Humans of HTB #7: Alexandra’s journey into product management

Step into the vibrant world of the Humans of HTB (HoH), your behind-the-scenes glimpse into the growth of our talented team and dynamic culture!  

In this HoH series, we talk to Alexandra, who embarked on her journey at HTB as an operations associate and is now thriving as a product manager on our product team.

Tell us a little bit about yourself. 

Hi, I’m Alexandra, a Product Manager at Hack The Box. I studied Informatics and have worked in business-oriented roles in the past, combining my technical background with my experience. In my free time, I enjoy going out with friends, doing yoga, dancing, and traveling. I am also interested in psychology and the arts.

How did you start your journey at HTB and what do you do now?

I started my career at HTB three years ago as an operations associate, a role that included managing various operational processes and providing third-level customer support. I soon took over the billing support function, handling a variety of issues related to our billing system provider and addressing customer requests on our B2C platforms.

My work involved constant communication with customers, investigation and problem-solving, and close collaboration with product owners, developers, and many other stakeholders. These aspects enabled me to gain a deep understanding of our product and customer needs. My interest in our product's continuous growth and quality led me to pursue a career in the Product department.

After 1.5 years in the operations department, I transitioned to the Product team as a Product Operations Specialist. The main focus of my work was the Idea Management Project, along with various other operational processes across our platforms, supporting all product teams. The Idea Management Project involved gathering ideas for new features from both inside and outside the company, including contributions from HTB employees and customers/prospects.

The highest volume of requests came from B2B stakeholders and was mostly related to our Enterprise platform. By working closely with the enterprise product manager, sales, and developers, I became very familiar with B2B products and processes. This experience led to my next step in the Product department: becoming a Product Manager for the enterprise platform.

What is the scope of your responsibilities in the product team?

As a new Product Manager, my responsibilities include participating in many B2B product sessions and processes, with a primary focus on ticket implementation tasks such as iteration planning, story pointing, and backlog review. 

My day-to-day work involves close collaboration and teamwork with the staff product manager, designer, and developers. I stay connected with the development team by setting up and coordinating necessary processes, preparing the backlog, defining business specifications, and organizing upcoming sprints.

I also participate in roadmap planning, which includes evaluating and prioritizing core projects and relevant improvements, sync meetings with other teams, R&D sessions, and communication with various stakeholders for updates or new releases. Additionally, I handle the idea management process on the B2B side, monitoring and evaluating incoming feature requests.

What are the key challenges of your work now?

Of course, transitioning to different departments and roles has not been easy. Each time, I encountered a new learning curve and had to adjust to different teams and processes. Although it was overwhelming at times, I managed to evolve in my role through continuous growth and collaboration. I am still learning and adjusting to my role, staying focused on certain short-term and long-term goals.

Currently, the main challenges include keeping up with the continuous growth of HTB for Business, which involves expanding my knowledge of our product and strategy. Proper communication with various stakeholders is also a key focus. Additionally, context switching is quite challenging in this role, as it requires great attention to detail and adaptability in many different discussions. However, this aspect improves with knowledge and experience.

Tell us about the most enjoyable part of your job!

Being part of the continuous growth of our business offerings is the most exciting and important aspect for me right now.

I believe product management is at the core of our product and processes, encompassing everything: setting goals, creativity, strategy and decision-making, prioritization, user experience, launch, evaluation, and communication with all stakeholders.

What are your key learnings from your experience so far at HTB?

As mentioned above, I am given the opportunity to work autonomously and define my own pace within clear boundaries while also experiencing great collaboration and teamwork. This trust and space we are given require great responsibility and professionalism, setting high expectations. I appreciate this mindset and respect, as I believe it has helped me grow as a professional and become more independent and mature. Over these years, I have learned to work efficiently and always strive for more.

What career advice would you give to someone interested in joining our product management team?

Though I'm relatively new and don't yet see myself as a mentor, I can share some insights I've found helpful for my growth. 

Firstly, gaining a comprehensive understanding of our product is crucial. This includes delving into its structure, design, business strategy, and, most importantly, user experience. A Product Manager should always adopt a customer-centric approach, integrating strategy and business value. 

Staying closely connected to customers through interviews, feedback, and collaboration with the Customer Success team, as well as closely partnering with Design by reviewing and playtesting features, is essential.

Secondly, communication lies at the heart of the Product Manager role. We are at the nexus of all product-related processes, engaging with numerous individuals and cross-functional teams. It's our responsibility to coordinate this communication, shield the development team from undue pressure, and establish appropriate boundaries and expectations for other stakeholders. 

Simultaneously, we must remain readily available for feedback, requests, and strategic planning, while also monitoring business outcomes. Thus, we need to hone our critical thinking and empathy, adapting our communication approach based on the needs of each person or team.

Additionally, various product management processes like iteration planning, story pointing, ticket analysis/investigation, and synchronization meetings with other teams are invaluable for establishing the correct structure for each phase of the development process, from idea evaluation to monitoring the success criteria of a new launch.

Finally, possessing a problem-solving and outside-the-box mindset is crucial, especially in situations where unexpected changes occur and decisions must be swiftly made. Given the involvement of multiple teams in the process, flexibility and staying synchronized with every stakeholder are imperative.

You’ve been at HTB for 3+ years now. What makes it a unique place to work?

The culture at Hack The Box is truly remarkable. It's a place where everyone is treated with fairness, trust, and respect. We are provided with the autonomy to work independently, as well as opportunities for team building, excellent cooperation, and clear structure and processes. Every voice is valued, and creativity, taking initiative, and thinking outside the box are highly encouraged and appreciated. Furthermore, HTB offers the chance to explore diverse perspectives, shape your career path, and grow professionally.

Author bio: Alexandra Savvopoulou (Alexandra), Product Manager, Hack The Box Alexandra, a Product Manager at the Hack The Box Enterprise platform, brings with her a technical background in Informatics and a keen sense of business acumen. With a diverse professional journey, she excels in seamlessly integrating technology and strategy. Beyond her work, she finds joy in travel, yoga, and dancing, all while proudly caring for her beloved cat. Alexandra's wide-ranging interests, spanning psychology and the arts, reflect her dynamic and multifaceted personality. Want to hear more from Alexandra? Connect with her on LinkedIn.