Every big IT program has a moment when someone says, “We should have started hiring three months ago.” This playbook is designed so that person is not you. 📅
Months 1 to 2: Map the work
- List every phase: discovery, design, build, test, cutover and support
- Estimate the roles and skills each phase needs
- Flag scarce skills early (SAP, ServiceNow, cyber, data and AI usually make the list)
Months 2 to 3: Decide build, buy or borrow
- Build: train internal people
- Buy: permanent hires for long-term ownership
- Borrow: contractors for peaks and specialist phases
Months 3 to 4: Benchmark and budget
Get current salary and day rate data. With rates high and budgets tight, accurate numbers prevent nasty surprises halfway through.
Months 4 to 6: Hire the leaders first
Architects, program leads and product owners shape everything else. Lock them in before scaling the team.
Months 6 to 9: Scale delivery
Bring on developers, analysts and testers in waves. Build warm pipelines so replacements are ready if someone leaves.
Months 9 to 12: Plan the landing
- Knowledge transfer from contractors to permanent staff
- Support and hypercare staffing
- Retention plans for the people you want to keep
Track a few simple measures
Time to fill, roles open versus plan, contractor versus permanent mix, and attrition. If any drift, adjust early.
👉 Our talent planning service turns this playbook into a role-by-role plan for your program. Start a conversation.
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