In today’s digitally driven world, tech departments are often the ones driving companies forward. It makes sense, then, that organizations would want to prioritize this team’s hiring budget and build out a robust department with distinct roles and skill sets.

While it may take some time to add all the positions you need to your tech department, there are a few key roles every business should focus on filling first. To that end, a panel of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) members weighed in on the following question:

“When building out your company’s tech department, what’s one important role you should be sure to include? What value does this position bring to the business?”

Here are the top roles they recommend.

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1. Success Manager

“In my experience, having a dedicated success manager is critical to achieving a high rate of adoption for any technology. When a tech department has a success manager, it becomes easier for the rest of the organization to take responsibility for implementation because there is an ambassador in place to answer questions and provide demos.” ~ David Hunter, Epic Web Studios

2. Platform Cybersecurity Expert

“Platform cybersecurity is critical for any company’s tech department and should be prioritized. In-house roles should be staffed with experienced employees. Ensuring a secure platform will yield numerous benefits to the business across insurance, customer retention and overall risk reduction.” ~ Jordan Edelson, Appetizer Mobile LLC

3. Technical Project Manager

“One important role is a technical project manager. They are responsible for planning, executing and finalizing projects according to strict deadlines and a budget. They work closely with upper management to ensure that the technical direction of a project aligns with the company’s overall business goals. They help to ensure that projects are completed efficiently and effectively.” ~ Olufemi Shonubi, EduTech Global

4. Chief Innovation Officer

“It’s essential to hire a chief innovation officer (CINO). It’s their job to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to emerging technologies and trends. This role is key for driving innovation within your organization. The CINO can help you identify areas where investments in technology could generate greater returns — potentially even transforming your business model or expanding into new markets.” ~ Adam Preiser, WPCrafter

5. Front-End Developer

“A front-end developer is a crucial position for any tech team. Ideally, this person has both coding chops and a strong eye for design and can help ideate and execute customer-facing parts of the business.” ~ Josh Weiss, Reggie

6. A Liaison for Third-Party Vendors

“We are a small business, and when Covid hit, we outsourced tech companies to help us as we worked virtually. The role that should have been assigned early on was the point of contact between the tech company and our firm. To avoid too many cooks in the kitchen, it’s wise to identify who is responsible for what and by when. If more than one person is responsible, nobody is responsible.” ~ Givelle Lamano, Lamano Law Office

7. Quality Assurance Engineer

“A quality assurance engineer is an important asset to technical teams that’s often neglected. QA specialists cover every angle of an application and act on behalf of the user. Engineers and designers can’t predict every use case, and delegating extensive testing to these roles impacts both velocity and job satisfaction.” ~ Mario Peshev, DevriX

8. IT Business Liaison

“There is more technical information and data that inform business decisions and intelligence today. However, this data can only be useful if interpreted for business. An IT business liaison bridges the gap between the technical and business worlds. They understand and can interpret complex technical information into actionable knowledge for decision-making by non-technical personnel.” ~ Tonika Bruce, Lead Nicely, Inc.

9. Business Intelligence Analyst

“A business intelligence (BI) analyst is a valuable member of a company’s tech department. They collect and analyze data to inform business decisions, identify key trends and improve operations and efficiency. By providing insights and helping to inform strategic planning, a BI analyst can greatly benefit a business.” ~ Abhijeet Kaldate, Astra WordPress Theme

10. Technology Leader

“Every IT department needs a technology leader. This leader will facilitate any upgrades necessary for a digital transformation or cybersecurity. They can also lead training sessions that employees need for new programs or software to reduce any learning curves or prevent bottlenecks. That way, IT becomes more accessible and the company gains synergy.” ~ Duran Inci, Optimum7

11. Chief Technical Officer

“The CTO (chief technical officer) is one role that every company’s tech department should have. The CTO is responsible for the company’s technology strategy, architecture and overall technological performance. This role brings value to the business by ensuring that the company is leveraging the latest technology and resources available to drive innovation and maximize efficiency.” ~ Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster

12. UX/UI Designer

“Business owners who want to build a successful tech department need a UX/UI designer. This role is vital to the success of your product because consumers want products that flow seamlessly and effectively. If you don’t have someone to figure out optimal user pathing and element placement, people might not find as much value in your tech product as you had hoped on launch day.” ~ John Turner, SeedProd LLC

13. Solutions Architect

“When building out your company’s tech department, include a solutions architect. This role brings a strategic perspective to the business by understanding the technical landscape, analyzing the needs of the business and designing solutions to meet those needs. A solutions architect is instrumental in aligning technology with business goals and ensuring the smooth operation of technical systems.” ~ Jared Weitz, United Capital Source Inc.

Image: Envato Elements

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