Most Important Skills for a Director Product Marketing at Meta
Kati, a Director of Product Marketing at Meta, identifies three crucial skills: "influence," navigating internal partnerships and resolving conflict to "unblock decisions as fast as possible"; strong "communication," acting as a translator between product and sales teams; and "autonomy," thriving in ambiguity and reacting swiftly to change by developing "strategies and structures to process things changing in real time." These skills highlight the dynamic and collaborative nature of their role bridging product development and market realities.
Communication, Influence, Autonomy, Problem-Solving, Leadership
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Kati McGee
Director, Product Marketing
Meta Inc.
University of Texas at Austin, graduated 2010
N/A
History, Art History
Technology, Advertising, Communications & Marketing
Communication and Marketing
Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Influence: Build internal partnerships, resolve conflicts, align across organizations, and negotiate effectively to expedite decision-making.
2. Communication: Translate product information for sales and clients, anticipating and addressing communication styles and needs.
3. Autonomy: Operate comfortably in ambiguous situations, adapt to change quickly, develop strategies, and make independent decisions.
Transcript
What skills are most important for a job like yours?
There are three things I have in mind. The first is around influence. I think about influence in terms of forming internal partnerships and resolving conflict.
I have to build alignment typically across organizations and leaders at a director or VP level, and then negotiate critical matters. So, how can I unblock decisions as fast as possible? I do that through really deep influence.
The second is around communication. In product marketing, we effectively sit between product and the market. My role is that of a translator.
We have to translate; we have to help sales teams figure out how they can speak product, and we have to help product teams figure out how to speak to clients. It is always an exercise in patience both ways. I need to anticipate and address how each side is going to think about their respective partner and how asks are heard by the other team.
Lastly, this one is a bit different, but it's autonomy or extreme comfort in ambiguity because no day is the same. I have to operate with a strong perspective on where I'm going and I need to react really quickly to change.
That could be seeking different perspectives and strategies in real time and building my own perspective around what I want to do differently. It could be developing strategies and structures to process things changing in real time, but being able to do that with my own autonomy and decision-making so I can react fast at the pace of change. That would be the third.
Advizer Personal Links
@katimcgee