How Do You Manage User Roles and Permissions?
A clear roles & permissions model protects data, enforces governance, and accelerates work. Here’s the operating framework we use to design, implement, and audit access across platforms like Marketo, HubSpot, Salesforce, and CMS—without slowing down your teams.
Manage roles and permissions by separating duties (builder vs. publisher vs. approver), scoping access to the smallest necessary area (workspaces, business units, folders), and standardizing profiles with naming, expirations, and approval workflows. Then monitor with logs and quarterly reviews. The result: fewer production mistakes, cleaner audit trails, and faster time-to-launch.
Principles for Roles & Permissions
The Roles & Permissions Operating Model
Adopt this sequence to safely accelerate campaign velocity while protecting data and brand integrity.
Discover → Design → Implement → Test → Launch → Monitor → Review
- Discover current access: Inventory users, API keys, SSO groups, workspaces/BUs, and risky privileges (delete, export, admin).
- Design role catalog: Define Viewer, Contributor, Publisher, Approver, Analyst, and Admin with clear “can/can’t” lists.
- Implement controls: Map SSO groups to platform roles; scope by folders/BUs; lock dangerous actions behind approvals.
- Test with sandboxes: Validate each role using task checklists; prove least privilege without blocking work.
- Launch with change control: Ticketed requests, owner approvals, and time-boxed elevation for critical work.
- Monitor continuously: Alert on mass exports, permission changes, failed logins, and API scope increases.
- Quarterly review: Recertify access, remove dormant accounts, rotate keys, and update the role catalog.
Roles & Permissions Maturity Matrix
| Capability | From (Ad Hoc) | To (Operationalized) | Owner | Primary KPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Role Catalog | One-off access per user | Standard roles w/ “can/can’t” matrix and ticketed changes | RevOps/SecOps | Time-to-access, # of exceptions |
| Scoping | Global access | BU/workspace + folder + field-level controls | Platform Admins | % users with least privilege |
| Publish Controls | Self-approve | Dual control: builder ≠ approver; pre-flight checks | Marketing Ops | Prod errors, rollback events |
| Identity & SSO | Local accounts | SSO groups map to platform roles; JML automation | IT/SecOps | Dormant accounts, joiner SLA |
| Audit & Monitoring | Manual spot checks | Export/permission alerts; quarterly recertification | SecOps/Compliance | Findings remediated, time-to-detect |
| API & Integration | Broad API scopes | Per-app minimal scopes; key rotation & secrets vault | Engineering | Scope reductions, key rotation SLA |
Client Snapshot: Cut Production Errors by 58%
We implemented a standardized role catalog, BU scoping, and dual-approval publishing in a multi-brand Marketo + SFDC stack. Result: fewer production mistakes, safer data access, and faster campaign launches. Explore our approach: Marketo Consulting · Revenue Marketing Transformation
Start in sandbox, ship with dual control, and enforce least privilege. We’ll align access to your operating model so teams move fast without breaking governance.
Frequently Asked Questions about Roles & Permissions
Operationalize Roles & Permissions with Confidence
We’ll design your role catalog, map SSO groups, lock down risky actions, and speed approvals—so your team moves fast and stays compliant.
Expert Marketo Consulting Check the Revenue Marketing Transformation