Delegation template
Delegation Brief Template
Published 3 August 2026 · Last reviewed 22 August 2026 · By Kayley Hart
What this template is for
Use this one-page brief before handing work to someone else. It records the result, authority, guardrails and review point so the owner can act without chasing a private chat for decisions.
Use this template your way
Copy it into your own workspace, print it, save it as a PDF from your browser, or download a DOCX file to edit offline.
How to use this template
- Draft the brief with the person who will own the work, not after you have already sent the task.
- Write an observable outcome and name the decisions they may make without returning to you.
- Agree the first review point and only change the brief in the shared document, not in scattered messages.
Reusable document
Working template
Replace the bracketed prompts with facts about your own team. Keep the completed version in the shared place where the relevant people can use it.
1. Outcome and definition of done
Describe the finished result and the evidence that shows it is complete; avoid a list of activity or software clicks.
Outcome: [the result to achieve] Done looks like: [evidence, quality standard and recipient]
2. Why this matters and who it serves
Give enough context for sensible trade-offs: the customer, business risk and reason this work matters now.
Context: [customer or business need] Priority: [why this matters this week]
3. Owner and decision rights
Name one accountable owner and state the decisions they can make independently, including the limit of that authority.
Owner: [name] May decide without approval: [specific decisions and limits]
4. Guardrails and non-negotiables
List the rules that protect customers, cash, compliance or reputation. If something must never happen, say so here.
Must follow: [policy, tone, system or spending rules] Must not: [prohibited action]
5. Deadline, evidence and review point
Set the next useful checkpoint rather than an arbitrary status meeting. Name the evidence you will review together.
First delivery / deadline: [date] Evidence to share: [link, report or completed work] Review point: [date and escalation route]
Illustrative only
Filled example
This example shows the level of specificity to aim for. Replace it with your own names, limits, dates and evidence rather than copying the facts.
1. Outcome and definition of done
Outcome: Resolve standard customer refund requests within two working days. Done looks like: The customer has a written decision, the payment is logged in the refunds sheet and exceptions are tagged for review.
2. Why this matters and who it serves
Context: Delayed refunds create repeat customer emails and take founder time. Priority: Keep customer promises consistent while protecting the monthly refund budget.
3. Owner and decision rights
Owner: Sam Patel, operations coordinator. May decide without approval: Approve refunds up to £75 where the order meets the published returns policy.
4. Guardrails and non-negotiables
Must follow: Use the published returns policy and record every refund in the finance sheet. Must not: Promise a refund outside policy or use a personal payment method.
5. Deadline, evidence and review point
First delivery / deadline: Start Monday 8 September. Evidence to share: Weekly refunds log and any exceptions above £75. Review point: Fifteen-minute review each Friday; escalate policy exceptions in the #ops channel.
Before you share it
Before sharing, ask the owner to explain back the outcome, their authority limit and the first reason they would escalate. If they cannot, the brief is not yet clear enough.