5 Essential Roles for a Successful Ecommerce Team

Brands must have the right strike team in place to reach ecommerce success. Managing a successful business requires a team with extensive industry experience, strategic foresight, and strong cross-functional capabilities.

For those just starting to build the foundation of their ecommerce team, it can be challenging to know where to start. Before moving deeper into the hiring process, you must first explore the roles that make up a successful ecommerce team.

Job Description #1: Director of Ecommerce

A director of commerce will be at the head of your team, leading strategy executing ambitious ecommerce goals. Having an experienced, forward-thinking, and analytical leader will help your brand actualize your ecommerce goals.

Director of commerce essential skills and core responsibilities:

• Orchestrates all aspects of strategic ecommerce plans;
• Combines existing expertise in sales, marketing, technology, and management to develop a superior brand and shopping experience for customers;
• Manages the overall user experience, including site navigation, content development, checkout funnel, and promotional campaigns;
• Utilizes extensive knowledge of ecommerce technologies and tactics, especially in commerce experience management (CommerceXM), product information management (PIM), digital asset management (DAM), mobile device management (MDM) software, as well as sophisticated analytics; and
• Professional experience in the business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) digital retail market a plus.

Job Description #2: Digital Marketing Manager, Graphic Designer, Copywriter

While one person can manage the other essential roles, developing product content, such as images, videos, compelling copy, and other enhanced content types, can benefit from the support of multiple team members.

The creative and marketing side of ecommerce is vital for creating engaging product experiences, as enhanced content can increase conversion by up to 10% across most categories.

Ecommerce creative essential skills and core responsibilities:

• Creates engaging content for a variety of mediums, including web, social media, print, and more;
• Ideates, develops, publishes, and delivers reports on integrated digital marketing campaigns;
• Utilizes strong communication skills to create compelling content, highlighting strong attention to detail and exceptional grammar;
• Experience with content creation software, such as a content management system (CMS), Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Adobe After Effects;
• Experience with marketing automation software, such as HubSpot, Marketo, and ActiveCampaign; and
• Up-to-date with ecommerce trends, which drive his or her innovative and experimental multimedia strategies.

Job Description #3: Ecommerce Business Analyst

Having a firm understanding of metrics is crucial for the overall success of an ecommerce team. The ecommerce business analyst monitors brand objective key results (OKRs), key performance indicators (KPIs), and your standing against the competition.

Ecommerce business analyst essential skills and core responsibilities:

• Analyzes, synthesizes, and presents data in a way that is actionable for project stakeholders and executives;
• Communicates ecommerce business performance through a variety of metrics, OKRs, and KPIs, including share of search, product page performance, brand compliance across retailer channels, sales rank, and more; and
• Works cross-functionally to create automation- and process-optimization tools, leveraging the power of automation to deliver rigorous customer data.

Job Description #4: Ecommerce Developer, Software Engineer, IT Manager

Managing the tech side of an ecommerce team is also something that can benefit from the support of multiple team members. Ensuring enterprise-class technology, architecture, and security requires agility, flexibility, and experience.

Ecommerce tech lead essential skills and core responsibilities:

• Develops site architecture, optimizes processes, and supports the brand ecommerce ecosystem;
• Purchases and implements software;
• Ensures the smooth day-to-day operations of an ecommerce platform, including software integrations and merchant and retailer relationships;
• Defines, recommends, and executes a vision for ecommerce sites aligned with IT strategy;
• Understands strengths and weaknesses in system architecture, anticipating vulnerabilities and developing contingency plans; and
• Experience with ecommerce software platforms; and
• Experience with PIM, DAM, MDM, and PXM a plus.

Job Description #5: Ecommerce Program Manager

An ecommerce program manager will work as a project manager, keeping processes running smoothly and tracking of all the moving pieces in your ecommerce taskforce. This role is essential for the syndication process, as they ensure that product information is accurately and quickly shared with retailer partners.

Finding someone with superb organizational, time management, and communication skills is vital — especially as the importance of timely product page updates will only continue to grow.

Ecommerce program manager essential skills and core responsibilities:

• Proven ability to work in a fast-paced and quickly changing environment;
• Adapts and prioritizes with agility, using practical multitasking skills;
• Manages key stakeholders throughout the lifecycle of a project;
• Utilizes excellent communication and presentation skills;
• Develops detailed reports outlining the health of all ongoing projects; and
• Certified project management professional (PMP) or other relevant certifications a plus.

Unleash Your Full Digital Growth Potential

These job descriptions will help you develop a fundamental understanding of each role’s unique essential skills and responsibilities, which can help you move forward with the team-building process.

Building a successful ecommerce team is the first step in unleashing your brand's full digital growth potential.