In IT governance, role management is considered a critical component of privileged identity management. Its purpose is to ensure that access to sensitive systems and data is granted based on clearly defined roles. By structuring access through roles, organizations can enforce the principle of least privilege, ensuring users only have the permissions necessary for their job functions. This reduces the risk of privilege misuse, insider threats, and credential-based attacks. Additionally, role management simplifies access control, making it easier to audit, monitor, and adjust permissions as employees change roles or leave the organization.
To make role management easier, Google Workspace provides a set of admin roles that are out of the box. These roles can be used to determine the level of access administrators have over the organization’s settings, data, and users. Besides pre-built admin roles, businesses can easily create custom roles tailored to their needs.
Among the pre-built roles Google provides, the following are available:
There are additional roles with a smaller scope, such as Storage Admin and Google Voice Admin. The full list is available in the pre-built administrator roles article.
Note: There is no dedicated billing administration role. By default, all billing information is sent to the first Super Admin in the organization. To redirect billing notifications to another user (e.g., a finance department employee), follow the instructions in the article to ensure you receive critical notifications.
These roles are designed to meet the requirements of the majority of Google Workspace customers, who don’t need to be compliant with the strict compliance policies.
While the pre-built roles are useful, they may not fit every organization's unique security and operational needs. In such cases, custom roles offer a more tailored solution. Custom admin roles allow organizations to define and assign permissions with greater granularity, ensuring users only have access to what they need. They enhance security by ensuring that users have only the necessary permissions, reducing the risk of unauthorized access and human error.
Custom roles improve compliance by aligning access controls with regulatory requirements and security policies. They also increase operational efficiency by delegating responsibilities more precisely, preventing unnecessary access to sensitive settings. Additionally, using custom roles helps enforce the principle of least privilege, minimizing the attack surface and strengthening the organization’s overall cybersecurity posture.
Follow these steps to create a custom admin role:
1. Sign in to Google Admin Console using an account with Super Admin privileges.
2. In the left-hand menu, navigate to Account > Admin Roles.
The Google Admin Console interface displays the ‘Admin roles’ option, highlighted for easy identification in Google Workspace.
3. On the Admin Roles page, select the option Create a new role.
The Admin Roles page in Google Admin Console displays available roles and permissions. The ‘Create new role’ option is highlighted, allowing admins to define custom roles in Google Workspace.
4. Create Role wizard shows. In the first step, specify the name of the custom role and its description. Although the description is optional, it is highly recommended, especially if your organization has multiple custom roles—it helps maintain clarity and organization. Click Continue to proceed.
The first step of the "Create Role" wizard in Google Admin Console allows users to name the custom role and provide an optional description for clarity. The "Name" field and "Continue" button are highlighted to guide users through the setup process.
5. In the Select Privileges step, browse the permissions tree and choose the privileges you want to assign to the role. The list is extensive, covering all aspects of Google Workspace services. You can find the full list of permissions in administrator privilege definitions. Click Continue when finished.
This image shows the second step of the Create Role wizard in the Google Admin Console. It features a list of available privileges that can be assigned to a custom admin role, with some options selected. The Continue button is highlighted, indicating the next step in the process.
6. In the final step, review the role configuration, then click Create Role.
This displays the final step of the Create Role wizard in the Google Admin Console. The configured role settings are shown, and the "Create Role" button is highlighted, indicating the last action needed to complete the role creation process.
Once the role is created, it will appear in the Admin Roles list and can be assigned to users. Unlike predefined roles, custom roles can be edited, and any changes will automatically apply to all users assigned to that role.
Tal is the Cofounder & CTO of Reco. Tal has a Ph.D. from the school of Electrical Engineering at Tel Aviv University, where his research focused on deep learning, computer networks, and cybersecurity. Tal is a graduate of the Talpiot Excellence Program, and a former head of a cybersecurity R&D group within the Israeli Prime Minister's Office. In addition to serving as the CTO, Tal is a member of the AI Controls Security Working Group with the Cloud Security Alliance.
Role management plays an important role in shaping an organization's security posture by ensuring that users have the appropriate level of access based on their responsibilities. Properly defined Google Workspace roles, whether pre-built or custom, help enforce the principle of least privilege, reducing the risk of unauthorized access and security breaches. Effective role management also enhances accountability by making it easier to monitor and audit IT administrators' activities.
Conversely, poor role management can introduce significant vulnerabilities, increasing the risk of misuse or exploitation. To ensure roles are assigned correctly, organizations can leverage third-party solutions like Reco's Posture Management tool. You can request a demo to learn more.
