Unlock Scale and Adoption: Why Security Teams Need Product Managers

At a recent security conference, amidst discussions on scaling AppSec, a familiar sentiment resurfaced. One security engineer remarked,

“Honestly, our engineers double as product managers. It’s hard to find PMs with enough security expertise to contribute meaningfully.”

Another added,

“PMs make sense for external products, but for our internal tools? Not so much.”

I get it. Security is complex. Trust is earned. And a PM who doesn’t understand threat models or compliance might slow things down.

But here’s the thing: technical expertise alone isn’t a substitute for product discipline. You need both.

Just as you wouldn’t ask engineers to run sales or legal, you shouldn’t expect them to own product strategy. And regarding internal tools vs. vendor products—let’s rethink that, too. The distinction doesn’t matter to your end users. If you’re trying to drive adoption, measure usage, improve workflows, and align with org goals… that’s a product, no matter where it lives.

Security Work Is Full of Products—We Just Don't Call Them That

Let’s start with the obvious.

Security teams build tools, platforms, and services that others use:

• Internal developer tooling? That’s a product.

• Security champions programs? Product.

• Threat modeling workflows? Yep—product.

• Risk dashboards, policy engines, remediation pipelines? Definitely.

All of these require roadmaps, feedback loops, and alignment with business goals. Without dedicated product ownership, they stall, go unused, or become maintenance burdens instead of strategic assets.

Many Security Problems Are UX Problems

When developers bypass a secure config because “it’s slow” or “breaks the build,” that’s not just a tooling issue. It’s a user experience issue.

And fixing it isn’t just about better code—it’s about product thinking.

Product managers bring empathy, structure, and curiosity to understand what’s breaking adoption and why. Then they design for usability at scale.

Security succeeds when it’s usable, adoptable, and invisible. That’s not just engineering—it’s product design.

Product Managers Shift Security From Blocker to Enabler

Security teams often get cast as “the team that says no.”
Fire drills, delays, complexity—it’s a tough narrative to shake.

Product managers help change that. They translate risk into business language, prioritize based on impact, and align security work with organizational goals.

Instead of chasing fires, security becomes a strategic partner that helps the business move faster—safely.

Security Backlogs Need Product Discipline

When everything’s important, nothing is.

Without a PM, security work can become a black hole of unprioritized tickets. Product managers bring focus:

• RICE scoring

• Feedback loops

• Stakeholder mapping

• Clear goals and OKRs

They don’t just manage a backlog—they make it meaningful, actionable, and measurable.

Product Management Unlocks Security at Scale

Want internal tools adopted by hundreds of engineers?
Want automated enforcement instead of manual reviews?
Want secure defaults to stick?

That’s scale—and it doesn’t happen by accident.

Product managers think end-to-end: on-boarding, enablement, metrics, sunset plans. They turn one-off security efforts into repeatable, resilient systems.

⚡ Key Takeaway: Security Needs Product Management

In a world where security threats evolve quickly—and security is part of the user experience—PMs aren’t optional. They’re essential.

Great security PMs:

• Understand users

• Translate between disciplines

• Prioritize ruthlessly

• Measure what matters

• Align roadmaps with risk and innovation

Just like in PMs in consumer facing domains like finance, healthcare, PMs in security need to care deeply about the domain. That means understanding the landscape, staying curious, and always learning.

You don’t need to be a former hacker.
But you do need to understand and speak the language of your users and teammates.

Your Next Step?

If you’re a security leader, consider embedding a product manager into your team. If you’re a product manager, consider security as your next adventure—it’s challenging, critical, and deeply rewarding.

Because when security works like a product, everyone wins.