Succession Planning Template for New Zealand

If your top manager resigns tomorrow, who's managing the place on Monday? That's the question a good plan answers. In simple terms, succession planning is a way to prepare people to take over key positions without panic or lost time. You map the critical roles, train the right backups, and keep operations running when changes occur. When you see the word Succession below, think “continuity without chaos.”

What Succession Planning Means (in One Minute)

A plan isn't a binder that gathers dust. It's a short, living document that names who could step in for each crucial position, what skills they still need, and how you’ll fill those gaps. The goal is simple: when someone leaves, gets promoted, or takes leave, the business keeps running smoothly. A clear process also reassures the team, because people know there is a path forward. Treat Succession like routine maintenance for your leadership, not a one-time project.

Why Succession matters to Kiwi businesses

Leadership changes are normal. Babies are born, careers evolve, health issues arise, and owners retire. Without a plan, you stall projects, overwork the remaining team, and risk disgruntled customers. With a plan, you save time and money, protect morale, and keep service steady. You also show emerging talent that hard work leads to growth, encouraging them to stay. In short, Succession turns surprises into planned handovers.

Here are the most practical gains:

• Business continuity. When change occurs, operations continue with minimal disruption.

• Clarity and fairness. People know the skills and results required to advance.

• Faster onboarding. Backups already practice key tasks before a crisis arises.

• Knowledge capture. You document how work is really done, not just who does it. Good succession creates a single source of truth for “how we run this place.”

The 5-step playbook

You don’t need a consultant to start. Keep it simple and repeatable. Here is an easy, five-step routine that works for small firms and large companies:

1) List the roles that cannot fail

Pick the few jobs that would hurt most if left vacant for 30–90 days. Think: CEO, finance lead, operations manager, plant supervisor, account manager on your biggest client, head of IT, or shift scheduler. For each role, write one sentence on why it matters and the worst thing that happens if it remains unfilled. Label the document “Role Map – Succession” so everyone knows what it’s for.

2) Write the “job at a glance”

For each critical role, write a one-page snapshot:

• Mission (why the job exists)

• Top 5 responsibilities

• Decisions this role owns (and which ones it doesn’t)

• Key metrics (what “good” looks like)

• Required skills, tools, and certifications
  This page is your benchmark for selecting and training backups. Save it in a shared folder named Succession so access is never a blockage.

3) Choose 1–3 backups per role

Look for people with 60–70% of the necessary skills and the right behaviour: reliable, curious, calm under pressure. Don’t pick only the loudest voices. Consider shift leads, senior specialists, and high-potential juniors. Tell them plainly: “You’re a named backup for this job. Here’s what that means and how we’ll train you.” Add their names to your Succession list and review it each quarter.

4) Close the gaps with a mini-development plan

For each backup, write a 90-day plan with clear actions:

• Shadow the role for two weekly blocks

• Run the Monday meeting for the next month

• Present the quarterly numbers with coaching

• Complete a course or certification

• Rotate into a two-week assignment that builds a missing skill
  Keep it realistic. If time is precious, trade tasks so learning time is protected. Treat each plan as a short Succession sprint: small goals, quick feedback, repeat.

5) Test the plan and update it

Conduct a handover drill once each quarter. Let the backup run the job for a day or a week while the current lead observes and provides feedback. After each drill, update the document. Review the entire plan every six months or after any major change. Consistent Succession drills keep surprises minor. A working succession system is tested, not just written.

Roles, skills, and risk levels

Not all roles are equal. Use a simple matrix to set priorities:

• High impact, high rarity. Senior finance, plant manager, key engineer. These need the most attention and at least two prepared backups.

• High impact, common skills. Operations lead, shift scheduler, customer support manager. Cross-train broadly so holiday coverage is easy.

• Lower impact, rare skills. Niche analyst or specialist. Keep a how-to guide and an external freelancer on call.

For each role, evaluate three risks from 1 (low) to 5 (high):

1. Likelihood of vacancy in the next 12 months

2. Time to fill from the outside

3. Business impact if left vacant

Focus first where the total is highest. Use the risk view to prioritise Succession work: red roles now; yellow next; green on watch.

The manager’s checklist

• Write the one-page snapshot for each critical role.

• Name backups and set quarterly learning objectives.

• Run a practice handover each quarter and debrief.

Keep notes in a shared drive or HR system so they don’t vanish when laptops do.

Free templates you can copy

You can paste the structures below into Google Docs or Word. Keep each to one page. Short wins. Each template is designed to fit directly into your Succession routine.

Template 1: Job Snapshot (one page)

Role:
Reports to:
Mission (1 sentence):
Top responsibilities (5 bullets):
Decisions owned / not owned:
Key metrics (3–5):
Required skills & certifications:
Cross-training plan (2–3 bullets):
How to do the big task (link or checklist):

Template 2: Backup Plan (per person)

Role covered:
Primary backup:
Secondary backup:
Readiness today (Green/Yellow/Red):
Skill gaps:
90-day actions:

• Shadowing:

• Practice tasks:

• Course/certification:

• Stretch assignment:
  Next review date:

Template 3: Handover Day Checklist

Before: access granted, files and calendar shared.
During: backup leads stand-up, approves one request, runs one report.
After: debrief, log issues, update documents, schedule next drill.

Real-world examples you can adapt

Example A: Operations lead in a multi-site company
The company runs three locations with staggered shifts. The operations lead keeps schedules tight and resolves bottlenecks. The backup is a senior shift supervisor who already knows the floor. Their 90-day plan includes: learning the weekly staffing model, managing the Tuesday stand-up, closing the month’s inventory cycle with finance, and presenting the on-time-delivery score to leadership. This reflects daily Succession operations.

Example B: Finance controller in a growing firm
Cash flow is crucial. The controller manages payables, collections, and monthly close. Two backups are named: a senior accountant and the FP&A analyst. They rotate monthly: one leads the close checklist; the other prepares the cash forecast and liaises with the bank. Both practice vendor negotiations on low-risk contracts. This routine ensures stability Succession for a critical role.

The people side: communicate clearly, be fair

Tell employees how you choose backups. Use straightforward criteria: performance, potential, values, and availability. Invite people to express interest. Before naming someone, consult their manager and check workloads. Being a backup is a development opportunity, not unpaid overtime. Protect learning time and acknowledge the extra effort in reviews and pay. Publish your Succession guidelines so the process feels fair.

Encourage diverse talent. Rotate projects so different voices get genuine opportunities to lead. Pair backups with mentors who provide honest feedback, not just praise. Hold leaders accountable for coaching, not hoarding tasks. Strong Succession rely on steady, inclusive coaching.

Training that actually sticks

Real learning happens on the job. Mix these methods:

• Shadowing with a purpose. The backup notes decisions, not just tasks.

• Guided practice. They run a real meeting with a coach present.

• Job rotation. Two-week tours show how the system fits together.

• After-action reviews. Short notes on what worked and what to adjust.

Write a brief learning log and file it under succession so progress is visible.

Budget and time: what to expect

You can start with almost no cost: a few hours for managers to write snapshots, one shared folder, and quarterly drills. The main cost is time. To make space, stop low-value meetings and use short checklists instead of long reports. Budget a small monthly block labelled Succession to keep the habit alive.

Succession steps: identify, develop, track

Copy this into a document and fill it in for each critical role:

Role name
Why it matters (1–2 lines)
Who are the backups (primary/secondary)
Readiness today (G/Y/R) and top two gaps
30-90-day actions to close gaps
Next drill date and owner
Where the how-to lives (link)

Keep it to one page. If it needs more, your plan is too complicated.

How to roll this out in 30 days

Week 1: Select roles, write job snapshots, and set a review date.
Week 2: Choose backups, agree on development plans, and schedule training time.
Week 3: Conduct the first small handover test for one role. Fix access issues.
Week 4: Review lessons, adjust plans, and inform the whole team on what happens next.

After that, maintain the routine: one drill every quarter, a full review every six months. Mark each review as Succession in calendars so nobody misses it. Treat weekly check-ins as micro Succession reviews so small issues never accumulate.

Metrics that prove it works

• % of critical roles with named backups

• Time to hand over a role

• Internal fill rate for critical roles

Share the metrics in one slide at monthly leadership meetings.

FAQ

Is this only for big companies?
No. Small teams may benefit the most because one person often wears multiple hats.

What if I don’t have obvious backups?
Break the job into parts. Train two people on different segments, and keep one checklist that joins the pieces together.

Won’t people compete over promotions?
Clarity helps. Specify the skills and results the job requires. Show the path and apply it consistently. Your Succession guidelines should be public and straightforward.

How do I start if time is tight?
Begin with one role, one backup, and one drill. That small loop creates evidence, making the next Succession step easier.

Final word

Change is inevitable. Chaos is optional. With a concise, honest plan and continuous practice, you can manage changes at the top—and in every crucial seat—without drama. Start small, keep it visible, and refine it every quarter. The payoff is a stronger, more stable company that keeps its commitments to clients and employees, no matter who’s absent. Good Succession is simply disciplined preparation.