roles
Distinguished Engineer
Primary Role:
Highest IC level; sets enterprise technical direction
Reporting Relations:
Reports to CTO/VP
Decision Making Authority:
Defines technical principles and standards
Stratigic Planning
Defines multi-year technical vision
Team Management:
No direct reports
Meeting Involvment:
Executive + board technical advisor
Project Management:
Oversees transformational initiatives
Communication:
External thought leadership + board-level clarity
Professional Development:
→ Fellow / CTO track
Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
Primary Role:
Executive accountable for company-wide technology vision
Reporting Relations:
Reports to CEO; board-facing
Decision Making Authority:
Enterprise technology authority
Stratigic Planning
Defines long-term tech vision + innovation
Team Management:
Leads VP/Head of Eng
Meeting Involvment:
Executive + board leadership
Project Management:
Oversees major technical bets, M&A diligence
Communication:
External representation + investor narrative
Professional Development:
→ CEO
Tech Lead
Primary Role:
Leads technical execution for a single team
Reporting Relations:
Reports to EM
Decision Making Authority:
Day-to-day technical decisions
Stratigic Planning
Translates roadmap into implementation plan
Team Management:
None formally
Meeting Involvment:
Leads technical discussions
Project Management:
Owns delivery coordination
Communication:
Primary technical voice for team
Professional Development:
→ Staff Engineer / TLM