Skills & Competencies for Research and Development Manager

Research and Development Manager job profile

JOB SUMMARY for Research and Development Manager

Manages and directs the research and development programs to meet organizational needs and to capitalize on potential new products.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES for Research and Development Manager

Develops and implements research and development procedures and techniques. Oversees complex research projects, analyzes results and provides recommendations based on findings. Assesses the scope of research projects and ensures they are on time and within budget.

Research and Development Manager SALARY RANGE

BASE 50%
$153,604
TOTAL 50%
$170,054
Job Level
M02
Job Code
RD14000014
Education/Degree
JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent
Reports To
Head of a Unit/Department

Research and Development Manager Skills and Competencies List

Proficiency Levels and Behavioural Indicators
Salary.com identifies five increasing levels of proficiency for each skill/competency. Some jobs require only a relatively low level of proficiency in each skill/competency, while other jobs will require a more advanced level of proficiency in the same skill/competency. These levels rate the degree of proficiency (skill level, expertise) we expect the incumbent to perform in the given skill/competency for the given job. Note that we intentionally do not associate timeframes or years of experience in performing the skill/competency because that can be misleading. Proficiency levels identify what the incumbent knows and can do rather than how long they have been doing it. Also, note that the proficiency levels are cumulative, e.g., a level 4 proficiency implies the ability to perform all the behaviors at the lower levels.
Check each Research and Development Manager skill and competencie below to view definitions.

8 hard skills or competencies (industry competencies) for Research and Development Manager

1 Industry Competency – Engineering Management
Proficiency Level -3
Skill definition-Applying management skills and engineering principles in overseeing technical projects and personnel.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Describes the process of executing engineering management plans and initiatives.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Collects engineering projects' documentation for developing process documentation and control plans.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Conducts quality assurance, testing, production, and research and development of product lines.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Evaluates engineering team performance to detect problems and enhance productivity.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Conceptualizes innovative processes with engineering leaders to oversee our major engineering initiatives.
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2 Industry Competency – Cost Estimation
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Forecasting costs and resources to complete a project within a defined scope.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Describes the importance of cost estimation to complete a project.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Assists in performing cost estimations to optimize efficiencies for contracting.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Assesses relevant data to estimate the amount of money, materials, and labor for engineering projects.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Educates engineers in determining the difference between direct and indirect costs in project estimation.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Creates a step-by-step process on how to effectively estimate the cost of engineering projects to save money.
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3 Research and Development Manager - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Research and Development Manager
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Research and Development Manager
Proficiency Level - 5

1 general skill or competency (Job family competency) for Research and Development Manager

1 Job Family Competencies – Programming
Proficiency Level -3
Skill definition-Executing logic to facilitate computing operations and functionality in one or more languages.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Cites the process of debugging computer programming codes.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Conducts regular audits to identify program inefficiencies and suggests ways to improve the issues.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Determines the needs of other teams and devises ways to address them through programming.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Conducts walkthroughs and monitors the quality of the development activities.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Creates contingency plans for potential problems that could emerge in a programming environment.
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3 Research and Development Manager - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Research and Development Manager
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Research and Development Manager
Proficiency Level - 5

14 soft skills or competencies (core competencies) for Research and Development Manager

1 Core Competencies – Business Acumen
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Insight into our organization's business, goals, and values. Ability to design and implement initiatives that facilitate successful outcomes.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Describes how our business makes money and our key business objectives.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Assists in designing business models and operating plans.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Analyses the business impact of demographic changes; suggests effective responses.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Consults on the selection and adjustment of the go-to-market strategy.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Builds a mentoring model to ensure a continuous increase of business sense within our business.
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2 Core Competencies – Budgeting
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Applying specific policies, tools and practices to plan and prepare projected revenues, expenses, cash flows, and capital expenditures.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Compiles a list of basic issues and risks for conducting our budget processes.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Applies established guidelines for conducting our budgeting processes.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Communicates budget objectives and plans to help identify financial trends and create budget forecasts.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Anticipates organizational income and expenses to make forecasts and develop budget plans.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Adapts relevant industry trends on techniques in financial budgeting in our organization.
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3 Research and Development Manager - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Research and Development Manager
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Research and Development Manager
Proficiency Level - 5

Summary of Research and Development Manager skills and competencies

There are 8 hard skills for Research and Development Manager, Engineering Management, Cost Estimation, Engineering Change Management, etc.
1 general skills for Research and Development Manager, Programming.
14 soft skills for Research and Development Manager, Business Acumen, Budgeting, Planning and Organizing, etc.
While the list totals 23 distinct skills, it's important to note that not all are required to be mastered to the same degree. Some skills may only need a basic understanding, whereas others demand a higher level of expertise.
For instance, as a Research and Development Manager, he or she needs to be proficient in Business Acumen, be proficient in Budgeting, and be skilled in Planning and Organizing.

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