The 12 Types of Product Managers: What Product Manager Can You Become?

Did you know there are multiple types of Product Managers? That’s right, PMs aren’t one-size-fits-all. Their focus areas, skill sets, and day-to-day responsibilities can vary dramatically.

This diversity is great for the industry. It allows professionals to carve out specialized roles that align with their strengths and interests, shaping the direction of their teams and products.

But just how different can Product Managers be? Isn’t a PM always a PM? Not quite. Put two side by side, and you’ll often find they have distinct approaches, priorities, and expertise.

Let’s break down the most common types of Product Managers in 2025 and help you find the specialization that fits you best.

What do I mean by ‘types of Product Managers’? 

The phrase types of Product Managers can be a bit ambiguous, so let’s clear it up. Here, we’re talking about distinct specializations within the Product Manager role – different focus areas that shape how a PM operates.

All the types we’ll cover are still Product Managers at their core, but each has a unique function and skill set. That means we won’t be diving into adjacent roles like:

• Product Owner 
• Product Operations Manager 
• Product Marketing Manager
• Product Strategist

Don’t get me wrong, these roles are vital parts of the Product Management lifecycle, but they aren’t Product Managers in the way we’re defining them here.

Also, this isn’t about personality types or management styles. You won’t find a Bossy Product Manager or a Communicator Product Manager on this list.

Instead, think of these specializations like ice cream flavors. You got chocolate, mint, and vanilla. These are all still ice cream, just with different twists. Likewise, Product Managers come in various flavors, each bringing something unique to the table.

Now, let’s explore how the role of a Product Manager can evolve based on specialization – and which one might be the best fit for you.

The different types of Product Managers

1. Technical Product Manager 

A Technical Product Manager is a type of Product Manager with a focus on building complex, tech-heavy products. They’re still a Product Manager at heart but with an extra layer of technical know-how. 

They act as a stronger link between Engineering and the rest of the business, ensuring what gets built is not just user-friendly but also scalable, secure, and actually possible to execute.

While a generalist PM steers the product vision, a Technical PM gets into the nuts and bolts of how things work. They translate business needs into technical requirements, work closely with Developers, and keep an eye on product architecture, API integrations, and performance scalability. They also ensure the product stays compliant with security regulations like GDPR and SOC 2 – because no one wants a data breach surprise.

A good Technical Product Manager balances the backlog with technical debt, optimizes infrastructure, and helps Engineering troubleshoot when things go sideways. 

They’re not coding (usually), but they do need to speak the language of Developers while keeping the business aligned. In short? They make sure the product doesn’t just look good on paper but actually works in the real world.

Learn more on how to become a Technical Product Manager: 

2. Growth Product Manager

A Growth Product Manager isn’t just here to build products, they’re here to scale them. While a traditional PM owns the full product lifecycle, a Growth PM is laser-focused on driving key business metrics like acquisition, activation, retention, referrals, and revenue with their product. Their job involves removing friction, accelerating user success, and making their company product-led.

Growth PMs live in the world of data. They don’t just ship features, they test, tweak, and iterate. By analyzing user behavior, running A/B tests, and tracking engagement, they pinpoint what’s working, cut what’s not, and optimize every touchpoint for impact. Whether it’s refining onboarding flows, reducing churn, or boosting conversion rates, every decision is backed by insights, not hunches.

A Growth PM works cross-functionally with Marketing, Sales, and Engineering to ensure growth strategies are seamless and scalable. They’re always asking: How can we make this better? Then they test, learn, and do it again. Using a cycle of continuous improvement. 

In short, Growth PMs make sure products take off and keep climbing 🚀.

Learn more about the Growth Product Manager: 

3. AI Product Manager 

An AI Product Manager doesn’t just slap AI onto a product for the sake of it, they make sure the AI integrations actually solve real customer problems. Their job is to harness AI’s power in a way that doesn’t feel like a gimmick. AI should enhance the product’s value proposition, not just add a fancy buzzword to the pitch deck.

As an AI Product Manager, you’re responsible for the process around building an AI product, either as a standalone product or as part of your existing software. That’s tough. Thankfully, we cover everything you need to know about building and managing an AI product in our ebook:

While AI PMs handle many of the same responsibilities as a core PM, they face unique challenges. AI PMs need to manage variability, refine prompt engineering, and ensure outputs stay relevant, useful, and accurate (no AI hallucinations here).

They also play a critical role in ethical AI use, preventing bias, ensuring transparency, and keeping user data secure. On top of that, they work closely with Engineers and Data Scientists to fine-tune AI models and optimize their performance.

As AI becomes increasingly commonplace in all  tech products , this type of Product Manager is rapidly on the rise.

We’ve got loads more on AI Product Management and what it takes to become this type of Product Manager. Check it out 👇

4. Group Product Manager 

A Group Product Manager balances hands-on product work with leadership responsibilities. Think of it as a player/coach role, acting as part mentor, part individual contributor. They oversee a team of PMs working on a related set of products, ensuring alignment while helping their team grow and succeed.

Unlike a standard Product Manager, who focuses on shaping a single product’s vision and roadmap, a Group PM is on the people-management track. They guide PMs through product strategy, execution, and stakeholder management, all while developing their leadership skills. GPMs still contribute to product decisions, but they’re also responsible for team performance, coaching, and career development.

This role is a stepping stone to higher leadership positions like Head of Product or Chief Product Officer. It’s perfect for experienced PMs who love building both products and people – shaping not just what gets built, but also who’s driving it forward.

Dive deeper into the Group Product Manager:

5. IC Product Manager

Not every Product Manager wants to climb the managerial ladder. Some just want to build great products indefinitely. That’s where the IC (Individual Contributor) Product Manager thrives. Instead of leading teams of PMs, they stay deep in the trenches, focusing on strategy, execution, and hands-on product work.

IC PMs are masters of their craft. They specialize in driving outcomes, honing their expertise in product discovery, user research, roadmapping, and execution. Their impact doesn’t come from managing people, it comes from delivering exceptional products, making high-quality decisions, and being the go-to expert in their domain.

Because they remain embedded in the details, IC PMs often work on complex or high-stakes initiatives that require deep product knowledge. They collaborate closely with Engineers, Designers, and Stakeholders, ensuring that every decision is grounded in data, user needs, and long-term product vision.

In short, IC PMs are star players, choosing expertise over hierarchy, and making an outsized impact through the strength of their product work. 🌟

6. Digital Product Manager

A Digital Product Manager is responsible for shaping and optimizing digital products – think software, apps, platforms, and other online experiences. While all PMs drive product success, Digital PMs focus specifically on the digital space, ensuring products remain competitive, engaging, and valuable to users.

To be honest, in this day and age, the majority of Product Managers will be working on digital products, so this specialization is less commonly spelled out in job titles than it once was.

Still, much like a Core PM, their role blends market analysis, user insights, and data-driven Product Management to keep digital products ahead of the curve. A Digital Product Manager must:

• Lead digital product development from concept to launch and beyond.
• Analyze the market to ensure the product stays competitive.
• Understand both user and buyer personas to craft strong value propositions.
• Monitor key product metrics to boost retention and lifetime value.
• Define and prioritize the roadmap based on business goals and user needs.

Ultimately, a Digital Product Manager ensures that digital products don’t just exist, they evolve, engage, and excel in an ever-changing landscape.

To be a good Digital Product Manager, you need to know how to create a digital product strategy to guide you. Learn more about how to make one to help you out in this role:

7. Data Product Manager

A Data Product Manager is the mastermind behind how an organization collects, structures, and leverages data. Unlike traditional Product Managers, who focus on improving a product for users, a Data PM’s primary mission is to improve the data itself – ensuring it flows efficiently, is high quality, and directly informs product decisions.

Think of a Data Product Manager as the detective of the Product Team, piecing together data puzzles to uncover insights that drive strategy. As businesses generate and rely on more data (especially with AI and machine learning in play), the demand for these specialists is only growing.

Here’s what a Data Product Manager does:

• Define data-driven goals: Setting clear objectives that align with business strategy, using KPIs and OKRs to track success.
• Translate complex data initiatives into action: Breaking down massive projects into manageable steps for execution.
• Build and maintain data infrastructure: Ensuring robust pipelines, storage, and access to high-quality data.
• Promote data literacy: Making data accessible through dashboards, analytics tools, and training.
• Enhance products using data: Using insights from user behavior and market trends to inform product development.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration: Bridging gaps between Engineering, Marketing, and Product teams.
• Analyze and interpret data: Running A/B tests, spotting trends, and turning raw data into strategic insights.
• Monitor and optimize data products: Tracking performance and iterating to maximize value.

Learn more about the Data Product Manager: 

8. Freelance Product Manager 

A Freelance Product Manager is a PM who can be dropped into a Product Trio and support a team without being a direct team member. They’re like a Swiss Army knife for Product Teams – versatile, efficient, and ready to tackle specific challenges without the long-term commitment of a full-time hire. 

While they perform many of the same tasks as in-house PMs, their focus is usually more defined, time-bound, and goal-oriented.

Companies typically bring in freelance PMs to:

• Lead short-term projects: Overseeing feature development, product launches, or process optimizations.
• Fill resource gaps: Acting as a temporary PM when a team is understaffed or between hires.
• Drive product strategy: Developing roadmaps, prioritizing initiatives, and aligning teams on goals.
• Improve processes: Identifying inefficiencies and implementing frameworks to streamline workflows.
• Deliver measurable outcomes: Boosting user engagement, improving onboarding, or increasing feature adoption rate.

Freelance PMs are particularly valuable for startups needing early product guidance, companies looking to improve an underperforming product, or teams that require expertise for a specific challenge. 

The flexibility of freelancing also allows professionals to specialize in areas like product strategy, UX improvements, or agile coaching – choosing projects that align with their skills and interests.

Freelance Product Management is one of the more unique types of Product Manager, but a rewarding choice for many. Learn more about how to become one: 

9. Startup Product Manager 

A Startup Product Manager isn’t just building a product: they’re helping build the company itself. Unlike in established businesses with structured teams and clear processes, a Startup PM operates in constant uncertainty, making decisions that can define the company’s success or failure.

Why does this role exist? Because startups don’t have the luxury of trial and error at scale. Every decision – whether about vision, strategy, or execution – has to be intentional, balancing short-term survival with long-term growth.

What makes a Startup Product Manager different?

• They define the product vision: Translating the founder’s ideas into an actionable strategy.
• They create a roadmap from scratch: Deciding on frameworks, priorities, and direction with no pre-existing structure.
• The communicate with potential investors and often board members: potential: Engaging directly with these highly influential and experienced executives who can make or break the future of the startup 
• They set the position in the market: Determining where the product fits through customer research, not just refinements.
• They have to work with seriously limited resources: Stretching a tight budget and maximizing impact with lean strategies.

This role thrives in ambiguity, turning chaos into momentum and big ideas into reality. Adaptability, speed, and strategic thinking are the name of the game.

Learn more about the Startup Product Manager:

10. Enterprise Product Manager

Moving into Enterprise Product Management means stepping into a world of larger scales, longer timeframes, and complex cycles. Unlike smaller companies, integrating with existing systems in a large organization can feel like trying to change the tires on a moving bus.

As an Enterprise PM, stakeholder management takes on a new level of complexity. With more people involved – ranging from internal teams to external partners – aligning diverse visions and managing expectations becomes a significant part of the job. 

You’ll also have to navigate red tape, especially in regulated industries like healthcare, finance, or government, where compliance and security are top priorities.

Managing a single product in an enterprise requires aligning your strategy with broader company goals. Things move a bit slower in an enterprise business, so you’ll need to figure out how you can run fast experiments and iterate in the environment.

The challenges of the enterprise type of Product Manager include:

• Organizational complexity: Navigating large corporate structures and gaining consensus across multiple layers.
• Stakeholder management: Balancing the needs of various departments, external partners, and global markets.
• Market responsiveness: Adapting to changes while staying aligned with company priorities.
• Technological adaptation: Ensuring your product stays innovative while integrating with existing systems.

Check out this deep dive into Enterprise Product Management: 

11. Agile Product Manager

An Agile Product Manager embraces the agile methodology, focusing on flexibility and rapid response to change. Instead of rigid planning, they work in short iterations – known as agile sprints – refining products continuously based on customer feedback.

Key aspects of the role include:

• Iterative development: Breaking down product development into manageable sprints where features are delivered incrementally and refined with each cycle.
• Rapid experimentation: Continuously running A/B tests and prototypes to validate assumptions, gather insights, and refine the product quickly.
• Data-driven decisions: Measuring key product metrics and using real-time feedback to make informed, iterative improvements.
• Impact-based prioritization: Ruthlessly prioritizing backlog items based on learnings from experiments and measurable business impact.
• Adaptability: Continuously adjusting the roadmap in response to new information and evolving customer needs.

In essence, an Agile Product Manager thrives on constant iteration, collaboration, and flexible planning, ensuring that the product evolves rapidly to meet both user needs and market demands.

To fully understand Agile, check out our glossary post: 

12. Generalist Product Manager

Don’t forget about the original Product Manager, the generalist. The core Product Manager. Just because there are a lot of different types doesn’t mean these masters of all trades need to be ignored. 

With a generalist, you’re dipping into everything, with a much broader focus across the whole Product Management lifecycle. Here, you’re the Jack of all trades, and let’s be real, expected to be the master of them all too. 

Now here’s the thing with the core Product Manager. They’re doing the things that all these focused types are doing too, it’s just not being called out. A General Product Manager is ALSO a Growth Product Manager, a Technical Product Manager, a Data Product Manager, AI Product Manager, or whatever.  Whether it’s stipulated in their job title or not all Product Managers need to do all these things. 

What I’m saying here is that the types of Product Managers just single out a focus that’s a bit more important than the others, in the eyes of the people who are posting jobs for these types. To be a good Product Manager, I think you need to be all of the different types at the same time. 

It’s not about specializing your skills, it’s about diversifying. 

The Product Manager personality test

Alright, time for a bit of fun. Remember those Buzzfeed quizzes that’ll tell you what Harry Potter character you were, or which member of Scooby Do you were most like, or which Taylor Swift Album aligned most with your personality? 

Well, I miss that type of internet content, so I thought we’d bring it back, and help you work out which type of Product Manager suits you best. 

Now, this isn’t solicited career advice. If you want a more serious look at the different Product Management roles you can try out, check out my article exploring the Product Management career path. 

Instead, treat this as a tongue-in-cheek quiz to perhaps see which type of Product Manager matches your skills, aspirations, and experience. Keep track of your answers, as the letter you choose most tells you your best type:

1. What excites you most about product management? ‼️

A) Building technically complex products
B) Running experiments to optimize user growth
C) Integrating AI to solve real-world problems
D) Leading and mentoring a team of PMs
E) Staying hands-on and delivering great product work
F) Creating seamless digital experiences
G) Leveraging data to make strategic decisions
H) The flexibility of choosing my own projects
I) Wearing multiple hats in a fast-moving startup
J) Navigating large organizations to push product success
K) Iterating quickly based on user feedback

2. Your ideal day involves:🌟

A) Discussing APIs and architecture with Engineers
B) Analyzing A/B test results and conversion funnels
C) Refining AI model accuracy with Data Scientists
D) Coaching a PM on strategy development
E) Executing a well-defined product strategy with precision
F) Defining a roadmap for a new app feature
G) Diving into analytics to uncover insights
H) Consulting a new client on product strategy
I) Pitching a feature idea directly to the CEO
J) Managing stakeholder expectations in a large organization
K) Running a sprint planning session with the Dev Team

3. When faced with a challenge, you…⚔️

A) Research technical solutions and consult with Engineers
B) Run an experiment to test a hypothesis
C) Look at how AI could help automate or optimize
D) Mentor your team and provide strategic direction
E) Roll up your sleeves and execute the best possible solution
F) Consider how digital UX can be improved
G) Pull data to find patterns and insights
H) Adapt quickly based on the client’s needs
I) Take quick action to solve the issue immediately
J) Align multiple stakeholders to move forward
K) Prioritize based on the latest customer feedback

4. Your product’s success is measured by: 🏆

A) System reliability and performance metrics
B) Growth in acquisition and retention rates
C) AI model accuracy and ethical compliance
D) The success and growth of your PM team
E) The quality and impact of individual contributions
F) Engagement metrics and user experience feedback
G) Quality and accessibility of data insights
H) Client satisfaction and repeat business
I) Market adoption and startup survival
J) Enterprise-wide adoption and stakeholder buy-in
K) Speed of iteration and product improvements

5. Which of these best describes your work style? 💼

A) Logical and systematic
B) Experiment-driven and analytical
C) Forward-thinking and AI-savvy
D) Coaching and leadership-focused
E) Detail-oriented and execution-focused
F) Creative and user-focused
G) Detail-oriented and insight-driven
H) Adaptable and entrepreneurial
I) Fast-paced and resourceful
J) Strategic and diplomatic
K) Agile and iterative

6. What challenges do you enjoy solving most? 🧩

A) How to scale a complex system efficiently
B) How to improve conversion rates and retention
C) How to make AI outputs more useful
D) How to empower my PM team
E) How to execute product work at the highest level
F) How to enhance digital user experiences
G) How to clean and structure data for insights
H) How to deliver value quickly
I) How to build a product from scratch
J) How to align multiple teams toward a goal
K) How to quickly adjust based on feedback

7. What environment do you thrive in? 🌎

A) A highly technical, engineering-driven team
B) A fast-moving, experiment-driven team
C) A research-heavy AI-focused team
D) A leadership role within a product org
E) A role where you can stay hands-on and perfect your craft
F) A digital-first product company
G) A data-centric business
H) A variety of projects with different clients
I) A fast-paced startup with minimal structure
J) A large, complex enterprise
K) A highly agile, iterative team

8. What’s the most important skill in your role? 🛠️

A) Understanding complex technical systems
B) Running experiments and analyzing data
C) Leveraging AI to improve products
D) Leading and mentoring other PMs
E) Staying deeply involved in product execution
F) Designing seamless user experiences
G) Extracting insights from data
H) Managing multiple projects and clients
I) Building and launching new products quickly
J) Navigating enterprise structures and stakeholders
K) Iterating fast based on user feedback

The different types of Product Managers 

And there you have it – the most common types of Product Managers, and how to identify which one suits you best.

Product Management can look different depending on your primary focus. But, no matter what type of Product Manager you are, it’s your job to drive that vision forward through a well-planned roadmap and effective management of your Product Team. To give yourself the best chance of success, you need the right tools.

That’s where ProdPad comes in. With its powerful roadmapping capabilities, backed by CoPilot AI, ProdPad helps you prioritize and manage your roadmap with ease, so you can focus on what truly matters to improve both your product and your business.

No matter what type of PM you are or aspire to be, it’s undeniable that certain responsibilities will become universal across all types. One responsibility that we predict will be widespread is the need to manage AI products. Make sure you’re on top of all the considerations and challenges that are involved when building an AI product.