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Startup Hiring Plan Template

Map out every hire, salary band, and start date so your headcount matches your strategy, not your inbox.

12-18
Month Planning
10-50
Hires Tracked
Full
Comp Modeling
Q1-Q4
Quarterly Views

What This Template Includes

Use this template to align founders, finance, and hiring managers on exactly who you're hiring, when, and why.

  • +Role pipeline with title, team, level, priority, and hiring manager
  • +Compensation planning including base, bonus, equity, and total cost per hire
  • +Quarterly headcount view so you can see how the team evolves over time
  • +Budget vs. actual tracking to keep hiring aligned with runway and revenue

Perfect For

  • 01Founders planning their first 10-50 hires
  • 02People and talent leaders building an annual headcount plan
  • 03Finance teams syncing hiring with runway and fundraising plans

How to Use the Hiring Plan Template

01

Define Org Priorities

Start with company OKRs and identify which teams and roles move the needle in the next 12-18 months.

02

Add Planned Roles

Enter each planned hire with target start date, location, and reporting line.

03

Model Compensation

Add salary ranges and equity guidelines to see total cost by team and by quarter.

04

Sync With Runway

Connect your hiring plan to your runway calculator and financial model to avoid over-hiring.

Download

Download the Startup Hiring Plan Template

Plan headcount with confidence and show investors that you know exactly how you'll deploy capital.

Download Excel Template

Free forever · No email required · Ideal for Seed-Series B teams

FAQ

Hiring Plan FAQ

Why does every startup need a hiring plan?

Headcount is usually your biggest expense. A clear hiring plan prevents ad-hoc hiring, protects your runway, and helps you communicate priorities to your team and investors.

How far ahead should I plan hiring?

Most startups plan at least 12 months ahead, with more detail in the first 2-3 quarters and rougher assumptions after that. This template supports monthly and quarterly views.

Can I track actual vs. planned hires?

Yes. Use the "Status" and "Actual start date" columns to compare planned vs. actual and adjust your forecast accordingly.

Does this work for remote and hybrid teams?

The template supports multiple locations, currencies, and employment types (full-time, contractor, part-time), so you can adapt it to your team structure.