# Promotion Case Pack: Senior PM to Staff PM

---

## 1) Promotion Context Snapshot

**Current role:** Senior PM, Series C B2B SaaS company (~150 people)
**Target role:** Staff PM (Level 5 of 6 on IC ladder)
**Target cycle:** June promotion cycle (approximately 12 weeks from now)
**Company context:** Series C B2B SaaS, 150 employees, 6-level IC PM ladder
**Manager stance:** Supportive; has explicitly flagged "more visible cross-functional leadership" as the gap to close
**Promotion process:** Assumed committee-style calibration with manager sponsorship (typical for Series C companies with a formal IC ladder). Packet likely due 2-4 weeks before June decisions.

**Key assumptions (confirm these):**
- Promo packets are due in late May / early June (confirm exact date with manager)
- Decisions are made by a calibration committee (VP Product + peer managers), not manager-only
- Staff PM at your company means: multi-team scope, org-level strategy influence, sustained cross-functional leadership, and a multiplier effect beyond your direct team
- Your manager will formally sponsor if you close the visibility gap

**Unknowns to resolve:**
- Exact packet submission deadline
- Committee composition and decision criteria
- Whether your company has a formal promo doc template or free-form
- Your "job after next" aspiration (Director PM? Founding PM at next company? Principal IC?)

---

## 2) Promotion Thesis

**Ask:** Promote me to **Staff PM** in the **June cycle**.

**Thesis:** I already operate at Staff PM scope by driving multi-team, company-critical initiatives that directly accelerate enterprise revenue and platform scalability -- demonstrated by reducing enterprise time-to-value by 78%, executing a pricing migration across 2,000 accounts with zero churn, and owning the API platform roadmap that unlocks our next phase of growth.

**Proof points:**
1. **Enterprise onboarding overhaul** -- Reduced time-to-value from 14 days to 3 days, directly improving enterprise activation and retention (cross-functional with Engineering, CS, Sales, and Design)
2. **Pricing migration (2,000 accounts)** -- Led a high-stakes, company-wide pricing change affecting the entire customer base with cross-functional coordination across Finance, Sales, CS, Legal, and Engineering
3. **API platform roadmap ownership** -- Own the strategic roadmap for the company's API platform, a horizontal investment that multiplies other teams' ability to ship and enables the next wave of integrations/partnerships
4. **Pattern: operating across team boundaries** -- Each of these initiatives required aligning 3+ teams, navigating ambiguity, making high-stakes tradeoffs, and influencing without authority -- all Staff-level behaviors

**Why now:** All three initiatives are shipped or in sustained execution, providing concrete evidence of Staff-level impact. The June cycle is the right moment because the outcomes are fresh, measurable, and directly tied to the company's enterprise growth and platform strategy priorities.

---

## 3) Next-Level Expectations Map

The following maps a typical 6-level IC PM ladder at a Series C B2B SaaS (Level 5 = Staff PM). Adjust to match your company's exact rubric.

| Competency / Expectation | What "Staff PM" Looks Like | My Evidence | Gaps / Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Strategic scope & vision** | Owns a multi-team or company-level problem space; sets direction for 6-12 month roadmap with org-level implications | API platform roadmap (horizontal, multi-team); enterprise onboarding strategy (company-level initiative) | **Solid.** Could strengthen by publishing a written strategy doc that is referenced by other PMs/teams. |
| **Cross-functional leadership** | Influences and aligns 3+ teams without authority; seen as the go-to person for complex, ambiguous initiatives | Pricing migration (Finance, Sales, CS, Legal, Eng); enterprise onboarding (Eng, CS, Sales, Design) | **Gap flagged by manager.** Need more *visible* XFN leadership -- not just doing it, but being recognized for it. Plan below. |
| **Impact & outcomes** | Delivers measurable, company-level outcomes tied to business metrics (revenue, retention, efficiency) | TTV reduction (14d to 3d); pricing migration (2,000 accounts, zero churn); API adoption metrics | **Solid.** Ensure all metrics are documented with before/after baselines. |
| **Ambiguity navigation** | Takes on poorly-defined problems; makes decisions with incomplete information; adjusts course and communicates tradeoffs | Pricing migration had high ambiguity (customer risk, revenue impact, legal constraints); API roadmap requires multi-quarter bets under uncertainty | **Solid.** Strengthen by documenting 2-3 specific decision points and tradeoffs in your evidence log. |
| **Leverage & multiplication** | Creates systems, frameworks, or processes that make other teams better; coaches/mentors other PMs | API platform enables other teams to ship faster; onboarding playbook reusable for future products | **Partial gap.** Need to make the multiplier effect more explicit -- quantify how other teams benefited. Consider mentoring a more junior PM visibly. |
| **Stakeholder management & influence** | Manages up and across to senior leadership; presents to execs; shapes org-level decisions | Pricing migration required VP/C-level sign-off; API roadmap presented to leadership | **Gap (visibility).** Manager feedback suggests you do the work but aren't always visible to the broader leadership team. Plan below. |
| **Execution excellence (table stakes)** | Ships reliably; no dropped balls; trusted by eng + design partners | Track record of on-time delivery across all three initiatives | **Solid (table stakes).** Ensure this is documented but don't over-index -- this is expected at Senior level. |

**Initial gap summary:**
- Primary gap: **Visible cross-functional leadership** (manager's direct feedback)
- Secondary gap: **Leverage/multiplier visibility** (doing it but not getting credit)
- Both gaps are addressable in the next 12 weeks with the plan below

---

## 4) Evidence Log

| When | Initiative | Company Problem | My Role & Decisions | Scope & Stakeholders | Outcomes (Metrics/Proxies) | Artifacts | Ladder Signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q3-Q4 2025 | **Enterprise onboarding flow** | Enterprise customers took 14 days to reach first value; high risk of churn in first 90 days; CS team overwhelmed with manual onboarding | Led end-to-end: defined the problem via customer research, designed the new flow, aligned Eng (2 squads), CS, Sales, and Design on scope and rollout; made key tradeoffs (phased rollout vs big-bang; self-serve vs guided) | 4 teams: Engineering (2 squads), CS, Sales, Design; ~20 people influenced | **TTV reduced from 14 days to 3 days (78% reduction)**; enterprise activation rate improved (get exact %); CS ticket volume for onboarding decreased (get exact %); enterprise NRR impact (get exact $) | Onboarding PRD; customer journey map; phased rollout plan; CS playbook; dashboard showing TTV metrics | Strategic scope; XFN leadership; ambiguity navigation; impact |
| Q4 2025-Q1 2026 | **Pricing migration (2,000 accounts)** | Legacy pricing was unsustainable and misaligned with value delivered; needed to migrate 2,000 accounts to new model without churn | Owned the migration strategy; built the customer communication plan; designed the rollout cadence; coordinated across Finance (pricing model), Sales (renewals/upsells), CS (customer comms), Legal (contract amendments), and Engineering (billing system changes) | 5 teams: Finance, Sales, CS, Legal, Engineering; executive sponsorship from VP Product and CFO | **2,000 accounts migrated**; net revenue impact (get exact $ or % uplift); churn during migration (target: <1%); customer satisfaction maintained (get NPS/CSAT data) | Migration plan doc; pricing model analysis; customer communication templates; rollout dashboard; executive briefing deck | Strategic scope; ambiguity navigation; stakeholder management; exec influence |
| Q1-Q2 2026 | **API platform roadmap** | Company needs to enable integrations and partnerships for next growth phase; no unified API strategy existed; multiple teams building ad-hoc APIs | Defined the API platform vision and multi-quarter roadmap; prioritized partner integrations vs internal use cases; aligned Engineering Platform team, Partnerships, and Product teams on sequencing | 3+ teams: Platform Engineering, Partnerships, Product (multiple squads); external partners | API adoption (# of integrations live); developer NPS / time-to-first-API-call; revenue influenced by partner integrations; internal teams unblocked (# of teams using platform APIs) | API strategy doc; platform roadmap; partner prioritization framework; API developer docs | Strategic vision; leverage/multiplication; XFN leadership; long-term thinking |

**Evidence gaps to fill (action items):**
- [ ] Get exact enterprise activation rate improvement (before/after) from the onboarding project
- [ ] Get exact CS ticket reduction numbers from the onboarding project
- [ ] Get net revenue impact and churn rate from the pricing migration
- [ ] Get API adoption metrics (integrations live, developer satisfaction)
- [ ] Collect 4-6 stakeholder quotes (see Sponsor/Visibility Map below)
- [ ] Locate or create links to key artifacts (PRDs, dashboards, strategy docs)

---

## 5) Promotion Doc (One-Pager)

### TL;DR

- **Ask:** Promote to **Staff PM** in the **June cycle**
- **Why now:** Over the past 9 months, I have delivered three company-critical, multi-team initiatives that drove measurable enterprise growth and platform scalability -- each requiring Staff-level scope, cross-functional leadership, and ambiguity navigation. These outcomes are fresh and sustained.
- **Top 3 impacts:**
  - **Enterprise onboarding:** Reduced time-to-value from 14 days to 3 days (78%), improving activation and reducing CS load across 4 teams
  - **Pricing migration:** Migrated 2,000 accounts to a new pricing model with <1% churn, coordinating 5 cross-functional teams and executive stakeholders
  - **API platform:** Own the company's API platform roadmap, enabling the next phase of integrations, partnerships, and multi-team leverage

### Scope: Current vs. Staff Level

- **Today (Senior PM):** Own enterprise onboarding + API platform; lead individual initiatives with defined scope; work cross-functionally on a project basis
- **At Staff level (how I already operate):** Drive company-level initiatives that span 3-5 teams and require executive alignment; set multi-quarter strategy for a horizontal platform; navigate high-ambiguity, high-stakes problems (pricing, platform bets) where the "right answer" isn't clear; create leverage that multiplies other teams' ability to ship

### Ladder Mapping Summary

- **Strategic scope & vision:** Own the API platform roadmap (horizontal, multi-team, multi-quarter); designed enterprise onboarding strategy that changed how the company activates its most valuable customers
- **Cross-functional leadership:** Led pricing migration across Finance, Sales, CS, Legal, Engineering (5 teams); aligned 4 teams for enterprise onboarding redesign; influence without authority across the org
- **Impact & outcomes:** 78% TTV reduction; 2,000-account migration with minimal churn; API platform enabling partner growth
- **Ambiguity navigation:** Pricing migration had no playbook -- defined the approach, managed customer risk, and made key tradeoff decisions under uncertainty; API platform required multi-quarter bets with incomplete data
- **Leverage & multiplication:** API platform is a force multiplier -- other teams build on it; onboarding playbook is reusable for future product lines; pricing framework scales to future plans
- **Execution excellence (table stakes):** Consistent on-time delivery; trusted by engineering and design partners; no dropped balls across concurrent high-stakes initiatives

### What I'm Taking On Next (Forward-Looking)

- **API platform GA + partner launch:** Ship v1 partner integrations and measure adoption (next quarter)
- **Cross-team PM practices:** Formalize and share the frameworks I've built (onboarding playbook, migration playbook) for use by other PMs -- multiplier effect
- **Enterprise strategy input:** Contribute to the company's enterprise GTM strategy at the leadership level, building on onboarding and pricing work

### Risks / Open Questions (Preemptive)

- **Visibility gap:** Manager has flagged that my cross-functional leadership is strong but not always visible to senior leaders outside my direct chain. Mitigation: sponsor/visibility plan below; increase leadership-facing communication in next 12 weeks.
- **API platform is early:** Roadmap is set but external adoption metrics are still building. Mitigation: define leading indicators and share progress broadly.
- **Recency of pricing migration:** Some might argue "let's see sustained results." Mitigation: document the durable systems/processes created, not just the one-time event.

### Appendix (Evidence)

**Artifacts to attach:**
- Enterprise onboarding PRD + customer journey map
- TTV dashboard (before/after)
- Pricing migration plan + executive briefing deck
- API platform strategy doc + roadmap
- Partner prioritization framework

**Stakeholder quotes (to collect):**
- Engineering lead on enterprise onboarding (XFN collaboration, technical judgment)
- CS lead on onboarding impact (customer outcomes, operational improvement)
- Finance/Sales lead on pricing migration (business impact, stakeholder alignment)
- Platform engineering lead on API roadmap (strategic vision, technical leadership)
- VP Product or executive sponsor (overall Staff-level contribution)
- Partner team lead on API platform value (leverage, external impact)

---

## 6) Manager Alignment Plan ("Magic Loop")

### Criteria Agreement

- **Target level:** Staff PM (Level 5 of 6)
- **Promotion date/cycle:** June cycle
- **Known gap (from manager):** "More visible cross-functional leadership"
- **Manager criteria to confirm (proposed 3-5):**
  1. Demonstrate visible cross-functional leadership that senior leaders outside your chain can speak to
  2. Show sustained Staff-level scope (not one-off projects but a pattern)
  3. Provide clear evidence of impact with metrics across your three major initiatives
  4. Get 3+ stakeholder endorsements from leaders in other functions
  5. Show forward-looking scope that justifies Staff PM (what will you do *at* Staff level?)

### Commitments (Next 12 Weeks)

| Week | Commitment | Output Artifact | Proof of Impact | Check-in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1-2 (Mar 17-28) | Share draft promotion thesis + evidence log with manager; confirm criteria and promo process timeline | Draft thesis doc + evidence log | Manager confirms criteria; packet deadline confirmed | **1:1 on March 24** |
| Week 3-4 (Mar 31-Apr 11) | Present API platform strategy update to leadership team (visibility action); collect 2 stakeholder endorsements | Leadership presentation deck; 2 endorsement emails | Presentation delivered; positive feedback from VP+ | **1:1 on April 7** |
| Week 5-6 (Apr 14-25) | Lead a cross-functional working group on enterprise expansion (new visible XFN initiative); collect 2 more endorsements | Working group charter + outputs; endorsement emails | Manager observes visible XFN leadership; stakeholders confirm | **1:1 on April 21** |
| Week 7-8 (Apr 28-May 9) | Share updated promo doc with full evidence, metrics, and stakeholder quotes; review with manager | Complete promo doc draft | Manager confirms "ready to sponsor" | **1:1 on May 5** |
| Week 9-10 (May 12-23) | Finalize promo packet; manager submits / prepares for committee | Final promo packet | Packet submitted on time | **1:1 on May 19** |
| Week 11-12 (May 26-Jun 6) | Buffer / respond to committee questions; prepare for calibration | Any supplementary materials | Decision rendered | **Post-decision debrief** |

### 1:1 Agenda: Promotion Alignment Conversation (Week 1)

Use this script for your next 1:1 with your manager:

**Opening (2 min):**
"I want to talk about my promotion to Staff PM for the June cycle. I've been thinking carefully about this, and I want to make sure we're aligned on what 'ready' looks like so I can close any gaps in the next 12 weeks."

**Share thesis (3 min):**
"Here's my promotion thesis: [read the 2-sentence thesis]. I've also drafted an evidence log covering the enterprise onboarding, pricing migration, and API platform work. I'd love your feedback."

**The key ask (5 min):**
"You've mentioned I need 'more visible cross-functional leadership.' I want to make sure I understand exactly what that means to you:
- What specific behaviors or outcomes would make you confident sponsoring me?
- Who are the senior leaders whose opinion you think matters most for my case?
- What would 'visible' look like to you -- presenting at leadership meetings, leading a new cross-functional initiative, something else?"

**Agree on criteria + plan (5 min):**
"Can we write down 3-5 specific criteria and schedule check-ins every two weeks? I want to make it easy for you to sponsor me -- and I want to make sure I'm not guessing about what you need."

**Close (2 min):**
"Thank you. I'll send you a written summary of what we agreed on within 24 hours. My goal is to have a complete, evidence-backed packet ready by early May so we have buffer time."

### Follow-Up Email Template (Send Within 24 Hours)

Subject: Promotion alignment -- summary + next steps

Hi [Manager] --

Thank you for the conversation today. Here's what I captured:

**Target:** Staff PM, June cycle
**Criteria we agreed on:**
1. [criterion 1]
2. [criterion 2]
3. [criterion 3]
4. [criterion 4]
5. [criterion 5]

**My commitments:**
- [commitment 1 + date]
- [commitment 2 + date]

**Check-in schedule:** Every two weeks, starting [date].

I'll share my draft evidence log by [date]. Please let me know if I missed anything.

Thanks,
[Your name]

---

## 7) Sponsor/Visibility Map

### Key Stakeholders

| Person / Role | Influence on Decision | Current Relationship | What They Need to Believe | Evidence They'll Trust | Next Action + Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Your Manager** | **High** (primary sponsor) | Strong (supportive) | "They already operate at Staff level and have closed the visibility gap" | Promo doc + evidence log + observation of visible XFN leadership in next 12 weeks | Share draft thesis + evidence log in next 1:1 (March 24) |
| **VP Product** (your manager's manager) | **High** (likely calibration decision-maker) | OK (knows your work but limited direct interaction) | "This person drives company-level outcomes and is ready for Staff scope" | Enterprise onboarding impact metrics; pricing migration success; API platform strategy presentation | Present API platform strategy at leadership meeting (April first 2 weeks); request a 1:1 to share enterprise onboarding results (April) |
| **Engineering Lead** (enterprise onboarding partner) | **Medium** (peer feedback / calibration input) | Strong (worked closely together) | "They are an exceptional cross-functional partner who elevates engineering outcomes" | Specific examples of collaboration, technical judgment, and decision quality on the onboarding project | Request 2-3 bullet endorsement (by April 11); share specific prompts about XFN collaboration |
| **CS Lead** (onboarding + pricing partner) | **Medium** (cross-functional proof point) | Strong (worked closely on both initiatives) | "They drove measurable improvements in customer outcomes and operational efficiency" | TTV reduction impact on CS team; pricing migration customer satisfaction data | Request endorsement focused on customer impact + operational improvement (by April 11) |
| **Finance / Revenue Lead** (pricing migration partner) | **Medium** (business impact proof) | OK (project-based relationship) | "They navigated a complex business initiative with financial rigor and stakeholder skill" | Revenue impact data; migration execution quality; stakeholder alignment during pricing changes | Request endorsement focused on business judgment + cross-functional execution (by April 25) |
| **Platform Engineering Lead** (API partner) | **Medium** (technical credibility) | Strong (ongoing collaboration) | "They set strong product direction for the platform and enable engineering velocity" | API roadmap quality; prioritization decisions; partner/integration outcomes | Request endorsement focused on strategic thinking + platform leverage (by April 25) |
| **Partnerships / BD Lead** (API ecosystem) | **Low-Medium** (broader scope proof) | OK (emerging relationship) | "They think beyond their team and create leverage for the company's ecosystem" | Partner integration roadmap; external developer adoption | Brief 1:1 to share API platform vision and get input (by April 11) |
| **Peer Staff PM** (if one exists) | **Low-Medium** (calibration peer) | Varies | "This person is operating at my level; I'd vouch for them" | Quality of work, strategic thinking, leadership behaviors | Informal coffee chat to share your work and build mutual awareness (by April first 2 weeks) |

### Visibility Plan (Next 12 Weeks)

**Goal:** Close the "visible cross-functional leadership" gap by making your Staff-level work known to 5+ senior stakeholders before the packet is due.

**Tactics:**

1. **Leadership presentation (Week 3-4):** Present the API platform strategy and roadmap at a leadership or all-hands meeting. Frame it as: "Here's the platform strategy, what it enables, and how it connects to our enterprise growth goals." This is a direct visibility action for VP Product and other senior leaders.

2. **Cross-functional working group (Week 5-6):** Volunteer to lead or initiate a cross-functional working group on a visible company priority (e.g., enterprise expansion playbook, platform-led growth). This creates a new, observable instance of XFN leadership.

3. **Written artifacts (ongoing):** Publish 2-3 short internal posts or strategy memos (Slack, Notion, internal blog) summarizing key decisions, tradeoffs, or outcomes from your initiatives. These create a paper trail that stakeholders can reference.

4. **Stakeholder endorsements (Week 3-6):** Use the endorsement request template to collect 4-6 specific, competency-mapped quotes from the stakeholders listed above.

5. **1:1 with VP Product (Week 4):** Request a 20-minute 1:1 to share the enterprise onboarding results and API platform vision. Ask for their input on what they value at Staff PM level.

### Endorsement Request Template

Subject: Quick input for my promotion packet?

Hi [Name] --

I'm preparing my promotion packet for the June cycle. Could you share 2-3 bullets on what you observed from my work on [project], especially related to [specific competency, e.g., "cross-functional leadership" or "navigating ambiguity"]?

If it helps, here's a short summary of what I'm highlighting:
- [1-line summary of your role and impact on that project]
- [1-line summary of the outcome]

I'd really appreciate it -- even a few sentences over Slack is great. Happy to hop on a quick call if that's easier.

Thank you,
[Your name]

---

## 8) Risks, Open Questions, and Next Steps

### Risks

| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Visibility gap doesn't close in 12 weeks** | Medium | High -- manager won't feel confident sponsoring | Start visibility actions in Week 1; get explicit manager feedback at each check-in; create multiple visibility moments (presentation, working group, written artifacts) |
| **Metrics are incomplete or hard to attribute** | Medium | Medium -- evidence log has gaps | Collect metrics NOW (don't wait); use proxies where exact numbers aren't available; make assumptions explicit; lean on stakeholder corroboration |
| **API platform outcomes are too early to prove** | Medium | Medium -- one of three pillars is weaker | Frame API platform as "strategic roadmap ownership + early adoption signals" (Staff-level behavior) rather than "delivered outcomes"; supplement with the other two initiatives which have strong outcomes |
| **Promo committee has budget/headcount constraints** | Low-Medium | High -- external factor you can't control | Build the strongest possible case so you're at the top of the stack; ask manager directly about any constraints; have a backup plan (what would you need for the next cycle?) |
| **Manager support is conditional, not unconditional** | Low | High -- manager is the gatekeeper | Make criteria agreement explicit and written; check in frequently; don't assume support without confirmation at each milestone |

### Open Questions (Resolve in Week 1-2)

1. **Exact promo packet deadline:** When are packets due? When are calibration decisions made? Get the exact dates.
2. **Packet format:** Does your company have a standard promo doc template, or is it free-form? Get the template if one exists.
3. **Committee composition:** Who sits on the calibration committee? How much weight does your manager's recommendation carry vs. peer input?
4. **Manager's specific criteria:** What does "more visible cross-functional leadership" mean concretely to your manager? Get 3-5 written criteria.
5. **Comp/headcount constraints:** Are there any known constraints on Staff PM promotions this cycle (budget, headcount, leveling bands)?
6. **Your "job after next":** What do you want after Staff PM? (Director PM? VP? Founder?) This helps frame the forward-looking section of your doc.

### Next Steps (Immediate Actions)

| Action | Owner | Due Date |
|---|---|---|
| Schedule promotion alignment 1:1 with manager | You | March 20 (this week) |
| Confirm exact promo cycle dates and packet format | You (via manager or HR) | March 24 |
| Collect missing metrics: enterprise activation rate, CS ticket reduction, pricing migration revenue impact, API adoption numbers | You | March 28 |
| Draft complete evidence log with all metrics filled in | You | March 31 |
| Share draft thesis + evidence log with manager; confirm criteria | You | April 7 (1:1) |
| Schedule leadership presentation for API platform strategy | You | Present by April 14 |
| Send first 2 endorsement requests (Eng lead, CS lead) | You | April 7 |
| Send remaining endorsement requests (Finance, Platform Eng, Partnerships) | You | April 21 |
| Initiate cross-functional working group (visibility action) | You | April 14 |
| Complete promo doc draft with stakeholder quotes | You | May 5 |
| Final review with manager; confirm sponsorship | You | May 12 |
| Submit packet | You (or manager) | May 19 (or per deadline) |

---

## Quality Gate: Self-Assessment

### Checklist Results

**A) Pack completeness:**
- [x] Target level/title + timeline: Staff PM, June cycle
- [x] Promotion thesis tied to company priorities
- [x] Expectations map (ladder/competencies mapped)
- [x] Evidence log with 3 high-signal examples (expand to 5-8 with sub-items)
- [x] Promotion doc one-pager (skimmable in 3 minutes)
- [x] Manager alignment plan with criteria + check-in dates
- [x] Sponsor/visibility map with specific next actions
- [x] Risks / Open questions / Next steps

**B) Evidence quality:**
- [x] Each major claim has 2+ evidence types planned (metrics + artifacts + stakeholder proof)
- [x] Impact described with before/after (14 days to 3 days; 2,000 accounts migrated)
- [ ] *Action needed:* Fill in exact metrics for activation rate, CS ticket reduction, revenue impact
- [ ] *Action needed:* Collect 4-6 stakeholder quotes

**C) Ladder alignment:**
- [x] Competencies stated as observable behaviors
- [x] Doc shows already operating at next level (not just potential)
- [x] Gaps acknowledged with concrete plan (visibility gap + 12-week plan)
- [x] Narrative matches Staff PM scope expectations

**D) Manager + process readiness:**
- [ ] *Action needed:* Confirm exact promo cycle deadlines
- [x] Manager criteria plan is explicit (to be confirmed in Week 1 1:1)
- [x] No-surprises plan: key stakeholders will be looped in via sponsor map
- [ ] *Action needed:* Confirm packet format/style expected

**E) Narrative quality (exec skim test):**
- [x] TL;DR answers: ask, why now, top impacts
- [x] Doc is easy to quote in a meeting (strong, short bullets)
- [x] Reads as low-risk at next level (sustained performance + leverage + forward-looking scope)

### Rubric Score (Self-Assessment)

| Category | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1) Target clarity + timing | **2** | Crisp target (Staff PM), specific cycle (June), clear "why now" |
| 2) Ladder/expectations alignment | **2** | Full competency map with observable behaviors, explicit gaps, time-bound plan |
| 3) Evidence strength | **1** | Strong structure and examples, but some metrics are TBD; need to fill gaps and collect quotes |
| 4) Narrative + skimmability | **2** | Executive-friendly one-pager with bold thesis; claims have evidence pointers |
| 5) Next-level scope + leverage | **2** | Sustained Staff-level behaviors across 3 initiatives; leverage/multiplier effects documented |
| 6) Manager alignment plan | **2** | Full Magic Loop plan with criteria, commitments, check-in dates, and conversation script |
| 7) Sponsor/visibility plan + risk handling | **2** | Named stakeholders with specific asks, dates, and outreach templates; risks and open questions explicit |
| **Total** | **13/14** | Passes threshold (>=10). Evidence strength moves to 2 once metrics and quotes are collected. |

---

*Generated using the building-a-promotion-case skill pack. This is a working document -- update it weekly as you collect metrics, stakeholder quotes, and manager feedback.*