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Starting an Employee Resource Group feels a bit like assembling a superhero team – you need people with different strengths working together toward a common mission. But unlike the Avengers, your ERG won't have Nick Fury showing up with detailed job descriptions and organizational charts. That's where defining clear roles and responsibilities becomes your secret weapon for success.
The difference between ERGs that thrive and those that fizzle out often comes down to one thing: everyone knowing exactly what they're supposed to do and when they're supposed to do it. When roles are unclear, you end up with well-meaning volunteers stepping on each other's toes, important tasks falling through the cracks, and leaders burning out from trying to do everything themselves.
Whether you're launching your first ERG or restructuring an existing one, understanding who does what (and when) is crucial for building a thriving, sustainable employee community. Let's break down the essential roles that make ERGs tick and explore how to set your team up for long-term success.
Why Clear ERG Roles Matter
Before we dive into specific positions, let's talk about why defining roles is so important. Think of ERG roles like the positions on a sports team – everyone has their specialty, but they all work together toward the same goal. Without clear responsibilities, you might end up with five people trying to plan the same event while nobody handles member communication.
When everyone knows their role, you can focus on what really matters: creating meaningful impact for your members and organization.
The Core ERG Leadership Team: Your Strategic Command Center
Executive Sponsor
This senior leader serves as your bridge to the C-suite and helps ensure your ERG aligns with broader business objectives.
Key Responsibilities:
- Provide strategic guidance and organizational context
- Advocate for ERG initiatives at senior leadership levels
- Help secure budget and resources
- Offer mentorship to ERG leaders
- Connect the ERG to business opportunities and challenges
What makes a great Executive Sponsor: Look for leaders who genuinely care about diversity and inclusion, have influence across the organization, and can commit time for regular check-ins. They don't necessarily need to be part of your ERG's identity group – allies can be incredibly effective sponsors.
ERG Chair/President
The Chair is your ERG's CEO – the person who sets the vision, keeps everyone aligned, and makes sure things actually happen. This role requires someone who can balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop and communicate the ERG's vision and strategy
- Lead executive committee meetings and major decision-making
- Represent the ERG at organizational events and meetings
- Build relationships with other ERG leaders and stakeholders
- Oversee annual planning and goal-setting processes
- Ensure the ERG stays aligned with organizational objectives
What makes a great Chair: Strong communication skills, ability to inspire others, strategic thinking, and enough organizational credibility to be taken seriously by leadership. They should also be willing to commit significant time – typically 3-5 hours per week.
Vice Chair/Co-Chair
The Vice Chair is your ERG's right-hand person, ready to step in when needed and often specializing in specific areas like operations or member engagement. Some ERGs prefer a co-chair model where responsibilities are shared more equally.
Key Responsibilities:
- Support the Chair in strategic planning and execution
- Lead specific initiatives or committees
- Step in for the Chair when unavailable
- Provide continuity during leadership transitions
- Help manage the overall workload of ERG leadership
Secretary
Don't underestimate this role – the Secretary is your institutional memory keeper and communication hub. They ensure nothing falls through the cracks and that everyone stays informed.
Key Responsibilities:
- Document meeting minutes and action items
- Maintain member databases and contact information
- Coordinate communications between leadership and members
- Track progress on goals and initiatives
- Manage ERG documentation and resources
Treasurer
If your ERG manages its own budget (even a small one), the Treasurer ensures financial responsibility and transparency. They turn financial planning from a necessary evil into a strategic advantage.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop and manage the ERG budget
- Track expenses and maintain financial records
- Coordinate with HR/Finance on reimbursements
- Provide financial reporting to leadership and members
- Help with fundraising efforts when appropriate
Specialized Committee Chairs: Where the Magic Happens
Programming Committee Chair
This person is your ERG's event planner, education coordinator, and experience designer all rolled into one. They turn ideas into reality and keep members engaged throughout the year.
Key Responsibilities:
- Plan and execute ERG events, workshops, and speaker series
- Develop educational programming that serves member needs
- Coordinate with external speakers and facilitators
- Manage event logistics, marketing, and follow-up
- Gather feedback to continuously improve programming
Communications Chair
In our information-overload world, the Communications Chair cuts through the noise to keep members informed, engaged, and excited about ERG activities.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop and execute internal communication strategies
- Manage ERG social media presence and internal channels
- Create newsletters, announcements, and promotional materials
- Coordinate with corporate communications teams
- Track engagement metrics and adjust strategies accordingly
Mentorship/Professional Development Chair
This role focuses on one of the most valuable ERG benefits: career growth and development. They create opportunities for members to learn, grow, and advance their careers.
Key Responsibilities:
- Design and implement mentorship programs
- Coordinate skills-building workshops and training sessions
- Connect members with career development opportunities
- Partner with Learning & Development teams
- Track professional development outcomes and success stories
Community Outreach Chair
This person extends your ERG's impact beyond company walls, building connections with external communities and organizations that share your mission.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop partnerships with external organizations
- Coordinate volunteer opportunities and community service projects
- Represent the ERG at external events and conferences
- Organize community engagement initiatives
- Track and report on community impact
Recruitment/Membership Chair
Growing and maintaining membership requires dedicated attention. This role ensures your ERG continues to attract diverse, engaged members while keeping existing ones involved.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop strategies to attract new members
- Create onboarding experiences for new joiners
- Monitor membership trends and engagement levels
- Coordinate with recruiting teams to support diversity hiring
- Plan member appreciation and retention activities
Regional/Chapter Leaders: Scaling Across Locations
For organizations with multiple offices, Regional or Chapter Leaders ensure that ERG benefits reach everyone, regardless of location. They adapt the global ERG vision to local contexts and needs.
Key Responsibilities:
- Adapt ERG programming for local audiences and cultures
- Build relationships with local leadership and stakeholders
- Coordinate with other chapters and the main ERG leadership
- Address location-specific challenges and opportunities
- Ensure consistent brand and messaging across regions
Advisory Board Members: Your Strategic Brain Trust
Advisory Board members bring external perspective, industry expertise, or specialized knowledge to help your ERG make smarter decisions and avoid common pitfalls.
Who should be on your Advisory Board:
- External diversity and inclusion experts
- Alumni who have successfully led similar ERGs
- Cross-functional business leaders
- Community leaders from relevant organizations
- Subject matter experts in your ERG's focus area
Volunteer Coordinators: The Unsung Heroes
Not every ERG role needs to be a formal leadership position. Volunteer Coordinators help distribute workload and give more members opportunities to contribute meaningfully.
Examples of volunteer roles:
- Event setup and logistics support
- Social media content creation
- Workshop facilitation
- New member buddy system
- Research and best practice sharing
How to Structure Your ERG for Success
Start Small, Scale Smart
Don't try to fill every role immediately. Most successful ERGs start with 3-5 core leadership positions and add specialized roles as they grow. You might begin with:
- Chair
- Vice Chair or Co-Chair
- Secretary/Communications hybrid
- Programming lead
- Mentorship coordinator
As your ERG matures and membership grows, you can add more specialized roles and committees.
Define Term Lengths and Succession Planning
Establish clear term lengths (typically 1-2 years) and succession planning processes. This prevents burnout and ensures fresh perspectives while maintaining institutional knowledge. Consider staggered terms so you don't lose all your experienced leaders at once.
Create Role Descriptions and Expectations
Just like job descriptions, ERG roles need clear expectations around time commitment, key responsibilities, and success metrics. This helps people understand what they're signing up for and sets everyone up for success.
Consider Skills and Interests, Not Just Seniority
The best ERG leaders aren't necessarily the most senior people in your organization. Look for individuals who are passionate about your mission, have relevant skills, and can commit the necessary time. Sometimes your most effective Programming Chair might be someone early in their career who has great event planning skills.
Building an Inclusive Leadership Structure
Encourage Diverse Leadership
Your ERG leadership should reflect the diversity you want to see in your organization. This might mean actively encouraging people from different departments, career levels, backgrounds, and perspectives to take on leadership roles.
Support Leadership Development
Remember that ERG leadership is often a development opportunity for emerging leaders. Provide training, mentorship, and support to help your leaders succeed. This investment pays dividends both for your ERG and your organization's leadership pipeline.
Recognize and Celebrate Contributions
ERG leadership is typically volunteer work on top of people's regular jobs. Make sure to recognize contributions publicly, include ERG leadership in performance reviews when appropriate, and celebrate successes along the way.
Measuring Success Across All Roles
Set Clear Goals and Metrics
Each role should have specific goals and ways to measure success. Your Programming Chair might track event attendance and satisfaction scores, while your Mentorship Chair monitors mentoring relationship outcomes and career advancement metrics.
Regular Check-ins and Feedback
Schedule regular one-on-ones between the Chair and each committee lead, plus quarterly all-hands meetings to ensure everyone stays aligned and supported.
Annual Role Assessment
At the end of each term, assess what worked well and what could be improved. Use this feedback to refine role descriptions and processes for future leaders.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
The "Do-Everything" Trap
Don't let one or two people carry the entire workload. This leads to burnout and makes your ERG vulnerable if those people leave or step back.
Unclear Accountability
If everyone is responsible for something, nobody is responsible for it. Make sure each initiative has a clear owner and defined success metrics.
Ignoring Change Management
As your ERG grows and evolves, your structure will need to change too. Be willing to adapt roles and responsibilities based on what you learn.
The Power of Mentorship in ERG Leadership
One theme that runs through all successful ERG roles is the importance of mentorship – both receiving it and providing it. ERG leaders often serve as mentors to their committee members, while also receiving guidance from Executive Sponsors and Advisory Board members.
Studies show that ERGs with strong mentorship components see higher engagement, better career outcomes for members, and stronger business impact. Consider how mentorship can be woven into each role's responsibilities.
Looking Ahead: Building Your ERG Dream Team
Creating an effective ERG structure isn't about checking boxes or filling organizational charts – it's about building a team that can create real change and meaningful impact. The right combination of strategic thinking, operational excellence, and passionate commitment can transform your ERG from a nice-to-have group into a must-have driver of organizational culture and business results.
Remember, there's no one-size-fits-all approach to ERG roles and responsibilities. What works for a 50-person startup will be different from what works for a 50,000-person multinational corporation. The key is to start with clear principles, remain flexible as you learn and grow, and always keep your members' needs and your organization's goals at the center of your decisions.
Whether you're just getting started or looking to revitalize an existing ERG, taking the time to thoughtfully define roles and responsibilities is an investment that will pay dividends for years to come. Your future members – and your organization – will thank you for it.
Ready to dive deeper into ERG best practices? Download our comprehensive ERG Best Practices Playbook for detailed guidance on building engaging, inclusive, and impactful employee resource groups. From startup strategies to long-term sustainability, this playbook has everything you need to create an ERG that drives real change.
For more insights on building successful ERGs, check out our guides on types of employee resource groups, how to start an employee resource group, and creating an effective ERG leadership structure.
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