Table 1Transition record

product managertoresearch and development manager

A product manager already meets 15% of what the research and development manager role asks for. The move turns on 24 required skills not yet in the profile.

From product manager

15%

Overlap1

To research and development manager

13 Skills carried over

24 Required, not held

87.4 Difficulty2

Career overlap Distant match

15%

Learning distance A rebuild

87.4/ 100

Easy adjacentmoderatesubstantialcareer change Hard

1 Share of the research and development manager role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the product manager profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Why

Why this move works

A research and development manager role treats 4 of its required skills as things a product manager already does. These are the ones it depends on most.

industrial research and development
manage budgets
market research
perform market research

What stands in the way is 24 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 13 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A research and development manager role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a product manager background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held plan product management management skills
already held manage product testing management skills
already held industrial research and development engineering, manufacturing and construction
already held analyse consumer buying trends information skills
already held provide improvement strategies management skills
already held market research business, administration and law

All 13 carried skills, including the 4 the research and development manager role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 69 missing skills fall into 7 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 information skills 8 required, 15 supplementary

required, not held analyse business plans required
required, not held analyse external factors of companies required
required, not held analyse internal factors of companies required
required, not held assess the feasibility of implementing developments required
required, not held carry out strategic research required
required, not held report analysis results required
required, not held seek innovation in current practices required
required, not held synthesise information required

optional, not held analyse financial risk optional
optional, not held analyse production processes for improvement optional
optional, not held apply for research funding optional
optional, not held apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities optional
optional, not held apply scientific methods optional
optional, not held conduct research across disciplines optional
optional, not held demonstrate disciplinary expertise optional
optional, not held integrate gender dimension in research optional
optional, not held keep up with trends optional
optional, not held keep updated on innovations in various business fields optional
optional, not held manage findable accessible interoperable and reusable data optional
optional, not held manage research data optional
optional, not held perform scientific research optional
optional, not held promote open innovation in research optional
optional, not held promote the participation of citizens in scientific and research activities optional

02 management skills 6 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held identify new business opportunities required
required, not held manage personal professional development required
required, not held manage research and development projects required
required, not held manage staff required
required, not held mitigate waste of resources required
required, not held perform project management required

optional, not held create a financial plan optional
optional, not held develop product policies optional
optional, not held ensure finished product meet requirements optional
optional, not held integrate shareholders' interests in business plans optional

03 communication, collaboration and creativity 5 required, 18 supplementary

required, not held manage intellectual property rights required
required, not held interact professionally in research and professional environments required
required, not held represent the organisation required
required, not held speak different languages required
required, not held think abstractly required

optional, not held identify customer's needs optional
optional, not held interview people optional
optional, not held apply blended learning optional
optional, not held assist scientific research optional
optional, not held collaborate with engineers optional
optional, not held communicate with a non-scientific audience optional
optional, not held conduct research interview optional
optional, not held contact scientists optional
optional, not held develop professional network with researchers and scientists optional
optional, not held disseminate results to the scientific community optional
optional, not held draft scientific or academic papers and technical documentation optional
optional, not held evaluate research activities optional
optional, not held increase the impact of science on policy and society optional
optional, not held mentor individuals optional
optional, not held promote the transfer of knowledge optional
optional, not held publish academic research optional
optional, not held teach in academic or vocational contexts optional
optional, not held write scientific publications optional

04 business, administration and law 5 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held corporate social responsibility required
required, not held innovation processes required
required, not held project management required
required, not held intellectual property law required
required, not held marketing principles required

optional, not held commercial law optional
optional, not held funding methods optional
optional, not held marketing management optional
optional, not held risk management optional

05 working with computers 2 supplementary

optional, not held operate open source software optional
optional, not held manage open publications optional

06 engineering, manufacturing and construction 1 supplementary

optional, not held wind energy optional

1 further area in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a research and development manager role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 13 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held industrial research and development knowledge
already held manage budgets skill
already held market research knowledge
already held perform market research skill
already held analyse consumer buying trends skill
already held analyse economic trends skill
already held analyse market financial trends skill
already held cost management knowledge
already held develop product design skill
already held manage product testing skill
already held plan product management skill
already held provide improvement strategies skill
already held sales strategies knowledge

The 1 learning area not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 social sciences, journalism and information 1 supplementary

optional, not held interview techniques optional

45 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held commercial law optional
optional, not held identify customer's needs optional
optional, not held interview people optional
optional, not held operate open source software optional
optional, not held wind energy optional
optional, not held analyse financial risk optional
optional, not held analyse production processes for improvement optional
optional, not held apply blended learning optional
optional, not held apply for research funding optional
optional, not held apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities optional
optional, not held apply scientific methods optional
optional, not held assist scientific research optional
optional, not held collaborate with engineers optional
optional, not held communicate with a non-scientific audience optional
optional, not held conduct research across disciplines optional
optional, not held conduct research interview optional
optional, not held contact scientists optional
optional, not held create a financial plan optional
optional, not held demonstrate disciplinary expertise optional
optional, not held develop product policies optional
optional, not held develop professional network with researchers and scientists optional
optional, not held disseminate results to the scientific community optional
optional, not held draft scientific or academic papers and technical documentation optional
optional, not held ensure finished product meet requirements optional
optional, not held evaluate research activities optional
optional, not held funding methods optional
optional, not held increase the impact of science on policy and society optional
optional, not held integrate gender dimension in research optional
optional, not held integrate shareholders' interests in business plans optional
optional, not held interview techniques optional
optional, not held keep up with trends optional
optional, not held keep updated on innovations in various business fields optional
optional, not held manage findable accessible interoperable and reusable data optional
optional, not held manage open publications optional
optional, not held manage research data optional
optional, not held marketing management optional
optional, not held mentor individuals optional
optional, not held perform scientific research optional
optional, not held promote open innovation in research optional
optional, not held promote the participation of citizens in scientific and research activities optional

5 further entries not listed here

49 held skills the research and development manager role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role advise on communication strategies skill
not needed by the target role analyse cultural trends skill
not needed by the target role analyse data about clients skill
not needed by the target role apply strategic thinking skill
not needed by the target role carry out sales analysis skill
not needed by the target role circular economy knowledge
not needed by the target role combine business technology with user experience skill
not needed by the target role consumer goods industry knowledge
not needed by the target role coordinate events skill
not needed by the target role create prototype of user experience solutions skill
not needed by the target role define technology strategy skill
not needed by the target role design customer experiences skill
not needed by the target role design management knowledge
not needed by the target role develop business plans skill
not needed by the target role develop communications strategies skill
not needed by the target role develop new products skill
not needed by the target role develop promotional tools skill
not needed by the target role develop revenue generation strategies skill
not needed by the target role draw conclusions from market research results skill
not needed by the target role ensure products meet regulatory requirements skill
not needed by the target role execute marketing plan skill
not needed by the target role follow production schedule skill
not needed by the target role identify market niches skill
not needed by the target role integrate marketing strategies with the global strategy skill
not needed by the target role make data-driven decisions skill
not needed by the target role manage feedback skill
not needed by the target role manage production systems skill
not needed by the target role manage profitability skill
not needed by the target role manage the customer experience skill
not needed by the target role manage the handling of promotional materials skill
not needed by the target role market pricing knowledge
not needed by the target role maximise sales revenues skill
not needed by the target role organise participation in local or international events skill
not needed by the target role oversee quality control skill
not needed by the target role perform product testing skill
not needed by the target role persuade clients with alternatives skill
not needed by the target role prepare market research reports skill
not needed by the target role pricing strategies knowledge
not needed by the target role product comprehension knowledge
not needed by the target role product data management knowledge

9 further entries not listed here

11 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held corporate social responsibility required
required, not held innovation processes required
required, not held project management required
required, not held intellectual property law required
required, not held marketing principles required
optional, not held commercial law optional
optional, not held wind energy optional
optional, not held funding methods optional
optional, not held interview techniques optional
optional, not held marketing management optional
optional, not held risk management optional

Index

Other moves recorded from product manager

Full index of moves from product manager

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.