The Chief Product Officer (CPO), also called Product Director, is responsible for the product strategy.
They oversee every stage, from conceptualization to product launch, to maintain an overall vision of all products being developed. The CPO is therefore a product management expert, ensuring that every decision serves both the company’s objectives and the users’ needs.
Today, with the proliferation of platforms, web and mobile applications, as well as software, having only a Technical or Marketing department is no longer enough to stand out from competitors—especially for growing product companies like startups. Our recruitment firm has decided to write this article to help you understand this role, covering its responsibilities, skills, and average salary.
If you are looking to recruit a CPO, contact our recruitment firm.
1. The Responsibilities of the Chief Product Officer (CPO)
The Chief Product Officer defines the company’s Product and Innovation Strategy. They are responsible for the product roadmap and its execution and typically manage a team of product managers. During their missions, they may also lead data teams (Product Data Analysts) responsible for using data to refine the strategy.
Their main responsibilities include:
- Defining the product strategy and a structured roadmap.
- Managing product teams, UX/UI designers, and sometimes Product Owners.
- Recruiting, training, and motivating product teams.
- Acting as a liaison between different departments (Technical, Business, Marketing).
- Analyzing customer needs and market trends (competitive intelligence, active user feedback).
- Supervising innovation projects with technical teams.
Using a specialized recruitment firm can help identify the right profile for this role.
2. Key Strengths and Skills of a Chief Product Officer (CPO)
The CPO role requires strong management skills. When recruiting, it is crucial to consider that this is a high-responsibility position demanding excellent communication, listening skills, and constant attention to organizing internal processes. Their involvement is key to maintaining the company’s product culture.
It is recommended to use a specialized recruitment firm, such as Bessand, to select a suitable candidate, as the CPO often makes strategic decisions, manages conflicts, and makes highly technical, structural choices. This highlights the importance of hiring the right person to maintain an aligned and efficient corporate environment.
Here is a list established by our recruitment firm of software skills, tools, and personal qualities to master, to help you select THE profile in your next search.
Software skills and tools:
- Proficiency in software: Illustrator, Fireworks, Visio, Photoshop
- Microsoft Office Suite
- KPI tracking, A/B testing, analytics tools: Mixpanel, Google Analytics
- UX/UI: user experience sensitivity, understanding journeys and wireframes
- Collaboration tools: Notion, Jira, Figma, Trello, Miro
Personal skills (soft skills):
- Leadership: inspiring, uniting, and developing teams
- Communication: adapting speech to various profiles
- Analytical mindset: identifying the right problems to solve
- Teaching ability: supporting teams’ professional development
- Delegation sense: entrusting responsibilities with discernment
- Autonomy: proactive and able to advance ideas independently
- Foresight: detecting market changes
- Responsiveness: quickly adapting to evolutions and trends
To successfully recruit for this role, it is essential to choose a candidate with good knowledge of the company’s industry. For support in this process, don’t hesitate to contact our recruitment firm.
3. Education, Career Paths, and Key Recruitment Sectors
Most CPOs hold a Master’s degree (Bac+5) from Business Schools, Engineering Schools, or Digital Programs, with specialized Masters in Digital Marketing, Innovation Management, or UX Design.
However, experience in product management remains essential; there is no single career path. Typically, a CPO has several years of experience as a Product Manager or Lead PM before moving into this strategic role. Using a recruitment firm can be very helpful in identifying these profiles.
The sectors with the most recruitment in this field are:
- SaaS (Software as a Service): B2B or B2C software platforms
- FinTech: online banking, crypto, blockchain
- E-commerce / Retail: online sales platforms
- HealthTech / MedTech: telemedicine, hospital management software
If you are a company in one of these sectors and want assistance from a recruitment firm to hire your next Chief Product Officer, contact us.
4. Chief Product Officer (CPO) Salary
In France, a Chief Product Officer earns on average between €67,000 and €118,000 gross per year, depending on:
- The company’s size and growth stage
- The industry sector
- Level of experience
For a junior profile in an early-stage startup, the starting salary is around €60,000 gross/year. For more experienced profiles, salaries often exceed €100,000. Generally, a CPO has several years of experience before advancing to this strategic role. It is common to rely on a recruitment firm to identify suitable candidates.
If you are seeking a CPO position, you can contact us directly. Our recruitment firm supports innovative companies in their hiring throughout the year.
5. What is the Difference Between a CPO and a CTO?
- The Chief Product Officer (CPO) guides the product vision, defines its strategy, chooses which features to develop, and ensures users have a successful experience. They lead the product teams (Product Managers, Product Owners, UX/UI Designers, etc.) and align market needs with the product roadmap.
- The Chief Technology Officer (CTO), on the other hand, is responsible for technical execution, software architecture, and development of technological solutions. They manage technical teams (Developers, Engineers, DevOps, etc.) and ensure system robustness, scalability, and performance.
Their collaboration is essential to ensure coherence between product vision and technical implementation.
If you want to learn more about the CTO role, check out our dedicated article on our recruitment firm’s website.
In conclusion, recruiting a Chief Product Officer (CPO) is a strategic decision, especially during product launches.
They play a key role in success through innovation, optimization, and user retention.
Using a recruitment firm like Bessand can greatly facilitate this process. Such firms help identify the right Chief Product Officer (CPO) profile, able to drive product innovation while placing the user at the heart of decisions. The CPO contributes to the product’s success and sustainability. They are a key player in product success, and their recruitment is crucial for effectively supporting Product teams, particularly in a growing startup.
