Digital Agency Roles
What job roles exist in digital agencies, and what do people in those roles do?
Last updated on July 7th, 2019
There are lots of job roles in digital agencies that do not exist in more traditional workplaces. Sometimes the job titles of these roles are shortened to just acronyms, while others use some uncommon terminology. I usually take the time to explain to new clients what people in these roles do. So, here is a concise guide to job roles to help demystify some of the jargon.
Project (Digital) Manager
A Digital Project Manager is responsible for the project running to an agreed time, scope and budget. They will usually run/facilitate status meetings with the client, as well as booking in the right team of people and briefing the creative teams.
Scrum Master
A Scrum Master runs the daily scrum/stand-up for agile development teams. Often the Scrum Master and Project Manager can be the same person.
Account Manager/Client Service Manager
An Account Manager is responsible for the long-term running of the client relationship. They can also be known as Client Service Managers in some agencies. An Account Executive is more junior, and an Account Director more senior.
UX Designer
A UX Designer (User Experience) is responsible for the structural layout of a website/app. Some of the things they produce are sitemaps, user journeys and wireframes. They will often do a period of user research before making any recommendations.
UI Designer
A UI Designer (User Interface) is responsible for creating the visual look-and-feel of the website/app. A UI Designer is also known as a Digital Designer or simply a Web Designer.
Developer – Front-End
A Front-End Developer is responsible for creating the code to manage the look-and-feel of the website. They will use languages such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
Developer – Back-end
A Back-End Developer is responsible for creating the code to deal with any database interaction of a website/application.
DevOps
A DevOps Engineer (Development and Operations) will deal with the set-up of the website. This can include managing the hosting, development environments and domains etc.
QA Engineer
A QA Engineer (Quality Assurance) will ensure that the website works the way it is intended to and that there are no bugs.
Test Automation Engineer
A Test Automation Engineer will write scripts that create automated tests (using tools such as Selenium and Nightwatch) which simulate users interacting with features of the application to ensure they are performing correctly.
Technical Product Owner
A Technical Product Owner carries technical knowledge into strategic conversations about the product. They act as the bridge between the development team and the product owner (and/or business). Their responsibility is to ensure there is enough detail in the user stories and that they are valid to ensure efficient delivery.
Technical Architect
A Technical Architect plans or redesigns IT systems to ensure they function correctly and operate as expected.
Solutions Architect
A Solutions Architect is responsible for the high-level overview of the product.