Director vs Head vs VP

Aspect	Director of Engineering	Head of Engineering	VP of Engineering
Scope	Typically manages multiple engineering teams or a major product area	Similar to Director, but often used in smaller companies or startups; may oversee entire engineering org	Broader organizational scope; responsible for overall engineering strategy and multiple departments
Common Team Size	20-50 engineers across multiple teams	15-40 engineers, varies by company size	50-200+ engineers across multiple departments
Reporting Structure	Reports to VP of Engineering or CTO	Often reports to CTO or CEO in smaller companies	Reports to CTO or CEO
Strategic Input	Department-level strategy and execution	Technical strategy for specific business area	Company-wide technical vision and strategy
Budget Authority	Manages department budget	Similar to Director in larger companies; full engineering budget in smaller ones	Controls overall engineering budget and allocation
External Visibility	Primarily internal with some external representation	Mix of internal and external facing	High external visibility; represents company to investors, partners
Technical Involvement	Still somewhat hands-on in technical decisions	Balance of technical and management	Primarily strategic; less hands-on technical work
Career Level	Often IC5/IC6 equivalent	Similar to Director; varies by company	Usually IC6/IC7 equivalent
Common Responsibilities	• Team development and hiring • Project and program oversight • Technical architecture decisions • Department OKRs and execution	• Similar to Director in larger orgs • May have broader scope in smaller companies • Often more hands-on than Director	• Engineering organization vision • Executive team participation • Strategic planning • Cross-functional leadership

Note that these roles can vary significantly between companies, particularly based on:

• Company size and stage

• Industry sector

• Organizational structure

• Geographic location

• Company culture and history

The same title might represent different levels of responsibility and scope across different organizations.

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Criteria	Director of Engineering	Head of Engineering	VP of Engineering
Level in Hierarchy	Mid-to-senior level, reporting to VP or CTO	Senior-level, often the highest engineering role in smaller companies	Executive-level, reports to CEO or CTO
Primary Focus	Overseeing teams and ensuring project delivery	Leading the entire engineering department	Aligning engineering strategy with business goals
Scope of Responsibility	Multiple teams within a department	Entire engineering department	Organization-wide engineering leadership
Strategic Involvement	Tactical and operational	Strategic and operational	High-level strategic decision-making
People Management	Manages engineering managers and senior engineers	Manages directors and senior engineers	Manages directors and oversees overall talent strategy
Budget Responsibility	Limited, usually focused on specific projects	Department-level budgeting	Organization-wide engineering budget
Collaboration	Works with product managers and cross-functional teams	Collaborates with other department heads	Works closely with executive team and board members
Decision-Making Authority	Project-level decisions	Department-wide decisions	Company-wide engineering decisions
KPIs and Success Metrics	Project delivery, team performance, and quality	Department performance, efficiency, and innovation	Business outcomes, scalability, and long-term success
Typical Company Size	Mid-sized companies or specific divisions in large firms	Startups and mid-sized companies	Large companies or scaling startups
Career Progression	Promotion to Head of Engineering or VP of Engineering	Promotion to VP of Engineering or CTO	Promotion to CTO or other executive roles

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Aspect	Director of Engineering	Head of Engineering	VP of Engineering
Level	Mid-to-senior management	Senior management or executive role	Executive-level role
Scope	Oversees one or more engineering teams/projects	Oversees the entire engineering department	Oversees engineering strategy across the org
Focus	Team performance, project delivery, and execution	Departmental alignment, resource allocation	Business strategy, cross-functional alignment
Decision-Making	Tactical decisions for team/project success	Operational decisions for the engineering dept	Strategic decisions impacting the organization
Reporting To	VP of Engineering or Head of Engineering	VP of Engineering or CTO	CTO or CEO
Direct Reports	Engineering managers, team leads, and engineers	Engineering managers, directors, and teams	Directors, Heads, and senior managers
Key Responsibilities	- Team management - Project delivery - Technical guidance	- Departmental leadership - Resource planning - Process improvement	- Organizational strategy - Budget oversight - Cross-department collaboration
Strategic Influence	Limited to team/project level	Department-level strategy	Company-wide strategy
Experience Required	5-10+ years in engineering, with leadership experience	10+ years, with significant leadership experience	15+ years, with executive-level experience
Typical Org Size	Medium to large organizations	Medium to large organizations	Large organizations or enterprises

Key Differences:

• Director of Engineering: Focuses on team and project-level execution.

• Head of Engineering: Balances operational and strategic responsibilities for the engineering department.

• VP of Engineering: Drives high-level strategy and aligns engineering goals with business objectives.

The exact roles and responsibilities may vary depending on the organization’s size and structure.