As businesses pivot towards digital services, setting up a tech team becomes a critical step to remain competitive. Whether you’re on a budget or have ample funds, assembling the right team in the correct order ensures a seamless transition to digital operations. This article provides a detailed guide to setting up your tech team, breaking down costs, tools, and the hiring process.
Define Your Goals and Requirements
Before hiring, outline your objectives:
- What aspects of your business need digitalization? (e.g., e-commerce, mobile app, ERP systems)
- What technologies or platforms will you use? (e.g., mobile apps, cloud systems)
- What is your expected timeline?
Order of Hiring: Building Your Team Step-by-Step
Step 1: Start with a Technical Consultant/CTO
- Budget-friendly: Freelance technical consultants (~₦70,000/hour).
- No budget constraint: Full-time CTO (₦4,500,000 – ₦11,250,000/month).
A CTO or consultant will:
- Evaluate your business needs.
- Choose the right tech stack.
- Plan the technical roadmap.
Step 2: Hire a Product Manager/Project Manager
- Budget-friendly: Part-time project manager (₦1,800,000 – ₦3,600,000/month).
- No budget constraint: Full-time product manager (₦5,000,000 – ₦8,500,000/month).
They will:
- Coordinate between business and tech teams.
- Define product features and user stories.
- Track project milestones.
Step 3: Bring in Designers
UI/UX designer:
- Budget-friendly: Freelance designers (₦1,080,000 – ₦2,160,000/project).
- No budget constraint: Full-time designer (₦3,600,000 – ₦5,760,000/month).
They create user-friendly designs for your digital services.
Graphic Designer (optional):
- Useful for branding and marketing materials.
Step 4: Build the Development Team
Frontend Developer:
- Budget-friendly: Junior developer (₦1,080,000 – ₦2,160,000/month).
- No budget constraint: Senior developer (₦5,000,000 – ₥7,200,000/month).
Backend Developer:
- Budget-friendly: Hire freelancers or part-time (₦1,440,000 – ₦2,880,000/month).
- No budget constraint: Full-time backend developer (₥4,320,000 – ₥7,200,000/month).
Mobile App Developer (if needed):
- Budget-friendly: Cross-platform developer using Flutter or React Native (₦1,800,000 – ₦3,600,000/month).
- No budget constraint: Native developers (iOS and Android, ₦5,000,000 – ₥7,200,000/month each).
DevOps Engineer:
- Budget-friendly: Part-time or freelance DevOps engineer (₦2,160,000 – ₦3,600,000/month).
- No budget constraint: Full-time DevOps engineer (₥5,000,000 – ₥8,640,000/month).
Step 5: Quality Assurance (QA) Specialist
- Budget-friendly: Manual tester (₦1,080,000 – ₦2,160,000/month).
- No budget constraint: Automation QA specialist (₥3,600,000 – ₥5,760,000/month).
Essential Tools for the Tech Team
Project Management Tools:
- Budget-friendly: Trello, Asana.
- Advanced options: Jira, Monday.com.
Collaboration tools:
- Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace.
Design tools:
- Figma, Adobe XD, Canva (for graphic design).
Development tools:
- GitHub/GitLab for version control.
- Visual Studio Code, JetBrains IDEs.
- Postman for API testing.
DevOps tools:
- Docker, Kubernetes, AWS, Azure.
- CI/CD tools: Jenkins, CircleCI.
Testing Tools:
- Budget-friendly: Selenium, BrowserStack (manual testing).
- Advanced options: TestRail, Appium (automated testing).
Estimating Costs
Here’s a breakdown of costs based on the roles:
| Role | Budget-Friendly Monthly Cost | No-Budget Monthly Cost |
| CTO/Consultant | ₦1,440,000 – ₦3,600,000 | ₦4,500,000 – ₦11,250,000 |
| Product Manager | ₦1,800,000 – ₦3,600,000 | ₦5,000,000 – ₦8,500,000 |
| UI/UX Designer | ₦1,080,000 – ₦2,160,000 | ₦3,600,000 – ₦5,760,000 |
| Frontend Developer | ₦1,080,000 – ₦2,160,000 | ₦5,000,000 – ₥7,200,000 |
| Backend Developer | ₦1,440,000 – ₦2,880,000 | ₥4,320,000 – ₥7,200,000 |
| Mobile App Developer | ₦1,800,000 – ₦3,600,000 | ₦5,000,000 – ₥7,200,000 |
| DevOps Engineer | ₦2,160,000 – ₦3,600,000 | ₥5,000,000 – ₥8,640,000 |
| QA Specialist | ₦1,080,000 – ₦2,160,000 | ₥3,600,000 – ₥5,760,000 |
Tips for Success
- Start Small: If on a budget, hire freelancers for design and development while keeping a part-time project manager.
- Leverage Open Source: Use open-source tools and frameworks to save costs.
- Upskill Existing Employees: Train current staff to handle basic tech tasks.
- Scale Gradually: Begin with core functionalities and expand the team as the project grows.
- Ensure Communication: Use collaboration tools and hold regular sync meetings to keep everyone aligned.
Setting up a tech team is a strategic investment. Whether you’re bootstrapping or have the luxury of a larger budget, a structured approach ensures your business successfully embraces digital transformation. Start with a clear plan, hire in the right order, and equip your team with the best tools for success.
Author
Ekundayo Adebayo,
Senior Mobile Engineer, Moniepoint.
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