Monzo - Engineering Manager Progression Framework - v1.

🧭 Monzo Engineering Manager Progression Framework

Version: 1.0
Status: Live

Foreword

Levels
Level 3: Engineering Manager
Level 4: Senior Engineering Manager
Level 5: Engineering Director
Level 6: Vice President of Engineering WIP
Level 7: Chief Technology Officer

This document defines the career progression and expectations of an engineering manager at Monzo, across all levels of
our progression framework. Consider this framework a compass, not a GPS - an outcome focussed look at the EM role.

Foreword

Engineering managers at Monzo are accountable for the technical and delivery outcomes for their team. This is a
technical role, but you are not expected to write code or meaningfully contribute to the design of our systems. You should,
however, be able to understand, articulate and consider technical problems, and represent the work of your team both
internally and externally and the value that brings to our customers.
Monzo - Engineering Manager Progression Framework - v1.0

Managers are expected to be interrupt driven; a manager should actively work to create focus for the engineers in their
team, taking the lead on meetings with stakeholders, planning and sequencing the work of their team (in collaboration
with their engineers) and providing relevant updates on progress and achievements.

The goal of the engineering manager is to create an autonomous, high performing team - to foster an environment where
decisions are delegated and can be made and communicated effectively. It is not the role of the manager to make these
decisions, but to ensure they are made.

Managers demonstrate impact through developing their people, as well as organisation, planning and communication
within their team or area. This differs from the tech lead, where the tech lead primarily demonstrates impact through their
code, and their influence on the code and systems of others.

While the roles are distinct, there are often cases where they overlap - the key here is creating space for individuals to
focus on where they are most highly leveraged. If a tech lead is unable to focus their time on the technical problems within
the team due to spending their time planning and communicating progress to external stakeholders, that is a poor
outcome.
Monzo - Engineering Manager Progression Framework - v1.0

Levels

Unless otherwise stated, behaviours are cumulative.

The behaviours in these tables are focussed on the what, not the how - Engineering Managers will naturally lead in
different ways, this framework is agnostic to leadership styles.

Level 3: Engineering Manager

ℹ️ An Engineering Manager, leading across 1-2 squads. Responsible for the technical and delivery outcomes for the
squad.

Team and execution People Leadership

Creates a culture of ownership and Creates an inclusive environment in their Fosters a healthy dynamic within their
accountability within their team. Pushes team, seeks out feedback and adapts team or area, leads on resolving
for decisions to be made effectively and ways of working to enable their people to interpersonal conflicts.
removes blockers that impede team do their best work.
progress. Builds an excellent relationship with
Sets meaningful development goals and relevant peers in their team (product,
design, data, compliance etc). Aligns on
Drives team goals forward by organizing milestones for their reports. Can lead
key strategic decisions.
the team’s work and setting appropriate conversations around what their
milestones. engineers need to demonstrate to Communicates team progress against
progress. milestones at an appropriate cadence to
Empowers engineers to achieve a high relevant stakeholders.
bar of engineering excellence in their Aligns the growth of their engineers with
work, creating space for testing, the success of their team. Raises the visibility of the team’s work in
the wider organisation, recognising both
automation, observability, documentation
Actively develops the people in their team. individual and team achievements.
Monzo - Engineering Manager Progression Framework - v1.0

and other important operational

concerns. Hires top talent: takes part in interviews Helps messages about company or wider
and ensures their engineers are taking collective changes land consistently in
their team, taking cues from their
Proactively escalates issues in a timely part in hiring where appropriate, and that
manager. Makes sure everyone
manner with delivery to appropriate their feedback is well calibrated. understands and is comfortable with
stakeholders those changes.
Retains their people - proactively
Keeps the team directionally aligned with identifies flight risks and takes Seeks out feedback on key decisions or
their goals. meaningful steps to solve the underlying approaches from other engineering
problem. managers and teammates.
Proactively manages incidents (as
incident manager) directly affecting their Seeks out, composes and delivers
team or area. constructive feedback to their reports.
Helps their people to independently pull
Ensures the team owns the operations of and deliver feedback.
their systems. Sets up on-call rotas,
ensures playbooks are created and Ensures new joiners in their team are set
pushes for teams to fully understand the up for success.
contributing factors to any incidents
Sets a high bar for individual
Creates effective systems for managing performance. Appropriately manages
work. Maintains a healthy shipping performance concerns.
cadence by balancing short and long term
priorities, and appropriately unblocking Clearly and concisely represents their
others when needed. engineers in calibration and promotion
forums
Monzo - Engineering Manager Progression Framework - v1.0

Level 4: Senior Engineering Manager

ℹ️ A Senior Engineering Manager leads across a medium sized area of the business, usually consisting of 2-4 teams.
Teams and execution People Leadership

Leads across a number of teams or Manages other engineering managers. Demonstrates commercial and business
different streams of delivery. awareness for their area. Articulates the
Coaches and mentors senior engineers. purpose of their work in the eyes of the
Delegates decision-making and follows Helps develop new senior engineers customer and the business.
through to verify. either directly or indirectly.
Proactively engages with Monzo “being a
Uses data to inform their decision making, Sets high quality personal development bank”. Builds strong relationships with
where data isn’t available takes plans for their people. Finds ways to second (and third) line stakeholders, plays
meaningful steps to introduce monitoring leverage engineering expertise in their an active role in assurance work related to
to improve the quality of decision making teams on company-wise issues. their team.
in the team.
Seeks diverse perspectives, and delivers Proactively lands key company messages
Balances work on short term, tactical high quality developmental feedback. or changes in their area. Frames and adds
changes to align with a broader strategy perspective relevant to their team, and
for their area. Proactive in deviating from Accountable for line management creates space to understand feedback.
a strategy when it makes sense, and decisions in their area. Proactive but
clearly communicates that change. empathetic when managing performance Offers input, challenge or perspective on
concerns. calibration ratings and decisions.
Effectively staffs and structures their
teams to enable them to accomplish their Actively plans for engineers leaving the Contributes to the betterment of
goals. Makes rational decisions related to company. Breaks down knowledge silos engineering practices at a company level.
seniority or skills. Gets wider stakeholder and ensures we record relevant
buy in on budget and hiring plans. knowledge during someone's
off-boarding.
Raises the bar for technical excellence in
their area, empowering engineers to make Mentors other engineering managers.
Monzo - Engineering Manager Progression Framework - v1.0

and own key decisions around speed or

quality trade-offs.

Empowers managers in setting goals and

objectives for their team. Aligns
objectives for their area to a common
narrative or mission (in turn aligned to
their collective or company).

Ensures key technical decisions have the

relevant stakeholder buy in and support.
Monzo - Engineering Manager Progression Framework - v1.0

Level 5: Engineering Director

ℹ️ At L5, Engineering Directors are responsible for a vertical area of the business, most typically a collective. Think of
an Engineering Director as the CTO of their collective, partnered with the relevant exec or leader. Engineering Directors
are highly independent leaders.

Organisation and execution People Leadership

Owns decisions related to staffing and Develops an organisation. Makes Leads large, complex, cross-company
headcount for their collective. Presents decisions on where to staff, restructure or projects, often of material importance, to
clear commercial rationales for invest aligned with the rest of their successful conclusions. Sets the bar for
leadership group.
headcount investments. Aligns with other cross-functional collaboration between
disciplines to ensure teams are balanced. Manages (senior) engineering managers areas of the business.
and staff engineers.
Proactively sets a clear forward facing Inputs into and maintains a budget for
strategy and plan for engineering Proactively invests in growth of leaders in their teams or collective.
investments for their area, in partnership their area, and within the larger
with relevant staff engineers. engineering discipline. Meaningfully contributes to the success
of their organisation. Inputs into the
Contributes to the craft of engineering
Collaborates with other engineering overall strategy or direction, not just
management as a discipline. Challenges,
leaders on cross-collective projects. engineering.
proposes and executes changes where
Takes ownership and effectively
they are needed.
delegates actions related to their teams. Effectively manages upwards (often to
executive stakeholders), offers input and
Sets high quality development goals and
Builds autonomous teams that do not challenge on important decisions that
plans for the most senior engineers in the
require continuous oversight. affect the success of their organisation or
company.
the company.
Deeply understands the performance and
trajectory of their area - uses data to
Monzo - Engineering Manager Progression Framework - v1.0

quantify where it makes sense. Calibrates Leads calibration discussions for their Actively seeks out and actions feedback
their organization's performance against organisation. Actively challenges bias and from their horizontal leadership peers.
the rest of the company. ensures fair outcomes.

Responsible for key supplier management Invests in the health of their organisation.
related to their area. Demonstrates Keeps a finger on the pulse of engineer
diligence with choosing and onboarding sentiment. Takes decisive action where it
suppliers. is needed.

Creates repeatable, scalable systems to Works with and through their managers to
structure teams, and to plan and deliver constantly improve team performance.
work across their area. Takes a “trust and
verify” approach to empower managers
but demonstrates overall accountability.

Makes pragmatic decisions on whether to

build or buy technology in their area, or
when to employ a non technical solution.
Monzo - Engineering Manager Progression Framework - v1.0

Level 6: Vice President of Engineering WIP

ℹ️ A Vice President of Engineering is responsible for a large, materially important engineering organization in the
business, which may span across multiple collectives or subject areas.

Organisation and execution People Leadership

Effectively plans work across multiple Manages engineering directors, senior Creates and owns key company
teams or collectives to achieve engineering managers, staff and principal messages that impact the engineering
company-wide goals. engineers. organisation. Builds trust and calm
through their communication.
Owns organisational wide staffing plans. Cultivates a strong, balanced engineering Communicates effectively to executives
Sequences and prioritises new hires to leadership team across their area. Invests and board members.
maximise impact on company objectives. in their bench.
Builds highly autonomous engineering Divests key information from around the
organisations without the need for Actively prioritises and takes meaningful company into their leadership team or
continuous oversight. steps to build a diverse, inclusive areas.
technology organization.
Builds strong relationships with other area
Represents engineering at various leads/execs/VPs. Creates a system
company forums. Proactively inputs into Breaks down silos and creates where information and issues are easily
issues that affect the engineering contingency in materially important areas routed to them.
organisation. of the business.
Influences company strategy. Leans on
Drives the creation of forward facing Sets clear direction around career engineering expertise but draws from
other domain strengths (product, data,
technology strategies for the company or progression and performance
infra).
area - leveraged our engineers to create expectations for engineer and manager
high quality direction and documentation. roles. When needed, can lead or coordinate
projects of high importance and urgency
to the business, on time, to a high quality.
Monzo - Engineering Manager Progression Framework - v1.0

Develops high quality discipline Proactively plans for the growth and
coordination across the company. succession of others as the organisation
Ensures different technical domains are develops.
well represented.
Monzo - Engineering Manager Progression Framework - v1.0

Level 7: Chief Technology Officer

This is a unique, “one of a kind” role that will vary depending on the strengths of the person doing it. We haven’t got as far
as codifying this yet. Originates memes.