E-Commerce Roles

Want to know how big or mature an e-commerce brand is? You can look at their website or LinkedIn page. Check the employee profiles and find how diverse their team is.

You may be just a team of 2 people while starting up, but as per a popular adage, “it takes a village to raise a child”. So be ready to hire a diverse talent pool if you want to build a great E-Commerce brand.

I have listed down some roles below:

Executive Team

1. CEO: The CEO (Chief Executive Officer) serves as the top leader in an organization and is responsible for setting its strategic vision, making critical decisions, managing finances, fostering innovation, and building relationships with stakeholders. CEO needs to understand product development, manufacturing, digital technologies and online marketing well.
2. CMO: A Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) should exhibit traits such as deep digital marketing expertise, data-driven decision-making, and a customer-centric mindset. They must possess knowledge of the e-commerce platform used, focus on user experience (UX), and stay innovative in a competitive field. Proficiency in analytics, content strategy, and mobile marketing is essential, along with skills in personalization, brand building, and multi-channel marketing. CMOs should also excel in social media management, email marketing, and CRM while demonstrating leadership, budget management, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
3. CFO: A Chief Financial Officer (CFO) overseeing an e-commerce company requires a specific skill set, including financial acumen, e-commerce metrics knowledge, data-driven decision-making, and expertise in cash flow and inventory management. They must be adept at risk management, cost optimization, tax compliance, financial forecasting, strategic planning, financial reporting, and technology integration.
4. CPO: As a Chief Product Officer (CPO), the primary responsibility involves identifying new product opportunities, features, and enhancements that resonate with customer needs. CPO crafts a comprehensive product strategy that aligns with the organization’s goals and objectives. CPO collaborates closely with various departments, such as marketing, design, and engineering, to ensure a cohesive and coordinated approach to product development.
5. CIO: The Chief Information Officer (CIO) holds a pivotal role in managing technology to support and drive the business. Their responsibilities encompass crafting a technology strategy, overseeing IT infrastructure, managing the e-commerce platform, optimizing website performance, ensuring cybersecurity, and safeguarding customer data privacy. They need to manage a team of Developers and Team Leads to ensure all the e-commerce channels are working well.
6. Head of Manufacturing and Supply Chain : The Head of Manufacturing and Supply Chain in an e-commerce company manages and optimises the entire supply chain, from procurement to distribution. Key responsibilities include coordinating production schedules to meet demand forecasts, developing supply chain strategy, managing inventory, overseeing suppliers, ensuring product quality, controlling costs, and coordinating logistics. They play a vital role in meeting customer demand, minimizing costs, and enhancing the overall customer experience.
7. CSO : The Chief Sales Officer (CSO) is a strategic leader responsible for driving revenue growth. Key responsibilities include developing and implementing sales strategies, leading and training the sales team, optimizing sales processes, managing customer relationships, and analyzing market trends. The CSO also oversees pricing strategies, e-commerce platform optimization, and international sales expansion. Leveraging data analytics and technology, they track and report on sales performance, ensuring compliance with regulations and budgets. Ultimately, the CSO plays a vital role in achieving sales targets and overall success in the e-commerce market.
8. HR Head: Responsibilities include talent acquisition, employee relations, training and development, compensation and benefits administration, and performance management. They play a crucial role in creating a positive workplace culture, fostering diversity and inclusion, ensuring compliance with labour laws, and implementing HR technology systems.

Management Team

1. Director of E-commerce: Overseeing the overall e-commerce strategy, including website management, online marketing, and sales growth. They are accountable for Digital Marketing and Software development & changes related to e-commerce websites and technologies. They are responsible for the overall functioning and progress of all eCommerce channels. Reports to CIO.
2. Digital Marketing Manager: Responsible for online advertising, search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and social media marketing to drive traffic and sales. Leads a team of SEO experts, content specialists, Ad experts, Graphic and UX designers. A person in this role is responsible for the company’s brand image, positioning, and online presence. Reports to Director of E-commerce.
3. IT Project Manager: The IT Project Manager oversees the planning, execution, and management of Information technology-related projects critical to the company’s success. This role involves defining project objectives, assembling and leading project teams, managing budgets and resources, and mitigating risks. IT Project Managers ensure projects are completed within scope, on time, and within budget while maintaining quality standards. Reports to Director of E-commerce.
4. Supply Chain Manager: A Supply Chain Manager develops and oversees the Supply Chain strategy. He/She ensures that the Supply Chain operations run smoothly within specific timelines. He/She ensures that the quality and safety standards are met, inventory is well managed, and the deliveries happen in a timely manner. He is expected to have good knowledge of supply chain and logistics processes and have technical know-how of related software like ERPs. Reports to Head of Manufacturing and Supply Chain.
5. Sales Manager: Responsibilities include leading and training sales teams, acquiring new customers, managing client relationships, and optimizing sales processes. They monitor and report on sales performance, ensure competitive pricing, and collaborate with various departments. Reports to CSO.
6. Customer Service Manager: A Customer Service Manager is responsible for customer satisfaction by means of solving their problems, creating helpful resources for their queries, and overseeing the operations of the Customer service department in the company. Reports to CSO.

Team Members

1. Content Manager/Writer: Creating and managing product descriptions, blog posts, and other content to improve SEO and engage customers.
2. Web Developer/Designer: Building and maintaining the e-commerce website, ensuring it is user-friendly and visually appealing.
3. Product Manager: Managing the product catalogue, including product selection, pricing, and inventory management.
4. UX/UI Designer: Focusing on user experience and interface design to optimize the website for conversions and a seamless shopping experience.
5. Data Analyst/Analytics Manager: Analyzing customer data and website metrics to make data-driven decisions and improve performance.
6. Digital Advertising Specialist: Running and optimizing online advertising campaigns, including Google Ads, Facebook Ads and social media advertising.
7. SEO Specialist: Focusing on optimizing product listings and website content to improve search engine rankings and visibility.
8. Email Marketing Specialist: Creating and managing email marketing campaigns to nurture leads and retain customers.
9. Social Media Manager: Managing and growing the company’s presence on social media platforms to engage with customers and drive sales.
10. Data Scientist: Leveraging data to gain insights into customer behaviour, market trends, and pricing strategies.
11. Customer Service Representative: CSR’s responsibilities include assisting customers with orders, inquiries, and issues, offering product information, and resolving problems. CSRs handle various communication channels, maintain accurate records, and adhere to company policies and compliance regulations. They also play a role in up-selling and cross-selling, gathering customer feedback, and collaborating with other departments to ensure a seamless customer experience.
12. Logistics Coordinator: Handling the transportation and logistics of goods, including choosing carriers and managing shipping costs.
13. Inventory Planner: Forecasting demand and optimizing inventory levels to prevent overstocking or understocking.
14. Warehouse Manager: Managing the physical storage and distribution of products, including picking, packing, and shipping.
15. Finance and Accounting: Handling financial operations, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting.
16. Legal and Compliance: Ensuring the company complies with laws and regulations related to e-commerce, privacy, and consumer protection.
17. Customer Retention Specialist: Focusing on customer loyalty programs, subscription models, and tactics to retain existing customers.
18. Fraud Prevention Specialist: Monitoring transactions for fraudulent activity and implementing security measures to protect the business from fraud.
19. Marketplace Manager: Managing the presence and sales on third-party marketplaces like Amazon and eBay.
20. Data Entry/Content Uploader: Responsible for adding and updating product information, images, and prices on the e-commerce platform.
21. Returns and Refunds Specialist: Handling the returns process, managing refunds, and ensuring customer satisfaction with returns.
22. Business Analysts: Business Analyst increases the efficiency of online sales through research on market trends, consumer behaviour, and cost-benefit analysis. They provide data-driven suggestions to develop the business. They take requirements from the clients, stakeholders, and project managers and align the site design and functionality to suit them.
23. IT specialists : IT specialists ensure that an organisation’s hardware and software systems are up and working. They set up and enhance networks and servers, install programs, store databases, maintain the security of the systems and help the employees and end-users with any IT glitches in the systems.
24. E-commerce delivery driver: All the products sold on an e-commerce website need to be delivered to the customers. This is where delivery drivers come in. The number of delivery drivers a company employs will depend on its size and how many weekly sales it makes.

References :

1 – www.dckap.com/blog/16-essential-roles-in-ecommerce

2 – https://ecommerceguide.com/guides/ecommerce-job-roles/