When considering a career in e-commerce, there are a number of different paths that you can pursue that range across all levels from entry-level roles to more senior positions.
And as with all job industries, there are a number of routes you can take to become qualified for roles in e-commerce, from apprenticeships and work experience to e-commerce and marketing online courses, and of course, undertaking a university degree.
However, if you’ve gained your relevant experience or education but feel unsure about what types of roles you can step into, the team of e-commerce experts at Webretailer.com have compiled a list of the most common job roles and responsibilities in e-commerce.
- E-commerce Manager
The role of an e-commerce manager is to essentially advertise and sell products or services via the internet. This includes overseeing the strategy of the online store, optimising the user experience, managing listings, implementing marketing campaigns and analysing data to help drive sales growth.
Average UK Salary: £48,663 – £54,641
Skills required
- Online Merchandising skills
- Strong analytical skills and experience working with e-commerce platforms and analytics tools
- Experience managing and developing a team
- Knowledge of e-commerce trends, best practices, and technologies
- Excellent communication skills and attention to detail
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment
- Initiative
- Ability to manage external relationships and build strategic partnerships
- Lead a team and monitor the performance of self and colleagues
- Digital Marketing Specialist
A digital marketing specialist’s primary role is to advertise and promote products and services through various online channels. This usually includes social media marketing, SEO strategies, content and email marketing and paid advertising. This job also requires the candidate to have an analytical mind, as they will often measure the progress of their tactics and report back to the wider team.
Average UK Salary: £29,591
Skills required
- Results-driven with a real passion for SEO
- Experience running Google advertising
- Knowledge of Google Analytics, Search Console and Excel
- Experience using SEMrush, Ahrefs or equivalent
- Excellent reporting skills
- A creative thinker
- Experience running social media campaigns
- Project management
- Demonstrable experience of ranking improvements to websites
- Deliver, deploy, manage and optimise campaigns
- Web Developer
Web developers are essential to the building and maintenance of an e-commerce website. Whether it’s front-end or back-end development, these roles are instrumental in ensuring the site has all of the necessary pages and elements built, it’s user-friendly, navigation through the site works correctly and it looks the way it should.
Average UK Salary: £34,119
Skills required
- Proficiency in essential programming languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and additionally Python, PHP, or Ruby
- Front-end development with knowledge of CSS frameworks, JavaScript libraries and experience creating user-friendly web interfaces
- Back-end development: Building websites and web applications
- Strong debugging skills: Able to identify and solve technical problems
- Attention to detail for writing clean and maintainable code, and ensuring websites and applications run as planned
- Ability to multi-task and be on call to look at and resolve any urgent issues
- Collaborate with other developers, designers, or anyone involved in the development projects
- Customer Service Representative
Customer service representatives also play a crucial part in an e-commerce business, providing support and assistance to customers. From dealing with customer complaints, helping with product or service-related queries, processing orders or handling returns and exchanges – there is plenty to keep you busy as a customer service representative.
Average UK Salary: £21,922
Skills required
- Exceptional telephone customer service skills
- Applying product or service knowledge
- Problem-solving skills to support customers with complaints
- Ability to upsell products or services
- Communicate effectively with customers
- Supply Chain and Logistics Manager
This role is responsible for overseeing an efficient flow of products and services from the supplier to the customer. This includes optimising warehouse operations, managing inventory, coordinating shipping and delivery, and ensuring efficient order fulfilment.
Average UK Salary: £45,400
Skills required
- Good understanding of the supply chain principles – logistics, procurement, inventory management, and demand forecasting.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Ability to identify trends, and make informed decisions
- Project management skills: Meeting deadlines, handling multiple projects
- Comfortable using supply chain management software and (ERP) systems
- Excellent communication skills to make strong relationships with stakeholders, distributors, manufacturers, suppliers, and internal teams
- Negotiation skills
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Strong leadership