A role scorecard is a 1-page document defining exactly what success in the seat looks like. Objective. Measurable. 3-5 outcomes. If you can't write one, you're not ready to hire, and anyone you hire will be set up to fail.
Most job descriptions list responsibilities ("manage the team, drive results, own the pipeline"). Those are activities, not outcomes. Scorecards describe outcomes, what the person will have produced by month 12.
ROLE: [Title]
REPORTS TO: [Manager]
START DATE: [Date]
MISSION (1-2 sentences):
Why this seat exists. What it's for.
OUTCOMES (3-5, specific + measurable):
1. [By when]. [what specifically, with number]
2. [By when]. [what specifically, with number]
3. [By when]. [what specifically, with number]
4. (optional)
5. (optional)
COMPETENCIES (5-8, behavioral):
- [Behavior X the person must exhibit]
- [Behavior Y the person must exhibit]
- ...
CULTURAL FIT (3-5):
- [Our values they must embody]
- ...
DEAL-BREAKERS:
- [Things that would make us pass regardless of skill]"Grow the sales team." (Not measurable. Not time-bound.)
"Within 9 months, grow the team from 3 to 8 quota-carrying reps, maintaining >80% attainment."
"By month 12, the sales team has 8 quota-carriers producing $200K/month in new ARR, with <10% first-year churn."
Notice: measurable, time-bound, tied to business outcome.
Specific behaviors the person needs to demonstrate. Not skills/knowledge (those are trainable), behavioral patterns.
During interviews, you're testing for these, not just for answers to skill questions.
Specific, not vague. "Must love dogs" isn't culture. "Must default to writing" (for a memo-culture company) or "must be comfortable with radical candor" are cultural fit filters.
Upfront honesty about things that would make you pass. Examples:
Saves weeks of mutual time.
The outcomes become your sourcing filter. If the candidate's last role didn't hit similar outcomes, they probably can't hit yours.
Every question maps to an outcome or competency. "Outcome 1 is $200K/month ARR by month 12, walk me through how you'd approach the first 90 days."
Share the scorecard with the finalist. "Here's exactly what success looks like. Any concerns before you sign?" Aligns expectations from day one.
First 1:1 starts with the scorecard. "Does this match what you understood the role to be? Anything missing?"
Scorecard IS the review. "At month 3/6/12, here's how you're tracking against the outcomes we set." Less subjective. Less fighting.
Every reason is actually a benefit.
ROLE: Head of Sales
REPORTS TO: CEO
START: Q2 2026
MISSION: Build the sales org that takes us from $500K to $5M ARR in 18 months.
OUTCOMES:
1. By month 3, hire + onboard 2 AEs with validated pipeline
2. By month 6, team runs at 80%+ quota attainment
3. By month 9. $1.5M ARR closed (from $500K baseline)
4. By month 12, sales org of 6 producing predictable $200K/mo
5. By month 18. $5M ARR, repeatable playbook, 2 managers coaching directly
COMPETENCIES:
- Has built a sales team from <5 to >15 before
- Comfortable running process + pipeline reviews weekly
- Coaches reps directly, joins calls, runs role-plays
- Writes the playbook as the team scales
- Data-literate; uses CRM pipeline data daily
FIT:
- Comfortable with radical candor
- Writing-first communicator
DEAL-BREAKERS:
- Won't relocate to NYC HQ
- Doesn't want to be hands-on in first 90 days