Define the role before you build the team

Many small teams start with a job title and work backwards. It is usually faster, and clearer, to start with the work itself.

Start from outcomes

Write down what should be different six months from now because this role exists. If you cannot describe the change, the role is not ready yet.

Separate the work from the person

List the tasks the role will actually carry. Group them into three to five responsibilities. A role with ten unrelated responsibilities is usually two roles, or a role that needs a different shape.

Decide how the role fits

• Who does it report to, and who depends on it?
• Which decisions does it own, and which does it only recommend?
• Which existing responsibilities move to it, and from whom?

Check that the workload is real

Estimate the weekly effort for each responsibility. If the total is far below or far above a full workload, adjust the scope before going further.

Put it on one page

A one-page role description is enough: purpose, main responsibilities, decisions owned, key working relationships, and how success will be reviewed. Everything else in HR planning, from structure to policies, becomes easier once this page exists.