P6P6 — Principal Professional
Distinguished Architect/Program Strategist
Leads organization-wide engineering initiatives and innovation programs, shaping the R&D project portfolio and governance.
What this level means
Top individual contributor; recognized authority with strategic impact, equivalent to a low executive level
- Scope
- Organization-wide architecture and the hardest problems
- Autonomy
- Defines direction; minimal oversight
- Complexity
- Strategic, open-ended problems shaping the technical future
- Impact
- Organization-wide
- Decision rights
- Sets technical strategy for a major area
- Leadership
- Recognized authority; multiplies many teams
- Typical experience
- 12–18 yrs
What you'd do
- Leading organization-wide initiatives
- Collaborating with executives on strategy
- Shaping R&D project portfolio
- Driving innovation programs
- Establishing governance frameworks
- Lead organization-wide initiatives
- Collaborate on strategy
- Shape project portfolio
- Drive innovation
- Establish governance
Skills, knowledge & tools
- Strategic leadership
- Innovation management
- Portfolio governance
- Executive collaboration
- Communication
- Innovation strategies
- Strategic leadership
- Portfolio governance
- Executive collaboration
- R&D management
- Innovation and Strategic Alignment
- Collaboration and Communication
- Portfolio Governance
- Strategic Leadership
- Innovation management
What good looks like
- Advanced technical degree or equivalent expertise; typically 12+ years
- Proven leadership in innovation
- Experience in strategic R&D management
Common titles
Distinguished Architect/Program Strategist
What it pays
Market-pay benchmarks for this family × level are being recalibrated across all survey sources and will return shortly.
O*NET / SOC: 19-0000 — Life, Physical, & Social Science Occupations (inferred)