Building a Successful Team: 7 Key Positions to Appoint When Growing your Business

You’ve built your business from the ground up and handled all the challenges that arose on your own. But as you grow, you’ll need to start building a team around you that can help take your company to the next level.

Who you hire, in the beginning, will be crucial. Not only because you need to think about the return on investment but also because these will be key leadership positions that will shape your direction, internal relationships, and company culture. I want to preface this by saying any job posting needs to be carefully considered; they need a clear job description and predefined key performance indicators.

1. Chief Executives

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) are roles you’ve probably taken on yourself as you’ve built your company. Still, you must have a clear understanding of who is responsible for which function. The CEO is responsible for the “Big Picture” – the company’s direction, vision, and culture. In contrast, the COO is responsible for the day-to-day running of the business. They are ensuring that everyone is pulling in the same direction. It’s usually a good idea that you take on the CEO role, at least initially, because you will know better than anyone else where you want your business to go. If you don’t have a suitable candidate for COO, then it is worth hiring externally for the position.

2. Financial Officer

Having a Chief Financial Officer(CFO) in place will prove invaluable. You can never underestimate the importance of having someone on the team who is exclusively responsible for managing the financial aspects of the business. It is often suggested that you outsource your accounting and payroll functions, but if you have the funds to appoint a CFO, it is money well spent.

3. Chief of Tech

The final position in this category is very dependent on your business. For example, appointing a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) is vital if you are a tech startup. Having someone to focus on what will work for your business who can also take charge of any outsourced tech work will prove crucial to the success of your business.

4. Who Develops Products?

For a product-focused or SaaS company having a Product Developer who can take charge of products through their lifecycle is crucial. They should also be able to anticipate the needs and wants of your customer in the immediate future. Appointing someone with a proven track record in these areas is essential.

5. Marketing Director

The next step is your Marketing Director. Initially, the person who fills this role will need to be well versed in all marketing disciplines. They should be able to write copy, design collateral, run ad campaigns and handle social media marketing until you can scale the team and bring in specialists. They should also be your community manager, interacting with customers and feeding as much information back to your PD as possible.

6. Sales Manager

Hiring personnel needs funding, and so appointing a Sales Manager should be a top priority too. This person needs to, above all else, believe in your offering as strongly as you do. They should also be tenacious and determined. The sole focus of your sales manager is to generate leads and bring in money. It is a challenging position to fill, but it’s worth being patient and making sure you get the right person. Generally, they’ll be able to hit the ground running without too much training and should represent a return on investment quickly.

7. Human Resource Director

Last but certainly not least is your Human Resources Director. With the growth of your team, it is always worthwhile having someone to oversee hiring, background checks, onboarding, paperwork, training, and in the worst-case scenario, disciplinary actions and procedures. They also provide a point of contact for employees’ questions, complaints, and concerns.

Positions that can be outsourced

Invariably there will be work that needs to be done that falls outside of the skillset that you have in your existing team. Outsourcing this work will ensure that your teams are focused and that the quality of work doesn’t suffer in any department. Below are a couple of roles that can be outsourced, but it is worth considering your business function and the team you have in place too.

• Accountants and financial advisors
• Administrative workers
• Attorneys and legal advisors
• Content writers and digital marketing freelancers
• Web developers, designers, and programmers

Knowing who to hire is all good and well, but you need to have a clear idea of how your hiring process will work. It is vital that you consider your Company’s Mission to ensure your applicants are aligned. Always consider training existing employees and growing them into new roles as they are needed. Offering these growth opportunities will ultimately nurture loyalty and staff satisfaction. All of these will form part of your employer brand and workplace culture, and these together will form the foundation for long-term growth. Finally, don’t be afraid of being a Headhunter. Identify the talent that you want and go after them. Remember that people don’t leave jobs, they leave managers, and it is worth bearing this in mind when it comes to your management style.

Growing your team is always going to be a difficult task. Finding candidates who fit the company profile and who will be invested in the project will be a time-consuming process, but your business will thrive with the right team in place. It will come alive with energy and enthusiasm, and fresh talent will inject innovation and creativity into your work environment.

Jayson Ellis

Staff Writer: Jayson Ellis is a South African-based entrepreneur and writer with experience in marketing, operations, business development, and human relations. In my career, I've been exposed to many different projects, roles, and people. This has taught invaluable skills essential in today's workplace.

Currently, he owns a restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa. He is also a regular contributor to websites and blogs on topics ranging from lifestyle to business.

His passion lies in uplifting those around him, sharing skills, and offering any guidance he can to those around him. You can check out more of Jayson's writings at https://www.clippings.me/jaysonellis