Roles in Opus capture a team member's job title or function — and they're how you tailor training and communication to the right groups. Roles also drive permissions and reporting visibility, so getting them right keeps the right people focused on the right work.
An Admin or Manager adds a Role to a Trainee's profile after they sign up. If you have an HRIS integration in place, the Role is populated automatically for every new team member who signs up.
Once created, your Roles appear under People > Roles.
How to Add a New Role
Go to "People" in the left-hand menu of your dashboard, then select "Roles."
Click the blue "+ New Role" button in the top right.
Enter the Role Name.
(Optional) Select a Department.
(Optional) Assign Direct Reports. Learn how to set up Direct Reports.
Choose the Permissions level for your Role:
Admin: manages Opus overall (full access).
Manager: oversees specific Locations or teams. Managers also get a Manager Level (defaults to Level 1) and a set of granular permission toggles you can fine-tune — including Invite Others, Create Content, Manage Library, Assign Content, View Reporting, and more.
Trainee: completes training and Task Lists, and accesses Resources.
Click "Create Role."
Manager Role Hierarchy
Admins can set up a Manager Role hierarchy to control what each Manager sees in Opus. Here's how it works:
Managers see only the people and activity at their level and below — including assignments, messages, and reporting.
Levels apply only to Manager Roles:
Admins always have full access, above all Manager Roles and levels.
Trainees are always below all Manager Roles and levels.
💡 By default, all Manager Roles sit at the same level — there's no visibility restriction until an Admin creates a hierarchy.
Creating or Editing Manager Roles
When you create a new Manager Role, you'll choose its level — it defaults to Level 1 (the highest level).
How to Edit Your Hierarchy
Go to "People" in the left-hand menu of your dashboard, then select "Roles."
Click "Edit Manager Levels" in the top-right corner.
Drag and drop (or select levels) to arrange your Manager Roles.
Save your changes.
💡 You can edit existing Manager Roles anytime to assign a level in the Role settings. There's no limit to how many levels you can create.
FAQ
What happens if I delete a Role?
Any Trainees assigned to it lose their Role until you assign a new one. Deleting a Role never deletes the Trainees themselves.
What's the difference between an Admin, Manager, and Trainee?
Admins can access and manage everything in the account, including content, users, and settings.
Managers oversee their teams — they can assign training, track progress, and message their team.
Trainees complete training and Task Lists, and access Resources and messages.
What happens if I don't set up a hierarchy?
Nothing changes. All Manager Roles start at the same level by default, so everyone continues to see the same information as before.
Can I change a Manager's level later?
Yes. Admins can edit Manager Roles at any time to adjust their level in the hierarchy.
Is there a limit to how many Roles and levels I can create?
No — create as many Roles and Manager levels as your business needs.
Does the hierarchy affect Admins or Trainees?
No. Admins always have full access, and Trainees are always below all Manager Roles regardless of levels.