Senior Product Manager, SMS/RCS at Braze - Interview Preparation Plan | RealPrep

Senior Product Manager, SMS/RCS at Braze - Interview Preparation Plan | RealPrep

Interview Process

The Braze interview process is typically thorough and multi-stage, designed to assess both technical skills and cultural fit. It generally begins with an initial recruiter screen, followed by interviews with the hiring manager and potentially other team members. Depending on the role, technical assessments, case studies, or take-home assignments may be involved. The process emphasizes evaluating candidates' problem-solving abilities, communication skills, and alignment with Braze's values.

Expected Timeline: While not explicitly stated, the process likely takes several weeks, involving multiple rounds of interviews and assessments.

Recruiter Phone Screen

Approx. 30 minutes

An initial conversation with a Talent Partner to discuss your background, motivations, career goals, and learn more about Braze. This is also an opportunity for candidates to ask questions.

What to expect: Discussion of your resume, experience, interest in the role, and company culture. Be prepared to articulate why you're a good fit.

Hiring Manager Interview

Likely 45-60 minutes

An interview with the hiring manager to delve deeper into your experience, how you collaborate with teams, and the unique perspectives you can bring.

What to expect: Questions about your past experience, product management approach, and how you'd contribute to the team's success.

Team/Technical Interviews

Variable, potentially multiple sessions

These interviews may include behavioral and situational questions, technical assessments (coding challenges, system design), or case studies to evaluate problem-solving, analytical skills, and collaboration.

What to expect: Solving problems, discussing technical concepts, and demonstrating how you approach challenges. Behavioral questions will assess cultural fit and past experiences.

Onsite Interviews (or Virtual Equivalent)

Potentially spread over one or two days

The final stage often involves multiple interviews with various team members, including leads from design and engineering, to assess overall fit and collaborative abilities.

What to expect: A comprehensive assessment including technical evaluations, case studies, behavioral interviews, and role-playing exercises.

Interview Types & Description

Behavioral Interviews

These interviews assess your past experiences and how you've handled specific situations to predict future behavior. They focus on cultural fit and soft skills.

Preparation Tips

Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers.
Prepare specific examples related to product management, teamwork, conflict resolution, and leadership.
Align your examples with Braze's core values.

Sample Questions

Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult trade-off between scope and timeline.
Describe a situation where you disagreed with a stakeholder or team member. How did you resolve it?
How do you handle ambiguity or changing priorities?
Give an example of a product failure and what you learned from it.

Quick Practice - Behavioral Interviews

Product Sense / Strategy Interviews

These interviews evaluate your ability to understand user needs, identify market opportunities, define product strategy, and make product decisions.

Preparation Tips

Practice product design questions (e.g., 'Design a product for X').
Be prepared to discuss your favorite products and why.
Research Braze's product offerings and the competitive landscape.

Sample Questions

How would you improve Braze's SMS/RCS product?
Imagine you need to increase SMS adoption by 20% in 90 days. What's your plan?

Technical Interviews

These interviews assess your technical understanding, problem-solving skills, and ability to work with engineering teams. For a PM role, this might involve understanding APIs, data, or system design.

Preparation Tips

Review fundamental concepts like APIs, data structures, and system design principles.
Be ready to discuss technical trade-offs and how they impact product decisions.
Understand how performance metrics and SLAs relate to technical implementation.

Sample Questions

Explain the concept of a RESTful API in the context of messaging.
How would you approach debugging a delivery issue for SMS messages at scale?

Cultural Fit / Values Interview

Assesses alignment with Braze's core values and overall company culture. This often happens throughout the process.

Preparation Tips

Familiarize yourself with Braze's core values (e.g., 'Take Your Seat at the Table', 'Embrace Curiosity').
Reflect on how your own experiences and working style align with these values.
Show enthusiasm, curiosity, and a collaborative spirit.

Sample Questions

How do you embody Braze's value of 'Embrace Curiosity' in your work?
Describe a time you took initiative to 'Take Your Seat at the Table'.

Preparation Plan

To prepare for the Senior Product Manager, SMS/RCS role at Braze, focus on deeply understanding Braze's platform, particularly its messaging capabilities, and the specific nuances of the SMS/RCS market. Align your experience and examples with Braze's core values and demonstrate strong product sense, strategic thinking, and collaboration skills throughout the interview process.

Focus Areas

High

Braze Product & Market Knowledge

Thoroughly research Braze's customer engagement platform, with a specific emphasis on their SMS and RCS offerings. Understand their target market, key features, and competitive advantages. Familiarize yourself with the broader SMS/RCS landscape, including industry trends, regulations, and key players.

High

SMS/RCS Product Management Expertise

Prepare to discuss your experience in managing messaging products, including roadmap development, feature prioritization, go-to-market strategies, and commercial lifecycle management (packaging, pricing). Be ready to articulate the technical aspects of SMS/RCS delivery and infrastructure.

High

Behavioral and Situational Scenarios

Develop compelling stories using the STAR method that highlight your leadership, problem-solving, collaboration, and decision-making skills. Connect these experiences to Braze's core values.

Medium

Technical Acumen

Refresh your understanding of relevant technologies, such as APIs, data analytics, and messaging infrastructure. Be prepared to discuss technical trade-offs and their impact on product decisions.

High

Company Culture and Values

Understand Braze's culture and core values. Prepare to discuss how your working style and personal values align with theirs, demonstrating that you'd be a strong cultural fit.

Timeline Suggestion

Dedicate at least 1-2 weeks to focused preparation. This includes research, self-reflection on experiences, and mock interviews. Allocate more time if you need to refresh technical concepts or develop your storytelling for behavioral questions.

Key Advice

Emphasize your strategic thinking, customer focus, and ability to drive growth within a complex, large-scale messaging product. Clearly articulate how your experience directly applies to the challenges and opportunities of the Senior Product Manager, SMS/RCS role at Braze, and demonstrate genuine enthusiasm for their mission and culture.