In the fast-paced world of B2B SaaS, Product Marketing Managers (PMMs) are often the glue between product, sales, and customer success. Yet despite their critical role, the responsibilities of a PMM can often be misunderstood—especially during hiring.
So, what does a PMM do, really? And how can you find and onboard the right one for your SaaS company?
Let’s Dive In!
🧠 What Does a PMM Do in a B2B SaaS Company?
A Product Marketing Manager is responsible for positioning, messaging, and enabling go-to-market (GTM) success for a product or portfolio. In a B2B SaaS environment, their work spans deep product knowledge, competitive insight, and customer empathy—helping internal teams communicate product value clearly and effectively.
Here are the core responsibilities of a PMM:
1. Positioning and Messaging
PMMs craft compelling product narratives that speak directly to buyer needs and pain points. They define the product’s value proposition and translate technical features into customer benefits.
2. Go-to-Market Strategy
PMMs lead GTM planning for new launches, product updates, and market expansion. This includes coordinating with sales, product, and marketing to ensure successful execution.
3. Sales Enablement
They create sales playbooks, pitch decks, competitive battlecards, and objection-handling content that empower revenue teams to close deals more effectively.
4. Customer and Market Insights
PMMs conduct interviews, win/loss analyses, and competitive research to understand customer needs and influence product direction.
5. Cross-Functional Alignment
They’re master collaborators—bridging the gap between product, marketing, and sales teams to ensure consistency and clarity across touchpoints.
🧩 What Makes a Great PMM?
B2B SaaS companies often need PMMs who are both strategic and tactical. The best PMMs are:
• Customer-obsessed: They think like the buyer.
• Strong communicators: They can distill complex tech into clear, persuasive messaging.
• Analytical: Comfortable using data to validate messaging or market positioning.
• Cross-functional collaborators: They can rally internal teams around a launch or campaign.
• Commercially minded: Aware of how messaging and positioning directly impact pipeline and revenue.
🔎 How to Hire a PMM in B2B SaaS
If you’re wondering not just what does a PMM do, but how do I find the right one, here’s a tried-and-tested approach:
1. Define Their Focus Area
Do you need a PMM for a new product launch, a platform rebrand, or to support sales enablement? PMM roles can differ significantly depending on the business stage and structure.
2. Build a Clear Job Description
Your JD should include:
• Core responsibilities (see above)
• Key stakeholders they’ll work with
• Required experience (e.g. SaaS, vertical knowledge, sales collaboration)
• KPIs or success metrics
3. Assess for Strategic and Tactical Skills
In interviews, evaluate candidates on both strategic thinking (e.g. how they build a GTM plan) and tactical execution (e.g. writing messaging frameworks or sales collateral).
4. Use a Project-Based Task
Consider asking candidates to create a short messaging framework or mock launch plan to assess their ability to communicate clearly and structure a strategy.
🤝 How to Onboard a PMM for Success
PMMs interact with nearly every part of your organisation, so onboarding is crucial. Here’s how to set them up for impact:
Week 1–2: Immerse in the Product & Customer
• Deep dives with product and customer success
• Listen to sales calls and customer interviews
• Read support tickets and product documentation
Week 3–4: Understand Messaging and Market
• Review current messaging and GTM strategies
• Analyse competitor positioning
• Audit current sales enablement tools
Month 2–3: Drive a Strategic Initiative
• Own a product launch or sales enablement project
• Begin developing/refining messaging
• Create feedback loops with product and sales
Investing in a strong onboarding plan means your PMM can start delivering value within their first 60–90 days.
💡 Final Thoughts: PMMs Drive Growth You Can Measure
Still asking what does a PMM do? In B2B SaaS, they’re the voice of the customer, the engine behind GTM success, and a vital partner in driving revenue.
Hiring the right PMM isn’t just about filling a seat—it’s about unlocking better product adoption, stronger sales performance, and clearer market positioning.
Looking to hire a PMM? Strive specialises in helping SaaS companies find world-class product marketing talent who make a difference from day one.
Don't let Product Marketing Manager Recruitment challenges hold back your growth.
Invest in a SaaS Recruitment agency and accelerate your path to success.
Reach out to a member of the team here, or see more about how we can support your growth.
Please also visit our Job Descriptions Page for support in creating your new SaaS Job Descriptions.
