Nearshore planning guide
A better role brief.
A better starting point.
Describe the work before you describe the candidate. It makes the next conversation much more useful.
A job title is a starting point. Two companies hiring a network engineer may need very different work, tools and schedules. A short, specific brief gives everyone something concrete to evaluate.
1. Define the outcome
Write down the work that needs to be handled and what you want to be different after the person joins. Choose outcomes the role can reasonably influence.
For example: “Support our network team with ticket triage, documented configuration changes and escalation during agreed business hours.” This is more useful than “an excellent engineer who can do everything.”
2. Separate essential skills from preferences
Name the systems, tools and responsibilities the person must handle. Distinguish those from skills the team can teach. Include any necessary credentials only when they relate to the actual work.
3. Specify the working relationship
- Which team and manager will the person work with?
- Which hours must overlap, and in what time zone?
- Which languages are needed for the work?
- What meetings, handoffs and escalation paths are expected?
Confirm actual working hours rather than relying on a location label. Daylight-saving changes can affect the overlap.
4. Plan access and onboarding
Identify who will arrange equipment, accounts, approved access and initial training. The responsible team should define the security requirements and permissions needed for the role.
Plan a useful first week and a 30-day review. Include the information, colleagues and feedback the person needs to work effectively.
5. Agree on the commercial brief
Share expected start timing, headcount and budget context. Confirm engagement scope, rates and responsibilities in the written proposal. Avoid treating a general savings estimate as the cost of your specific role.
A one-page role brief
- Role and the work it will cover
- Expected first-month outcomes
- Essential skills and useful preferences
- Manager, working hours and communication needs
- Access, onboarding and security owner
- Headcount, timing and budget context
You do not need a perfect brief before talking to TCCA. Start with what you know, and use the conversation to clarify the rest.
Based on the role-definition and placement stages described in TCCA’s published outsourcing process.