Can I create a User Role that allows users to adminster other users and assign them to only assign a selected number of other roles to other users?

Currently I believe the only way to let staff manager customer membership is to make them Admins, which is not ideal. I would like to give X staff CMS access to create/edit/delete other Users, and assign them any roles EXCEPT certain Admin roles.

Can this be done? or is working with users/roles a top level activity only?

Thanks