M3M3 — Senior Manager
Systems Development Engineering Manager (M3)
Leads a team responsible for integrating systems to ensure products meet requirements, overseeing product lifecycles from design through production.
What this level means
Leads multiple teams or a sub-function; sets goals and owns cross-team execution.
- Scope
- Multiple teams or a sub-function
- Autonomy
- Sets goals within functional strategy
- Complexity
- Multi-team execution and resourcing trade-offs
- Impact
- Sub-function outcomes
- Decision rights
- Owns goals, budget input, and people decisions across teams
- Leadership
- Manages managers and/or several teams
- Typical experience
- 8–12 yrs
What you'd do
- Manage end-to-end system development lifecycle.
- Lead cross-functional teams to define system requirements.
- Monitor progress, budgets, and resource allocations.
- Establish and enforce quality standards and best practices.
- Facilitate communication between stakeholders.
- Ensure compliance with industry standards.
- Identify and mitigate risks in system integration.
- Optimize resource allocation for efficiency.
- Drive continuous improvement in system development processes.
- Coordinate with external vendors and partners.
- Lead system development projects.
- Monitor project progress and adjust plans as needed.
- Communicate project status to stakeholders.
- Ensure quality standards are met.
- Facilitate cross-functional collaboration.
Skills, knowledge & tools
- Project management
- Team leadership
- Budget management
- Quality control
- Risk assessment
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Strategic planning
- Process improvement
- Vendor management
- Systems engineering principles
- Product lifecycle management
- Quality standards
- Risk management frameworks
- Cross-functional team dynamics
- Resource allocation strategies
- Industry standards compliance
- Process optimization techniques
- Stakeholder communication strategies
- Vendor management practices
- Strategic Leadership
- Complex Problem Solving
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Excellent communication
- Decision-Making and Risk Management
- Quality assurance
- Resource management
- Process optimization
- Stakeholder engagement
- Risk Mitigation
What good looks like
- Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related fields.
- Minimum 8–10 years of experience in systems engineering or integrated product development.
- Master’s degree or MBA preferred.
- Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP).
- PMP certification.
Common titles
Senior Manager, Systems Development EngineeringSystems Development Engineering Senior ManagerSenior Manager, Systems Development EngineerSystems Development Engineer Senior ManagerSystems Development Engineering Manager (M3)Mid-Level Management
Where it sits & what it pays
O*NET / SOC: 17-0000 — Architecture & Engineering Occupations(inferred · under review)
Market-pay benchmarks for this family × level are coming — JobFrame anchors pay to the family/level structure rather than the raw title.