A new executive team role can change more than just one area of responsibility. It affects the speed of decision-making, culture, priorities, and the organization’s ability to deliver in a demanding market. Therefore, a template for an executive team requirements profile is not merely an administrative document. It is a strategic decision-making tool that helps the board, the CEO, and HR agree on the type of leadership the business actually needs.
In northern Sweden, this issue is often particularly evident. Growth, industrial investments, skills shortages, and changing expectations from owners and society mean that poor hiring decisions at the management level can have significant consequences. A well-thought-out job profile reduces the risk of the process being guided by gut feelings, historical ideals, or the latest candidate’s resume.
Start with the business, not the candidate's background
A job profile is weak when it primarily describes the kind of person you’d like to hire. It becomes useful when it explains what the role must accomplish. The question, then, is not just what experience the new leader should have, but what business problem the person is expected to solve over the next two to three years.
For a CFO, this might involve establishing better financial governance in preparation for expansion. For a commercial director, the task might be to build a scalable sales model. For a public-sector organization, the focus might be on ensuring the ability to execute, building trust, and securing a sustainable talent pipeline. The same job title can require completely different profiles depending on the organization’s stage of development, ownership structure, and strategic goals.
Before you draft the job description, management and the board should therefore reach a consensus on three questions: What needs to be different in 24 months? What decisions and relationships will be critical to getting there? And what will it cost if the role is filled by someone with the wrong skills?
Template for an Executive Team Requirements Profile
The template below can be used for new hires, succession planning, interim solutions, or when an existing role needs to be redefined. It should not be completed by HR alone. The quality of the document improves when the CEO, the immediate decision-maker, a board representative, and relevant key personnel contribute their perspectives.
1. Purpose of the Assignment and Business Context
Describe why this role exists at this time. Outline the organization’s current situation, the most important strategic changes, and which stakeholders are affected. Be specific: “Establish a leading position in a new market” is clearer than “drive growth.”
Also, clearly define the context. Is the organization entrepreneur-driven, regulated, international, decentralized, or in the midst of a transformation? A leader who performs well in a mature corporate group may not be the right fit for a company where the structure, pace, and business model are still evolving.
2. Mandate, Responsibilities, and Key Interfaces
Specify the role’s scope of authority and which decisions are to be made independently. Management team work is largely about the ability to act beyond one’s own function. Therefore, the job description must outline which internal and external relationships are most critical.
This may involve, for example, collaboration with the board of directors, owners, labor unions, customers, government agencies, the local community, or strategic suppliers. In many businesses in Norrbotten and Västerbotten, regional roots and an understanding of local conditions are a key factor in success, not just a secondary consideration.
3. Results that should be visible after 12–24 months
It should be possible to track progress toward these requirements. Define four to six specific outcomes, preferably using both qualitative and quantitative metrics. These could include improved profitability, shorter lead times, established processes, higher employee engagement, stronger customer relationships, or a successful operational change.
Avoid phrases such as “is a good leader” or “will make a positive contribution.” They say nothing about how the assignment will succeed. A better example is: “Has established a common governance model that gives managers clearer responsibilities, improves the quality of forecasts, and speeds up decision-making.”
4. Experience and Expertise
Divide the requirements into “must-have” requirements and “preferred” experience. The “must-have” requirements should be few, clear, and directly related to the position. If the list becomes too long, you risk screening out candidates with relevant skills but a career path different from what you initially envisioned.
Ask yourselves whether industry experience is truly crucial, or whether experience with a similar business model is more important. In some roles, in-depth industry knowledge is essential. In others, a leader with a proven track record of driving change, commercial acumen, and the ability to build trust can contribute greater momentum for growth.
5. Leadership and Behavior in Practice
Personal traits should not be described as general wish lists. “Communicative,” “driven,” and “unpretentious” can mean different things to different evaluators. Therefore, translate these traits into observable behaviors.
If you’re looking for courage, define what difficult decisions the person should be able to make. If you’re looking for the ability to collaborate, describe how the role should handle conflicting goals between departments. If you’re looking for the ability to navigate change, specify how the leader is expected to provide direction when information is incomplete and the pace is fast.
This is also a matter of sustainable and equitable recruitment. When requirements are assessed based on relevant behaviors and results, rather than similarity to previous incumbents, more qualified candidates are given a fair opportunity to be evaluated.
6. Culture, Values, and Counterforces
Cultural fit should not mean that the candidate has to fit in seamlessly. A leadership team sometimes needs someone who challenges established ways of working. Therefore, describe both the values that are non-negotiable and the constructive counterbalance the organization needs.
Perhaps there is a need for a more business-oriented approach, clearer priorities, or a greater ability to turn strategy into action. If so, that needs to be stated in the job description. Otherwise, there is a risk that you will hire yet another person who reinforces what is already working, but not what needs to change.
7. Assessment Plan and Decision-Making Principles
The requirements profile should guide the entire selection process. Determine in advance how each key requirement will be assessed through interviews, psychological assessments, case studies, reference checks, and background checks. For leadership roles, it is particularly valuable to assess how the candidate has acted in situations similar to the upcoming assignment.
A good process distinguishes between what the candidate says, what the person has accomplished, and what previous colleagues have experienced. Also define which requirements are non-negotiable, who makes the final decision, and how any disagreements should be handled. Transparency at this stage enhances both the quality of the process and the candidate’s experience.
Common Mistakes When Defining Executive Team Roles
The most common mistake is to copy an old job posting or job description. It often describes the previous incumbent’s responsibilities, not the organization’s current needs. Another mistake is to confuse high seniority with the right capabilities. Many years in a similar role are not the same as the ability to lead the specific change you are facing.
There is also a risk in seeking a compromise candidate that everyone can accept. Building consensus is important, but compromises that are too broad make the candidate’s profile unclear and the selection process difficult to evaluate. When the requirements are clearly defined, it becomes easier to both attract the right people and turn down the wrong ones.
When External Consulting Leads to Greater Accuracy
In critical appointments, an external partner can contribute more than just candidate outreach. A qualified advisor can challenge the requirements, build consensus between the board and management, and assess whether the expectations are realistic given the current candidate market. This is particularly valuable when the role is new, when multiple stakeholders have differing views on the assignment, or when the recruitment process needs to be handled discreetly.
Besi uses requirement profiles as an integral part of managerial recruitment and executive search. Through a structured and ethically sound quality-assurance process, it is possible to assess not only competence and leadership ability but also the potential for long-term cultural fit, without losing sight of the business objective.
Would you like to discuss how your requirements profile for an executive team role should be designed? Besi offers confidential consultations for boards of directors, CEOs, and HR directors on critical recruitment and leadership issues.
The best job profile doesn’t provide all the answers right away, but it makes it clear which questions must be answered before you select a leader who will shape the direction of the organization for many years to come.