Building the dream team: community roles every company should hire

Beyond traditional marketing efforts, companies are now focusing on creating genuine connections with their customers and fostering a sense of belonging. This shift in approach has given rise to community management as an essential aspect of any business strategy to thrive in a competitive landscape.

To effectively manage a community, it's crucial to have dedicated individuals who can lead community initiatives and nurture meaningful relationships.

The heart of every successful community lies in a team of passionate individuals, each playing a unique role in nurturing and growing that community. These individuals possess a rare combination of skills, qualities, and expertise that enable them to navigate the complexities of community dynamics and achieve remarkable results.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the key community roles, their qualifications, responsibilities, and strategies for assembling your dream team. But first, let's dive into the importance of community building for any business.

The community advantage: Driving customer engagement, loyalty, and growth

It’s been proven that building a thriving community around your brand can have countless benefits. By creating a space where customers can connect, share experiences, and engage with your company, you can foster a deep sense of loyalty. Communities provide a platform for customers not only to interact with your brand but also with like-minded individuals, paving the way for them to become brand ambassadors.

But the advantages go far beyond that. Engaged communities can contribute to business growth through increased customer retention, valuable feedback that informs product development, and word-of-mouth referrals that expand the brand's reach.

Community building is a wise investment that offers a competitive edge for any company across all industries. Let's take a closer look at the benefits that communities offer:

• Increased customer engagement: Communities create an active space where customers feel a sense of belonging and emotional connection, leading to higher engagement with your brand.
• Enhanced brand loyalty: When your community members form strong bonds, they become loyal customers who keep coming back for more.
• Valuable customer insights: Communities are a goldmine of feedback and ideas straight from your customers, helping you make better decisions and tailor your offerings.
• Word-of-mouth marketing: Happy community members can't help but spread the word about your brand, giving you organic, authentic marketing.
• Improved customer support: Communities foster peer-to-peer support, which takes the load off your customer support team and empowers customers to help each other.
• Co-creation and innovation: Communities serve as collaborative spaces where customers can share ideas, contribute to product development, and drive innovation within the business.
• Enhanced customer satisfaction: Engaged community members feel valued and heard, resulting in higher levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• Brand credibility and trust: Active community engagement builds credibility, trust, and transparency, which are crucial for attracting new customers and retaining existing ones.
• Competitive advantage: A vibrant and thriving community sets a business apart from competitors, establishing a unique value proposition and fostering customer loyalty in a crowded market.

Community heroes: the value of dedicated teams in driving success

Building and managing a thriving community requires dedicated individuals who specialize in specific community roles. While some may think community management can be handled by existing employees, the complexity and scale of community projects call for distinct positions that can fully focus on community-related responsibilities.

Dedicated community teams bring a deep understanding of community dynamics, engagement strategies, and the ability to build and nurture relationships. They possess the knowledge and experience to create effective community strategies, monitor community metrics, and align community activities with business objectives.

By entrusting these responsibilities to dedicated professionals, companies lay a solid foundation for the success and growth of their communities. This focused approach ensures that the community receives the attention, expertise, and strategic direction it needs to thrive, ultimately driving positive outcomes for the entire business.

Without further ado, let’s explore the five essential community team members every company should consider hiring, dive into the responsibilities of community roles, and discover the community team qualifications you need to know.

Building Bridges: the key players in community management

1. Associate Community Manager

The Associate Community Manager is an entry-level position for community professionals, requiring minimal experience. While not expected to create their own strategies, they play a vital role in executing community strategies set by higher-level roles. Key qualities to look for in an Associate Community Manager include energy, the ability to engage with the community, and good communication skills. With 0-3 years of experience, they bring a fresh perspective and enthusiasm to the role. Their contributions to the community lay the foundation for building strong relationships and fostering engagement.

The responsibilities of an Associate Community Manager include:

• Engaging with the community through posts, questions, and discussions.
• Creating community content such as newsletters and social media posts.
• Responding to members' questions and emails.
• Coordinating community events. 

2. Community Manager

The Community Manager is the most common community role and holds a mid-level position. They possess a firm grasp of community strategy and its alignment with business goals. As the primary point of contact for the community, they play a critical role in managing the day-to-day operations and driving the success of the community. With 1-6 years of experience, their comprehensive role ensures the smooth functioning and growth of the community.

The responsibilities of a Community Manager include:

• Growing and managing the community.
• Working closely with executive stakeholders to develop community strategies.
• Develop new community programs and work on enhancing existing programs.
• Engaging directly with community members.
• Responding to inbound communication.
• Managing and creating community content.
• Organizing community events.
•  Tracking and reporting community metrics. 

3. Director of Community

The Director of Community is a senior-level role requiring 5-8 years of experience in community management. This role is responsible for creating and executing the community strategy while managing the community team. The Director of Community has a broader scope, focusing not only on directly engaging the community but also understanding the role of the community within the larger business goals of the company. So while they share responsibilities with the Community Manager, the Director of Community plays a pivotal role in ensuring the community's impact aligns with the overall business strategy with their experience and strategic vision.

The responsibilities of a Director of Community include:

• Building and managing the community team.
• Creating and executing the community strategy.
• Aligning community activities with business objectives.
• Integrating community into the business culture and direction.
• Providing valuable community input for product development.

4. VP of Community

The VP of Community is a seasoned role requiring 8-12 years of experience in community management. They possess a deep understanding of both business and community strategy. This strategic role focuses on managing and scaling the community team and strategy to support the company's growth and expansion. They serve as a bridge between the community team and the executive leadership, ensuring the community's voice is heard and its impact is maximized.

Responsibilities of the VP of Community include:

• Building and managing the community team and strategy.
• Scaling community strategy to new regions.
• Providing input on business strategy to address internal and external needs.
• Leadership role within both community and business teams
• Advocating for the company and community. 

5. Chief Community Officer

The Chief Community Officer is the most senior position overseeing community strategy company-wide. This role requires 12+ years in community management and is responsible for driving the success of community initiatives, aligning them with the company's overall business goals. This role is important in companies where community is crucial to the success of the company.  Their deep expertise and authority enable them to champion the importance of community within the organization and drive its success on a company-wide scale.

‍Responsibilities of the Chief Community Officer include:

• Manages all community operations across departments and teams.
• Develops and executes community and business strategies.
• Hires, manages, and scales the community department.
• Provides strategic advice for executives.
• Drives business direction through decision-making.
• Holds a seat on the board.

6. Other community roles to consider

Apart from the key roles mentioned above, there are other community positions that companies should consider based on their needs and community goals. 

Developer Relations and Advocacy (DevRel) positions play a crucial role in technical communities that require regular engagement and communication with developers and coders. These positions are responsible for building strong relationships with the technical community, advocating for their needs, and facilitating discussions and collaborations.

In addition to DevRel positions, entry-level roles within a community team handle the day-to-day operations and hands-on tasks of managing the community. These positions include the Events Manager, who oversees the planning and execution of community events, the Community Engagement Manager, who focuses on actively engaging community members and fostering meaningful interactions, and the Community Moderator, who ensures a safe and respectful community environment by monitoring discussions and enforcing community guidelines.

To ensure smooth operation of the community, there are other important positions to consider. The Community Program Manager takes charge of designing and implementing community programs and initiatives to drive engagement and growth. The Community Operations Specialist works behind the scenes to manage the logistics and administrative aspects of the community, ensuring that processes run smoothly. Lastly, the Project Manager plays a pivotal role in coordinating and overseeing specific community projects, ensuring their successful execution and timely delivery.

By having these additional roles in place, companies can ensure that their communities are well-managed, actively engaged, and operating smoothly. Each role contributes to the overall success and growth of the community, creating a vibrant and supportive environment for its members.

Assembling your dream team: strategies for success

Building a strong community team begins with understanding the needs and functions of your community. Thorough research will help you identify the key skills, experience, and qualities required for each community role, enabling you to craft accurate job descriptions and attract candidates who align with your community goals.

When hiring for community roles, consider candidates who not only have the relevant experience, but also demonstrate strong communication skills, empathy, and a passion for community building. Look for individuals who can connect with your target audience and foster engagement. Additionally, consider cultural fit within your organization to ensure a cohesive and collaborative team dynamic.

To build a strong community team, implement the following strategies:

1. Clearly define roles and responsibilities to avoid confusion and ensure smooth teamwork.
2. Encourage collaboration and sharing of insights, ideas, and best practices among team members.
3. Provide opportunities for professional development, such as training sessions and industry conferences, to keep your team on top of trends.
4. Foster a positive company culture that values the contributions of your community team and recognizes their achievements.
5. Regularly evaluate performance and adapt strategies for continuous improvement.

But the journey doesn't end there. Building and growing a brand community is an ongoing process of learning, adapting, and evolving. As companies invest in their community teams, they invest in a foundation built on trust, collaboration, and unwavering dedication to creating remarkable experiences for their customers.

From vision to reality: the transformative power of dedicated community teams

A strong community team, fueled by passion and a deep understanding of community needs, has the power to shape the future of a company. By investing in the success of their communities, businesses invest in their own success. 

By assembling a dream team of dedicated individuals with unique skills, companies can unlock the true potential of community building. With the right team guided by a clear vision and strategy, companies can create a community that drives business growth and becomes an ecosystem of support and shared experiences.

So, gather your dream team,  embrace the possibilities, and watch your community flourish. Together, you can make something truly amazing happen!

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