How to give non Admin users some of the portal admin role?

We have the situation with EP5.0 where we want to provide some of our developers access to some of the portal admin functionality (but not all). For example it would be handy for them to have the PAR Upload facility. However it seems that unless they have the entire portal_admin role they are not considered administrators by the portal and therfore cannot access any admin functionality.

Is the only solution to empty the generic portal_admin role and then create custom roles what contain whatever content we want from the original. Then give everyone the portal_admin role (empty) + whatever other role they require?

Other suggestions would be appriciated.

BRgds,

Simon