Product Release Manager

What is a product release manager?

Product release managers work with the development team, from the planning phase through deployment, to ensure a smooth product release. They will also be responsible for setting quality criteria and giving the development team goals to work towards before the product can be considered finished. 

Product release manager key responsibilities and skills

Product release manager responsibilities

While a product manager will focus on higher-level aspects of product development like budget/resource management and ensuring user needs are represented, product release managers are responsible for the finer details of a product release, including:

• Building a schedule for releases

• Defining quality thresholds

• Managing customer feedback 

• Coordinating with stakeholders

Product release manager skills

Product release managers will need a strong knowledge of DevOps, Agile methodologies, and the Software Development Lifecycle. This should come naturally with candidates coming from a product management background. They’ll also need strong team management skills, as they’ll be responsible for maintaining communication and coordination between all departments. 

Product release managers usually have a degree in computer science. This gives them plenty of programming knowledge to help guide their efforts because they will better understand the steps the development team is taking.

Product release manager salary

The role of product release manager is still fairly new. The salary will change depending on experience and location. Here are some average salaries you can expect in the US and Europe. 

• US - The average salary for a product release manager working in the United States of America is around $131,000 annually. The highest reported figure on Glassdoor is $163,000, with the lowest listed at $105,000 a year. This is inclusive of base and additional pay.

• UK - Product release managers in the United Kingdom receive an average base pay of £59,000 per year. Compensation can be as low as £42,000, with the highest reported figure at £79,000. 

• Germany - The average salary for Product Release Managers in Germany is €79,000 per year. This is inclusive of base pay and additional pay. Pay can range from €70,000 to €94,000, with base pay starting at €68,000.

• The Netherlands - Glassdoor currently lists the base pay range for Product Release Managers working in The Netherlands at between €59,000 and €72,000.