diff --git a/pkg/resource/role/hooks.go b/pkg/resource/role/hooks.go
index c749c21..5b5bcc7 100644
--- a/pkg/resource/role/hooks.go
+++ b/pkg/resource/role/hooks.go
@@ -31,6 +31,25 @@ import (
 	commonutil "github.com/aws-controllers-k8s/iam-controller/pkg/util"
 )
 
+func (rm *resourceManager) attachPolicies(ctx context.Context, r *resource) (err error) {
+	rlog := ackrtlog.FromContext(ctx)
+	exit := rlog.Trace("rm.attachPolicies")
+	defer func() { exit(err) }()
+	for _, p := range r.ko.Spec.Policies {
+		err := rm.addManagedPolicy(ctx, r, p)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	for n, p := range r.ko.Spec.InlinePolicies {
+		err := rm.addInlinePolicy(ctx, r, n, p)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // putRolePermissionsBoundary calls the IAM API to set a given role
 // permission boundary.
 func (rm *resourceManager) putRolePermissionsBoundary(
diff --git a/pkg/resource/role/sdk.go b/pkg/resource/role/sdk.go
index c2ac7c9..2a338d3 100644
--- a/pkg/resource/role/sdk.go
+++ b/pkg/resource/role/sdk.go
@@ -324,6 +324,10 @@ func (rm *resourceManager) sdkCreate(
 			ko.Spec.AssumeRolePolicyDocument = &doc
 		}
 	}
+	err = rm.attachPolicies(ctx, &resource{ko})
+	if err != nil {
+		return &resource{ko}, err
+	}
 	ackcondition.SetSynced(&resource{ko}, corev1.ConditionFalse, nil, nil)
 
 	return &resource{ko}, nil
diff --git a/templates/hooks/role/sdk_create_post_set_output.go.tpl b/templates/hooks/role/sdk_create_post_set_output.go.tpl
index 08610d1..ac85411 100644
--- a/templates/hooks/role/sdk_create_post_set_output.go.tpl
+++ b/templates/hooks/role/sdk_create_post_set_output.go.tpl
@@ -5,4 +5,8 @@
             ko.Spec.AssumeRolePolicyDocument = &doc
         }
     }
+	err = rm.attachPolicies(ctx, &resource{ko})
+	if err != nil {
+		return &resource{ko}, err
+	}
     ackcondition.SetSynced(&resource{ko}, corev1.ConditionFalse, nil, nil)