Nov 3, 20203 min read

Here’s how our titles enable career development.

klarna

by Klarna

At Klarna, we know that we need to be different to achieve extraordinary things for our customers and to disrupt a very traditional industry. We’re committed to speed and quality in all aspects of our business, and our operating model is structured so that teams can own their problem spaces, deliver impactful results, and quickly adapt to ever changing circumstances. At a basic level, our org structure of 400+ teams organized by problem spaces is drastically different from traditional hierarchical pyramids. However, our operating model is about much more than reporting lines and teams. From our daily stand-ups to the way we’ve designed our titles, the principles and practices of our operating model influence most aspects of life at Klarna.

Titles at Klarna

At Klarna, roles and responsibilities shift faster than in many traditional companies. It’s one of our key strengths and what enables us to move quickly. And also why we have a unique title structure. Titles at Klarna consist of two building blocks, competence and level. The titles are a reflection of how well employees live up to our Leadership principles and expected skill-set together with the breadth of an employee’s accomplishments and impact. Some examples are:

  • Communications Specialist
  • Senior Engineer
  • Marketing Associate
  • Senior Analytics Manager
  • Product Director

Contrary to conventional titles, our titles do not reflect roles or assignments. An Org Development Manager might be working as an individual contributor in setting up the strategy for expanding into new markets or setting up new offices across the world. Another Org Development Manager might be leading a team owning the global onboarding experience. Having ‘Manager’ in the title does not necessarily mean that the person has managerial responsibilities, it tells you the level of impact and expected skill sets and behaviors.

Titles & career development

At Klarna, we encourage our employees to explore new opportunities, learn about new problem spaces, and have a wide range of impacts. Our titles make it easy to take an irregular career path and try a new assignment without being held back by bureaucratic processes. A prime example of this is how we approach lead responsibilities. If someone is interested in a lead role and shows the required skills and behaviors, we can assign these responsibilities without any change in title. Leading a team at Klarna requires the drive and vision to inspire a group of people to solve the right problem for our customers, not a specific title.

What does all of this mean for you?

It means that your first assignment at Klarna will not define what you’re set out to work on for the rest of your career. Our broad titles give you the freedom to design your own irregular path and develop in the direction you wish. So, if you’re eager to step off the straight line, there will be plenty of new adventures and challenges at Klarna for you to take advantage of once you get here.

Start your next career at Klarna.

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