering needs to have a wide range of skills, including technical expertise, organizational Leadership skills, and communication skills. They should also be able to manage resources effectively, work well under pressure, and be able to adapt to changing circumstances.
    • thredUP logo
      What does a VP of Engineering do?

      Dan DeMeyere, Head of International, thredUP

      Dan covers: • A VP of Engineering (VPE) is essential for ensuring the trains run on time and identifying the best route to reach the desired destination • There are different roles within engineering Leadership, including Lead Engineer, Director of Engineering, and VPE, each with their own responsibilities and scope of Influence • The VPE's role is more abstract than a director or lead and requires them to weigh in on the 40,000 ft view to identify trends and orchestrate the harmony of engineering trains • To expand their Influence, a VPE should focus on using leverage, context, and loosely coupled, highly aligned teams to create or improve tracks Leverage refers to strategic application of input force for an outsized output force, and a VPE should seek to maximize their sphere of Influence over the engineering organization • Context is key to scaling a talented team, and the VPE should focus on keeping the team well-informed by providing business, customer, and technical context • A VPE needs to obsess over questions that affect the entire team, such as hiring priorities and plans, how engineering structure scales with the hiring plan, the evolution of culture, and whether roadmaps are aligned with the needs of the business and architecture.

  5. How to Perform Well as a New VP of Engineering

    Starting a new role as a VP of Engineering or CTO can be daunting, but with the right advice and resources, it can be a successful and rewarding experience. Lara Hogan, VP of Engineering at Kickstarter, and Will Larson, CTO at Carta, have both written extensively on the topic, offering advice on how to make the most of the first 90 days in the role. Hogan emphasizes the importance of developing relationships with peers, product, and the company board. She also suggests joining a formal or informal peer support group, as it can be a great way to learn from others in the same role. Larson suggests that the first 90 days should be focused on understanding the organization and systems at play, and avoiding the traps of rushing to make changes before understanding the problem, judging without context, and comparing the new role to the last one. He also recommends reading books such as The First 90 Days, Peopleware, Slack, and Accelerate. Ultimately, the key to success in a new executive role is to go in with an open mind, a deep enthusiasm for learning, and a commitment to holding oneself accountable for their approach and results.
    • Kickstarter logo
      Advice for a New Executive

      Lara Hogan, VP, Engineering, Kickstarter

      Lara wrote up the advice she received from Etsy's CTO / CEO, Chad Dickerson, on how to perform well as a VP of Engineering, which covers 9 sections: • Find/create a peer support group • Partner absurdly closely with product and make sure you understand priorities and the head of product understands tradeoffs • Focus on delivery of the roadmap and everything else will follow • Ask your executive peers regularly what you can do to make their jobs easier – particularly the CEO • Take a stand when you need to • Always have a story • Read widely – offline! – about management and Leadership • Realize the impact your mood and demeanor has on people • Develop the right relationship with members of your company’s board
    • Carta logo
      Your first 90 days as CTO or VP Engineering.

      Will Larson, CTO, Carta

      Will covers: • VPE vs CTO • Priorities and goals • Making the right system changes • Tasks for your first 90 days across learning and Building Trust, creating a support system, organizational health and process, hiring, execution, and technology

  6. How to Hire a VP of Engineering

    When hiring a VP of Engineering, it is important to look for candidates with a strong technical background, Leadership skills, and a track record of delivering successful products. It is also important to assess their communication skills, ability to manage resources effectively, and their fit with the Company Culture.

  7. VP of Engineering Job Description Examples

    VP of Engineering Job Descriptions should include key responsibilities such as managing the engineering team, overseeing product development, and ensuring that products are delivered on time and within budget. They should also include required Qualifications such as a degree in engineering or a related field, and experience managing teams and delivering successful products.