# Create an admin role

> Go to Admin → Roles and permissions → Roles, select Create role, name it, tick its permissions and select Create role. Nobody has it until you assign it.

- Product: Company admin › Roles and permissions
- Who can do this: Super admins, Admins with the manage roles permissions

- Where: Admin dashboard
- Last checked: 15 Oct 2026
- Web page: https://www.vantagecircle.com/en/help/company-admin/roles-and-permissions/create-an-admin-role/

A role is a named set of permissions for one job, such as "Awards coordinator". You create the role once, then [give it to the people who do that job](/en/help/company-admin/roles-and-permissions/give-someone-admin-access/).

1. Go to **Admin → Roles and permissions** and open the **Roles** tab.
2. Select **Create role**.
3. Enter a **Role name** of up to 45 characters. It must be different from your other roles' names.
4. Add a **Description** if you like, up to 500 characters. It helps other admins pick the right role.
5. Tick the permissions the role should have. They're grouped into **Administration**, **Recognition and rewards** and **Wellness**. **Select all** ticks a whole group. Pick at least one.
6. Check **Role summary** on the right. It lists what employees with this role can do. Then select **Create role**.

![Create role with Awards coordinator as the name, three Recognition and rewards permissions ticked and the role summary on the right](https://cdn.vantagecircle.com/image/upload/q_auto,f_auto/v1792133357/vantagecircle/help-centre/en/company-admin/roles-and-permissions/create-role-form-4d9c992a138030de.png)

The role is ready to assign straight away. What each permission allows is in [Admin access and permissions](/en/help/company-admin/roles-and-permissions/admin-access-and-permissions/).

If saving fails with "If the name or description contains emoji or non-Latin characters, remove them and try again", do that and save again.

## Edit a role

On the **Roles** tab, open the actions menu in the role's row and choose **Edit**. Changes apply to everyone who has the role, so check the **Assigned employees** column first. Select **Save changes** when you're done.

- **"This role includes Pulse access and cannot be edited here"**: the role has Pulse permissions this page can't show, and saving would remove them. Contact support to change this role.
- **"This role includes a permission that cannot be managed on this page."**: you can still edit the role. The permission you can't see is kept when you save.

## Deactivate a role

There's no way to delete a role. You deactivate it instead.

1. Remove the role from everyone who has it first. On the **Employees** tab, use **Change roles** for each person.
2. On the **Roles** tab, open the actions menu in the role's row and choose **Deactivate**.
3. Check how many employees the dialog says have the role, then select **Deactivate role**.

Do step 1 first. Deactivating stops new assignments, but people who already have the role keep its access. They'll also be blocked in **Change roles** with "Inactive role still grants access". Then the only way to fix it is **Remove all admin roles** for that person, followed by assigning the roles they should keep.

You can't reactivate a role from the dashboard. Contact support if you need one back.

## Finding a role

The **Roles** tab shows active roles only. Search by name or description, or filter **Assignment status** by **Assigned** or **Not assigned**. If two roles share a name, the **Assigned employees** column shows "Count unavailable because role names are not unique".