This leveling guide is provided for your informational purposes only by eShares, Inc. dba Carta, Inc. ("Carta").

Carta does not provide legal,

advice or services nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business or interests. USE OF THIS CALC
FOR THE USE OF OR RELIANCE ON THIS CALCULATOR. Carta does not guarantee this calculator's applicability or accuracy in regard
kind, either express, implied, or statutory, including without limitation, warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, satisfa
implied warranties, so these exclusions may not apply to you.
 Leveling Framework
Level Management Track Individual Contributor Track
Level 11 C-Suite
Level 10 Senior VP
Level 9 VP Distinguished (Thought Leader)
Level 8 Senior Director Principal (Strategist)
Level 7 Director Senior Staff (Advisor)
Level 6 Senior Manager Staff (Expert)
Level 5 Manager Lead (Advanced)
Level 4 Team Lead Senior (Skilled)
Level 3 Mid 2 (Proficient)
Level 2 Mid 1 (Developing)
Level 1 Entry
Level Intern Intern

Readme
We spoke with founders across the country and found that most founders start trying to build their leveling
frameworks from scratch.

Leveling frameworks are complicated to create and even more complicated to implement. The sooner a
company implements a leveling framework, the easier the process is. It is always easier to fit a new employee
into an existing framework than to retroactively slot employees into newly created levels.

Most companies are simply looking for a framework that creates a fair and transparent system for employees
and allows them to be competitive in their industry. We're sharing this leveling template in the hopes that we
can save founders some time so they can get back to building.

Instructions for use

1. The above template is our recommended standard leveling guide for startups. The next tab titled "Universal
Expectations" gives descriptions for the experience and types of competencies typically required for each level.
First, familiarize yourself with the standard levels and expectations.
2. If you are a smaller company you may not have the need for such granular levels. The three tabs that follow
are versions of this same framework applied to companies of different stages. Find the template that best
matches your needs and adjust it to fit your company. Keep in mind that all of these templates ultimately allow
you to expand your levels to reach the same standard framework above.
3. These levels remain consistent across departments to ensure fairness and create a shared understanding of
expectations by level. For each department, set pay bands for your levels. Products like Carta Total Comp can
provide this data for you with benchmarking across the industry to ensure fair and competitive pay.
4. Communicate your leveling structure and expectations to the company as a whole and to individual
employees. Transparency around levels and expectations helps your employees understand the expectations for
their current role and how to grow into the next level.
5. Review levels and pay bands annually, and check for fairness. Pay bands tend to shift over time as the
"market rate" for roles change. Typically, we see companies review these pay bands once a year (or sooner if
they see consistent feedback through recruiting). We also see companies leverage "calibration" meetings with
fairness checks on a regular basis to make sure their levels are being applied fairly and consistently across the
company.
 Leveling Framework
Level Management Track Individual Contributor Track
Level 11 C-Suite
Level 10
VP
Level 9 Distinguished (Thought Leader)
Level 8 Principal (Strategist)
Director
Level 7
Staff (Expert)
Level 6
Manager
Level 5
Senior (Skilled)
Level 4 Team Lead
Level 3
Mid
Level 2
Level 1 Entry
Level Intern Intern

Readme
Most companies at the Pre-Seed and Seed stages won't have employees in each one of these levels. That's okay.
Having a basic leveling framework can still help you make informed compensation decisions and inform your
career conversations with your employees.
 Leveling Framework
Level Management Track Individual Contributor Track
Level 11 C-Suite
Level 10
VP
Level 9 Distinguished (Thought Leader)
Level 8 Principal (Strategist)
Director
Level 7
Staff (Expert)
Level 6 Senior Manager
Level 5 Manager Lead (Advanced)
Level 4 Team Lead Senior (Skilled)
Level 3
Mid
Level 2
Level 1 Entry
Level Intern Intern

Readme
Often around the Series A or B companies will need a bit more granularity for their senior mid-level roles. At
this point, companies may start to have Senior Managers and Leads as a way to attract talent as well as create
career paths for high performers internally.
 Leveling Framework
Level Management Track Individual Contributor Track
Level 11 C-Suite
Level 10 Senior VP
Level 9 VP Distinguished (Thought Leader)
Level 8 Senior Director Principal (Strategist)
Level 7 Director Senior Staff (Advisor)
Level 6 Senior Manager Staff (Expert)
Level 5 Manager Lead (Advanced)
Level 4 Team Lead Senior (Skilled)
Level 3 Mid 2 (Proficient)
Level 2 Mid 1 (Developing)
Level 1 Entry
Level Intern Intern

Readme
We find that very few companies need more levels than what is shown above. Companies will reach this
granularity in levels at different points in their growth, but we rarely see companies needing more beyond this.
 L0 L1 L2 L3
Global Title & Role University Student/Co-op Acquires job skills and Learns to use professional Developing professional
Description (Everyone) Participant learns company policies concepts. Applies team expertise, applies
and procedures to procedures to solve company policies and
complete routine tasks. routine problems. procedures to resolve a
variety of issues.

Global Title & Role

Description (Managers)

Job Complexity Completes narrowly Works on assignments Works on problems of Works on problems of
(Everyone) focused tasks or projects. that are routine in nature, limited scope. Follows moderate scope and calls
Complements academic requiring limited standard practices and upon multiple known
studies with on-the-job judgment. procedures to solve practices and procedures
experience and problems. Builds stable to solve problems.
incorporates learnings into working relationships Exercises judgment within
coursework. internally to further defined procedures and
problem-solving. practices to resolve day-
to-day problems. Builds
productive
internal/external working
relationships.
Job Complexity
(Manager)

Autonomy & Scope Receives specific Normally receives Normally receives Normally receives general
(Everyone) direction and guidance on detailed instructions on all detailed instructions on all instructions on routine
a defined set of problems work. Requires work. Requires work, detailed instructions
over a pre-determined supervision over both supervision over non- on new projects or
window of time. routine and non-routine routine work. assignments.
work.

Autonomy & Scope

(Managers)
Leadership (Everyone)

Leadership (Managers)
 L4 L5 L6 L7 L8
A seasoned, experienced Having wide-ranging Having broad expertise or As an expert in the field, A distinguished technical
professional with a full experience, uses specialized knowledge, uses professional concepts professional who guides a
understanding of area of professional concepts and uses skills to contribute to in developing resolution specialized and/or
specialization; resolves a company objectives to development of company to critical issues and broad strategic
wide range of issues in resolve complex issues in objectives and principles design matters. functional/product
creative ways. creative and effective and to achieve goals in roadmap; viewed as an
ways. creative and effective expert in their field.
ways.

Team Lead Manager Senior Manager Director Senior Director

Provides supervision to Manages, perhaps through Manages the work and Leads a broad functional Leads one or more
individual contributors other Team Leads, the teams of two or more area through several functional areas, product
(ICs), primarily in terms coordination of the departments. Oversees department managers groups or service areas
of work output and ability activities of a section or costs, strategies, and within the company. Has through senior managers
to meet team/role department with staffing. May have overall control of who have overall
objectives. Acts as advisor responsibility for results. managers reporting to planning, staffing, responsibility for the
to unit or sub-units and them depending on team budgeting, managing successful operation of
may become actively size/need. expense priorities, and those assigned areas.
involved, as required, to recommending and
meet schedules and implementing changes to
resolve problems. methods.

Works on problems of Works on complex issues Works on significant and Works on issues that Generally oversees
diverse scope and has a where analysis of unique issues where directly impact current creative research or
developed sense of how to situations or data requires analysis of situations or and future business advanced development in
solve problems when in an in-depth evaluation of data requires an success. Creates formal areas such as new
unknown territory. variable factors. Exercises evaluation of intangibles. networks with key technologies, product
Demonstrates good judgment in selecting Exercises independent decision makers and innovation, engineering
judgment in selecting methods, techniques, and judgment in methods, serves as external materials, or next-
methods and techniques evaluation criteria for techniques, and evaluation spokesperson for the generation processes.
for obtaining solutions obtaining results. criteria for obtaining organization. (Some organizations only
and escalating issues. Networks with key results. Creates formal allow individual
Networks with senior experts outside own area networks involving contributors at this level
internal and external of expertise. coordination among in the engineering area,
personnel in own area of groups. but others allow it
expertise. anywhere in the
company.)
Works on issues within a Works on issues of Works on issues that Works on complex issues Consistently works with
defined team/procedural diverse scope and familiar require in-depth that require an in-depth abstract ideas or situations
framework. Exercises with current business knowledge of knowledge of the across functional areas of
judgment within defined trends. Follows processes organizational objectives. company. Participates in the business. Through
procedures to determine and operational Establishes and assures company creation of assessment of intangible
appropriate action. frameworks to solve adherence to budgets, methods, techniques, and variables, identifies, and
problems. Acts as advisor schedules, work plans, evaluation criteria for evaluates fundamental
to reports to meet goals and performance projects, programs, and issues, providing strategy
and resolve problems. expectations. people. Ensures budgets and direction for major
Develops and administers and schedules meet functional areas. Requires
goals, schedules, and company requirements. in-depth knowledge of the
performance functional area, business
requirements; may have strategies, and the
budget responsibilities. company’s goals.

Normally receives Requires little oversight Acts independently to Exercises wide latitude in Directs and coordinates
minimal instruction on and reviewed only for determine methods and determining objectives activities necessary to
day-to-day work. Seeks technical integrity. procedures on new or and approaches to critical complete major projects,
general instructions on Determines methods and special assignments. May assignments. requiring a wide variety of
new assignments. procedures on new supervise the activities of technical skills. Consults
assignments and may others. with and provides
coordinate activities of guidance to senior
other personnel. management and a
number of departments on
advanced technical issues.

Receives defined Receives objectives and Establishes operational Participates with other Develops company and/or
objectives and processes determines how to use objectives and work plans senior managers to organizational policies
by which to meet goals. resources to meet goals. and assigns work to the establish strategic plans and oversees their
Provides direction to Provides guidance to appropriate reports. Senior and objectives. Makes implementation. Detailed
employees according to reports in alignment with management reviews final decisions on knowledge of company
established policies and team frameworks. objectives to determine administrative or allows for innovative
management guidance. Recommends changes to success. Involved in operational matters and concepts and promoting
Management reviews frameworks and developing, modifying ensures effective new ideas. Provides
work to measure meeting establishes procedures that and executing work that achievement of objectives. direction to senior
of objectives. affect immediate affect immediate managers in various areas,
organization(s). operations and may also groups, and/or operations.
have company-wide
effect.
Has some influence in Helps others to learn and Influences others to Leads by example in Role model for the
planning and timelines. grow. Creates an achieve team goals. modeling the company's company's operating
Gives actionable feedback environment to support a Coaches and mentors operating principles and principles and identity
that drives improvement. successful team. Coaches others within immediate identity traits and holds traits. Builds community
Coaches and mentors less and mentors others within and peer teams. Supports others accountable for across functional and
experienced team an immediate team. a culture that is positive, doing the same. Delegates product lines.
members. inclusive, and engaging. effectively and empowers
others to execute tasks
with accountability.

Guides individual goal- Leads team goal-setting Coaches and mentors Drives and supports talent
setting aligned to team and defines deliverables others, including and succession planning
objectives. Manages and timelines. employees who do not within department.
hiring and performance of Responsible for hiring and directly report to them.
direct reports. Develops a overall performance of Responsible for hiring
high-functioning and direct and skip-level senior talent and reducing
successful team. reports. the occurrence of single
sources of knowledge
within the team.
 L9 L10 L11
Top individual contributor
technical position in the
organization who brings
domain expertise and
impact equivalent to that
of a VP; a known expert
in their field.

VP SVP C-Suite/Executive
Leads a complete Leads more than one
functional area through functional area or product
multiple levels of group through vice
management within the president level executive
company. Has overall leaders who have overall
control of planning, operational responsibility
staffing, budgeting, and for their assigned
approving changes to functions, geographic
strategies and practices. regions, and businesses.
Manages a team of
directors and/or high-level
individual contributors.

Oversees applied research

or advanced engineering
in the development of new
products, materials, or
processes.
Develops strategic plans Consistently works with
to ensure achievement of abstract ideas or situations
objectives across one or across functional areas of
more functional areas. the business. Through
Requires an in-depth assessment of intangible
knowledge of the variables, identifies and
company, competitive evaluates core issues,
environment, technology providing strategy and
and products, and direction for major
economic or social functional areas. Requires
implications of company in-depth knowledge of the
activities. Participates in function, business
development of company strategies, and the
strategies, priorities, and company’s goals as well
evaluation criteria for as external factors
projects, programs, and affecting governance of
people. Approves budgets company activities.
and plans.

Directs and coordinates

activities necessary to
complete major projects,
requiring a wide variety of
technical skills. Consults
with and provides
guidance to senior
management and a
number of departments on
advanced technical issues.

Sets vision, direction, and Sets vision and direction Develops company-wide
resource allocation for a through resource vision and the strategy to
significant organization or allocation decisions for achieve highest company
business unit. Responsible multiple significant priorities.
for multiple functions, organizations or business
products, departments, units where each is
and/or geographies. typically led by an
Develops and implements executive. Develops
strategic plans and corporate and/or
objectives for the organizational strategies
organization in alignment and authorizes their
with company strategy; implementation. Provides
oversees direction and vision and direction to
approves administrative, senior managers in
operational, and budgetary various groups, and/or
decisions to ensure operations.
achievement of objectives.
Champions the company's
operating principles and
identity traits and holds
leaders accountable to
demonstrate them. Sets an
inspiring vision and
strategic direction that's
inline with company
mission.

Makes strategic decisions Shapes a people-first Shapes a people-first

for hiring, departure, culture that exemplifies culture that exemplifies
growth, and compensation kindness, promotes kindness, promotes
in close partnership with helpfulness, and assumes helpfulness, and assumes
the People Team. positive intent. Builds a positive intent. Holds
strong leadership pipeline senior leadership
with a future focus. accountable to living out
Inspires teams to work the company culture
toward a shared vision defined by its identity
and common goals. traits and operating
principles. Inspires
business units to work
toward a shared vision
and common goals.