did the GS engineering manager loop a few months back. coming in with 12 years of experience, targeting a VP-level (which at GS is actually a mid-level title, not director). sharing because the EM loop structure at GS is genuinely different from what i'd seen at other large tech companies.
first, the process is longer. six rounds, one of which was a panel. they take the leadership evaluation very seriously, probably because the stakes of a bad manager at a firm like this are reputational and regulatory, not just productivity.
rounds 1-2: two separate technical conversations. one coding (medium LC, Python, they're fine with pseudocode for managers but want to see you can still think algorithmically), one system design. i designed a distributed configuration management system. the emphasis was on operationalizability: how do you roll back, who has access, audit log.
rounds 3-4: two behavioral rounds with different interviewers. themes: cross-functional conflict, navigating ambiguity on high-stakes projects, how i handle underperformers, and one specific question about regulatory risk (not expected that at a pure-tech interview). they want to know you understand that GS operates in a regulated environment and that "move fast" has limits here.
round 5: panel with three people. one from the team, one from adjacent leadership, one HR. this was about culture and leadership philosophy more than technical content.
round 6: hiring manager conversation. more strategic: where do i want to take my career, what would i prioritize in my first 90 days.
the thing that stood out: GS EMs are expected to stay technical enough to make architecture calls. they don't want purely people-managers. if you've been fully code-free for 3+ years it might be a harder sell.