Non-Technical Roles in Technical Environments

Career Ambiguity

Non-technical professionals often represent a smaller, less visible group within technical organizations. While career paths for technical staff tend to be well defined, those in internal service roles, like marketing, HR, finance, or administration, may find fewer clear opportunities for growth. This lack of structure and visibility can lead to shorter tenures and frustration around advancement. Yet these roles are essential to a well-functioning organization, and experienced professionals can be hard to replace. Investing in clearer pathways and greater support for non-technical team members isn’t just good for morale. It’s a smart, cost-effective strategy for long-term success.

Missed Opportunities, Lost Value

One of the key challenges is that many technical leaders haven’t had much experience managing non-technical talent. As a result, they may not fully recognize the distinct value that professionals in marketing, business development, or HR bring to the organization. When success is measured primarily through technical metrics, it’s easy for these contributions to be overlooked, leading to underutilized skills, missed opportunities, and a sense of isolation among non-technical team members. To truly support growth across the organization, companies need thoughtful frameworks that reflect the roles and strengths of non-technical professionals—while still fostering a shared sense of purpose and inclusion within the broader culture.

Competitive Advantage

Creating an inclusive environment for non-technical professionals requires intentional effort and organizational commitment. This might include establishing mentorship programs that pair non-technical staff with senior leaders who understand their career aspirations, developing cross-functional teams that highlight the complementary nature of technical and non-technical skills, and creating leadership tracks that recognize business and operational expertise as equally valuable to technical prowess. Companies that successfully integrate and develop their non-technical workforce often find they gain a competitive advantage through enhanced client relationships, more effective internal communications, and stronger organizational infrastructure. The investment in supporting these professionals not only reduces turnover costs but also builds a more resilient and well-rounded organization capable of meeting diverse business challenges.

suggested KPIs for this topic

These KPIs support non-technical professionals working in technical environments — especially proposal and marketing roles. The first three are for the manager leading the role; the second three are for the proposal/marketing professional themselves.

for managers: role clarity, authority & expectations

Define and document whom this person serves (which units, which leaders) and how work is requested.
Clarify authority: what the role can decide alone (e.g., process steps, use of tools, creative direction) vs. what needs approval.
Brief key internal clients on this person’s mandate so they understand the role, respect boundaries, and know how to engage them.

for managers: workload, autonomy & career path

Use written work orders (or equivalent) for all tasks > 1 hour, and support the professional in enforcing this standard.
Review work orders and workload data regularly to prevent overloading and to identify when another hire is justified.
Discuss career path at least annually: possible growth from junior → intermediate → senior, and how the current year’s work contributes.

for managers: integration, engagement & perceived value

Include this person in BD strategy meetings, win-theme sessions, and key client conversations where appropriate.
Monitor their engagement level and vary their work (proposals, marketing, events, content) to keep them challenged.
Use work-order data and internal feedback at year-end to demonstrate their impact on win rate, brand, and BD efficiency.

for professionals: work orders, workload & boundaries

Use a work order (or equivalent) for all assignments requiring more than one hour of your time.
Hold a live conversation for each work order to clarify scope, assumptions, deadlines, and priorities — and ensure your manager signs off.
Maintain a complete archive of work orders and use it to report your achievements and manage future workload decisions.

for professionals: bd/proposal mastery & initiative

Complete core Twennie units (proposal process, win themes, color reviews, pull marketing, pre-RFP BD) and apply them in real pursuits.
Propose and facilitate at least a few best-practice activities annually (e.g., 10 Steps to a Win Theme, Rapid Fire Storyboarding, client feedback sessions).
Gradually expand from “formatting and editing” to contributing strategic insight, ideas, and tools that make proposals and BD more effective.

for professionals: professionalism, presence & contribution to culture

Maintain a consistently professional presence: manage time visibly well, keep boundaries clear, and avoid office drama.
Build allies across the organization by being reliable, clear in communication, and transparent about your workload.
Contribute to culture and community: share learning on Twennie, help create units or prompt sets, and get involved in events or initiatives that energize the team.