diff --git a/packages/api/src/__tests__/role-support.test.ts b/packages/api/src/__tests__/role-support.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1f2e5a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/api/src/__tests__/role-support.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+import { TRPCError } from "@trpc/server";
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import {
+  appendZeroAllocationCount,
+  assertRoleNameAvailable,
+  buildRoleCreateData,
+  buildRoleListWhere,
+  buildRoleUpdateData,
+  findRoleByIdentifier,
+} from "../router/role-support.js";
+
+describe("role support", () => {
+  it("builds list filters", () => {
+    expect(buildRoleListWhere({
+      isActive: true,
+      search: "FX",
+    })).toEqual({
+      isActive: true,
+      name: { contains: "FX", mode: "insensitive" },
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("resolves a role by case-insensitive name fallback", async () => {
+    const db = {
+      role: {
+        findUnique: vi.fn()
+          .mockResolvedValueOnce(null)
+          .mockResolvedValueOnce(null),
+        findFirst: vi.fn()
+          .mockResolvedValueOnce({ id: "role_fx", name: "FX" }),
+      },
+    } as never;
+
+    const result = await findRoleByIdentifier<{ id: string; name: string }>(
+      db,
+      " fx ",
+      { id: true, name: true },
+    );
+
+    expect(result).toEqual({ id: "role_fx", name: "FX" });
+    expect(db.role.findUnique).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(1, {
+      where: { id: "fx" },
+      select: { id: true, name: true },
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("throws when no identifier match exists", async () => {
+    const db = {
+      role: {
+        findUnique: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(null),
+        findFirst: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(null),
+      },
+    } as never;
+
+    await expect(findRoleByIdentifier(db, "missing", { id: true })).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(TRPCError);
+  });
+
+  it("builds create and sparse update payloads", () => {
+    expect(buildRoleCreateData({
+      name: "FX",
+      description: undefined,
+      color: "#111111",
+    })).toEqual({
+      name: "FX",
+      description: null,
+      color: "#111111",
+    });
+
+    expect(buildRoleUpdateData({
+      description: "Updated",
+      isActive: false,
+    })).toEqual({
+      description: "Updated",
+      isActive: false,
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("appends a zero allocation count on create responses", () => {
+    expect(appendZeroAllocationCount({
+      id: "role_fx",
+      _count: { resourceRoles: 2 },
+    })).toEqual({
+      id: "role_fx",
+      _count: { resourceRoles: 2, allocations: 0 },
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("rejects duplicate role names outside the ignored id", async () => {
+    const db = {
+      role: {
+        findUnique: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ id: "role_existing", name: "FX" }),
+      },
+    } as never;
+
+    await expect(assertRoleNameAvailable(db, "FX")).rejects.toMatchObject({
+      code: "CONFLICT",
+      message: 'Role "FX" already exists',
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/api/src/router/role-support.ts b/packages/api/src/router/role-support.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d27d5df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/api/src/router/role-support.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,152 @@
+import { countPlanningEntries } from "@capakraken/application";
+import type { Prisma, PrismaClient } from "@capakraken/db";
+import { CreateRoleSchema, UpdateRoleSchema } from "@capakraken/shared";
+import { TRPCError } from "@trpc/server";
+import { z } from "zod";
+
+type RolePlanningCountsDb = Pick<PrismaClient, "demandRequirement" | "assignment">;
+type RoleIdentifierDb = Pick<PrismaClient, "role">;
+
+type RoleCountRecord = {
+  id: string;
+  _count: { resourceRoles: number };
+};
+
+type RoleListInput = {
+  isActive?: boolean | undefined;
+  search?: string | undefined;
+};
+
+type CreateRoleInput = z.infer<typeof CreateRoleSchema>;
+type UpdateRoleInput = z.infer<typeof UpdateRoleSchema>;
+
+export function buildRoleListWhere(input: RoleListInput): Prisma.RoleWhereInput {
+  return {
+    ...(input.isActive !== undefined ? { isActive: input.isActive } : {}),
+    ...(input.search
+      ? { name: { contains: input.search, mode: "insensitive" } }
+      : {}),
+  };
+}
+
+export async function loadRolePlanningEntryCounts(
+  db: RolePlanningCountsDb,
+  roleIds: string[],
+) {
+  const { countsByRoleId } = await countPlanningEntries(db, {
+    roleIds,
+  });
+
+  return countsByRoleId;
+}
+
+export async function attachRolePlanningEntryCounts<
+  TRole extends RoleCountRecord,
+>(
+  db: RolePlanningCountsDb,
+  roles: TRole[],
+): Promise<Array<TRole & { _count: { resourceRoles: number; allocations: number } }>> {
+  const countsByRoleId = await loadRolePlanningEntryCounts(
+    db,
+    roles.map((role) => role.id),
+  );
+
+  return roles.map((role) => ({
+    ...role,
+    _count: {
+      ...role._count,
+      allocations: countsByRoleId.get(role.id) ?? 0,
+    },
+  }));
+}
+
+export async function attachSingleRolePlanningEntryCount<
+  TRole extends RoleCountRecord,
+>(
+  db: RolePlanningCountsDb,
+  role: TRole,
+): Promise<TRole & { _count: { resourceRoles: number; allocations: number } }> {
+  return (await attachRolePlanningEntryCounts(db, [role]))[0]!;
+}
+
+export async function findRoleByIdentifier<TRole>(
+  db: RoleIdentifierDb,
+  identifier: string,
+  select: Record<string, unknown>,
+): Promise<TRole> {
+  const normalizedIdentifier = identifier.trim();
+
+  let role = await db.role.findUnique({
+    where: { id: normalizedIdentifier },
+    select,
+  }) as TRole | null;
+  if (!role) {
+    role = await db.role.findUnique({
+      where: { name: normalizedIdentifier },
+      select,
+    }) as TRole | null;
+  }
+  if (!role) {
+    role = await db.role.findFirst({
+      where: { name: { equals: normalizedIdentifier, mode: "insensitive" } },
+      select,
+    }) as TRole | null;
+  }
+  if (!role) {
+    role = await db.role.findFirst({
+      where: { name: { contains: normalizedIdentifier, mode: "insensitive" } },
+      select,
+    }) as TRole | null;
+  }
+  if (!role) {
+    throw new TRPCError({ code: "NOT_FOUND", message: "Role not found" });
+  }
+
+  return role;
+}
+
+export function buildRoleCreateData(
+  input: CreateRoleInput,
+): Prisma.RoleCreateInput {
+  return {
+    name: input.name,
+    description: input.description ?? null,
+    color: input.color ?? null,
+  };
+}
+
+export function buildRoleUpdateData(
+  input: UpdateRoleInput,
+): Prisma.RoleUpdateInput {
+  return {
+    ...(input.name !== undefined ? { name: input.name } : {}),
+    ...(input.description !== undefined ? { description: input.description } : {}),
+    ...(input.color !== undefined ? { color: input.color } : {}),
+    ...(input.isActive !== undefined ? { isActive: input.isActive } : {}),
+  };
+}
+
+export function appendZeroAllocationCount<
+  TRole extends RoleCountRecord,
+>(
+  role: TRole,
+): TRole & { _count: { resourceRoles: number; allocations: number } } {
+  return {
+    ...role,
+    _count: {
+      ...role._count,
+      allocations: 0,
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+export async function assertRoleNameAvailable(
+  db: RoleIdentifierDb,
+  name: string,
+  ignoreId?: string,
+): Promise<void> {
+  const existing = await db.role.findUnique({ where: { name } });
+  if (existing && existing.id !== ignoreId) {
+    throw new TRPCError({ code: "CONFLICT", message: `Role "${name}" already exists` });
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/api/src/router/role.ts b/packages/api/src/router/role.ts
index dd9b3b1..152b64a 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/router/role.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/router/role.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import { countPlanningEntries } from "@capakraken/application";
 import { CreateRoleSchema, PermissionKey, UpdateRoleSchema } from "@capakraken/shared";
 import { TRPCError } from "@trpc/server";
 import { z } from "zod";
@@ -12,52 +11,16 @@ import {
   protectedProcedure,
   requirePermission,
 } from "../trpc.js";
-
-async function loadRolePlanningEntryCounts(
-  db: Pick<import("@capakraken/db").PrismaClient, "demandRequirement" | "assignment">,
-  roleIds: string[],
-) {
-  const { countsByRoleId } = await countPlanningEntries(db, {
-    roleIds,
-  });
-
-  return countsByRoleId;
-}
-
-async function attachPlanningEntryCounts<
-  TRole extends {
-    id: string;
-    _count: { resourceRoles: number };
-  },
->(
-  db: Pick<import("@capakraken/db").PrismaClient, "demandRequirement" | "assignment">,
-  roles: TRole[],
-): Promise<Array<TRole & { _count: { resourceRoles: number; allocations: number } }>> {
-  const countsByRoleId = await loadRolePlanningEntryCounts(
-    db,
-    roles.map((role) => role.id),
-  );
-
-  return roles.map((role) => ({
-    ...role,
-    _count: {
-      ...role._count,
-      allocations: countsByRoleId.get(role.id) ?? 0,
-    },
-  }));
-}
-
-async function attachSinglePlanningEntryCount<
-  TRole extends {
-    id: string;
-    _count: { resourceRoles: number };
-  },
->(
-  db: Pick<import("@capakraken/db").PrismaClient, "demandRequirement" | "assignment">,
-  role: TRole,
-): Promise<TRole & { _count: { resourceRoles: number; allocations: number } }> {
-  return (await attachPlanningEntryCounts(db, [role]))[0]!;
-}
+import {
+  appendZeroAllocationCount,
+  assertRoleNameAvailable,
+  attachRolePlanningEntryCounts,
+  attachSingleRolePlanningEntryCount,
+  buildRoleCreateData,
+  buildRoleListWhere,
+  buildRoleUpdateData,
+  findRoleByIdentifier,
+} from "./role-support.js";
 
 export const roleRouter = createTRPCRouter({
   list: planningReadProcedure
@@ -69,12 +32,7 @@ export const roleRouter = createTRPCRouter({
     )
     .query(async ({ ctx, input }) => {
       const roles = await ctx.db.role.findMany({
-        where: {
-          ...(input.isActive !== undefined ? { isActive: input.isActive } : {}),
-          ...(input.search
-            ? { name: { contains: input.search, mode: "insensitive" as const } }
-            : {}),
-        },
+        where: buildRoleListWhere(input),
         include: {
           _count: {
             select: { resourceRoles: true },
@@ -83,13 +41,12 @@ export const roleRouter = createTRPCRouter({
         orderBy: { name: "asc" },
       });
 
-      return attachPlanningEntryCounts(ctx.db, roles);
+      return attachRolePlanningEntryCounts(ctx.db, roles);
     }),
 
   resolveByIdentifier: protectedProcedure
     .input(z.object({ identifier: z.string().trim().min(1) }))
     .query(async ({ ctx, input }) => {
-      const identifier = input.identifier.trim();
       const select = {
         id: true,
         name: true,
@@ -97,33 +54,12 @@ export const roleRouter = createTRPCRouter({
         isActive: true,
       } as const;
 
-      let role = await ctx.db.role.findUnique({
-        where: { id: identifier },
-        select,
-      });
-      if (!role) {
-        role = await ctx.db.role.findUnique({
-          where: { name: identifier },
-          select,
-        });
-      }
-      if (!role) {
-        role = await ctx.db.role.findFirst({
-          where: { name: { equals: identifier, mode: "insensitive" } },
-          select,
-        });
-      }
-      if (!role) {
-        role = await ctx.db.role.findFirst({
-          where: { name: { contains: identifier, mode: "insensitive" } },
-          select,
-        });
-      }
-      if (!role) {
-        throw new TRPCError({ code: "NOT_FOUND", message: "Role not found" });
-      }
-
-      return role;
+      return findRoleByIdentifier<{
+        id: string;
+        name: string;
+        color: string | null;
+        isActive: boolean;
+      }>(ctx.db, input.identifier, select);
     }),
 
   getByIdentifier: planningReadProcedure
@@ -138,33 +74,15 @@ export const roleRouter = createTRPCRouter({
         _count: { select: { resourceRoles: true } },
       } as const;
 
-      let role = await ctx.db.role.findUnique({
-        where: { id: input.identifier },
-        select,
-      });
-      if (!role) {
-        role = await ctx.db.role.findUnique({
-          where: { name: input.identifier },
-          select,
-        });
-      }
-      if (!role) {
-        role = await ctx.db.role.findFirst({
-          where: { name: { equals: input.identifier, mode: "insensitive" } },
-          select,
-        });
-      }
-      if (!role) {
-        role = await ctx.db.role.findFirst({
-          where: { name: { contains: input.identifier, mode: "insensitive" } },
-          select,
-        });
-      }
-      if (!role) {
-        throw new TRPCError({ code: "NOT_FOUND", message: "Role not found" });
-      }
-
-      return attachSinglePlanningEntryCount(ctx.db, role);
+      const role = await findRoleByIdentifier<{
+        id: string;
+        name: string;
+        description: string | null;
+        color: string | null;
+        isActive: boolean;
+        _count: { resourceRoles: number };
+      }>(ctx.db, input.identifier, select);
+      return attachSingleRolePlanningEntryCount(ctx.db, role);
     }),
 
   getById: planningReadProcedure
@@ -185,24 +103,17 @@ export const roleRouter = createTRPCRouter({
         "Role",
       );
 
-      return attachSinglePlanningEntryCount(ctx.db, role);
+      return attachSingleRolePlanningEntryCount(ctx.db, role);
     }),
 
   create: managerProcedure
     .input(CreateRoleSchema)
     .mutation(async ({ ctx, input }) => {
       requirePermission(ctx, PermissionKey.MANAGE_ROLES);
-      const existing = await ctx.db.role.findUnique({ where: { name: input.name } });
-      if (existing) {
-        throw new TRPCError({ code: "CONFLICT", message: `Role "${input.name}" already exists` });
-      }
+      await assertRoleNameAvailable(ctx.db, input.name);
 
       const role = await ctx.db.role.create({
-        data: {
-          name: input.name,
-          description: input.description ?? null,
-          color: input.color ?? null,
-        },
+        data: buildRoleCreateData(input),
         include: { _count: { select: { resourceRoles: true } } },
       });
 
@@ -217,13 +128,7 @@ export const roleRouter = createTRPCRouter({
 
       emitRoleCreated({ id: role.id, name: role.name });
 
-      return {
-        ...role,
-        _count: {
-          ...role._count,
-          allocations: 0,
-        },
-      };
+      return appendZeroAllocationCount(role);
     }),
 
   update: managerProcedure
@@ -236,20 +141,12 @@ export const roleRouter = createTRPCRouter({
       );
 
       if (input.data.name && input.data.name !== existing.name) {
-        const nameConflict = await ctx.db.role.findUnique({ where: { name: input.data.name } });
-        if (nameConflict) {
-          throw new TRPCError({ code: "CONFLICT", message: `Role "${input.data.name}" already exists` });
-        }
+        await assertRoleNameAvailable(ctx.db, input.data.name, input.id);
       }
 
       const updated = await ctx.db.role.update({
         where: { id: input.id },
-        data: {
-          ...(input.data.name !== undefined ? { name: input.data.name } : {}),
-          ...(input.data.description !== undefined ? { description: input.data.description } : {}),
-          ...(input.data.color !== undefined ? { color: input.data.color } : {}),
-          ...(input.data.isActive !== undefined ? { isActive: input.data.isActive } : {}),
-        },
+        data: buildRoleUpdateData(input.data),
         include: { _count: { select: { resourceRoles: true } } },
       });
 
@@ -264,7 +161,7 @@ export const roleRouter = createTRPCRouter({
 
       emitRoleUpdated({ id: updated.id, name: updated.name });
 
-      return attachSinglePlanningEntryCount(ctx.db, updated);
+      return attachSingleRolePlanningEntryCount(ctx.db, updated);
     }),
 
   delete: managerProcedure
@@ -279,7 +176,7 @@ export const roleRouter = createTRPCRouter({
         "Role",
       );
 
-      const roleWithCounts = await attachSinglePlanningEntryCount(ctx.db, role);
+      const roleWithCounts = await attachSingleRolePlanningEntryCount(ctx.db, role);
 
       if (
         roleWithCounts._count.resourceRoles > 0 ||
@@ -328,6 +225,6 @@ export const roleRouter = createTRPCRouter({
 
       emitRoleUpdated({ id: role.id, isActive: false });
 
-      return attachSinglePlanningEntryCount(ctx.db, role);
+      return attachSingleRolePlanningEntryCount(ctx.db, role);
     }),
 });