---
name: team-composition-analysis
description: "Design optimal team structures, hiring plans, compensation strategies, and equity allocation for early-stage startups from pre-seed through Series A."
risk: unknown
source: community
date_added: '2026-02-27'
---

# Team Composition Analysis

Design optimal team structures, hiring plans, compensation strategies, and equity allocation for early-stage startups from pre-seed through Series A.

## Use this skill when

- Working on team composition analysis tasks or workflows
- Needing guidance, best practices, or checklists for team composition analysis

## Do not use this skill when

- The task is unrelated to team composition analysis
- You need a different domain or tool outside this scope

## Instructions

- Clarify goals, constraints, and required inputs.
- Apply relevant best practices and validate outcomes.
- Provide actionable steps and verification.
- If detailed examples are required, open `resources/implementation-playbook.md`.

## Overview

Build the right team at the right time with appropriate compensation and equity. Plan role-by-role hiring aligned with revenue milestones, budget constraints, and market benchmarks.

## Team Structure by Stage

### Pre-Seed (0-$500K ARR)

**Team Size: 2-5 people**

**Core Roles:**
- Founders (2-3): Product, engineering, business
- First engineer (if needed)
- Contract roles: Design, marketing

**Focus:** Build and validate product-market fit

### Seed ($500K-$2M ARR)

**Team Size: 5-15 people**

**Key Hires:**
- Engineering lead + 2-3 engineers
- First sales/business development
- Product manager
- Marketing/growth lead

**Focus:** Scale product and prove repeatable sales

### Series A ($2M-$10M ARR)

**Team Size: 15-50 people**

**Department Build-Out:**
- Engineering (40%): 6-20 people
- Sales & Marketing (30%): 5-15 people
- Customer Success (10%): 2-5 people
- G&A (10%): 2-5 people
- Product (10%): 2-5 people

**Focus:** Scale revenue and build repeatable processes

## Role-by-Role Planning

### Engineering Team

**Pre-Seed:**
- Founders write code
- 0-1 contract developers

**Seed:**
- Engineering Lead (first $150K-$180K)
- 2-3 Full-Stack Engineers ($120K-$150K)
- 1 Frontend or Backend Specialist ($130K-$160K)

**Series A:**
- VP Engineering ($180K-$250K + equity)
- 2-3 Senior Engineers ($150K-$180K)
- 3-5 Mid-Level Engineers ($120K-$150K)
- 1-2 Junior Engineers ($90K-$120K)
- 1 DevOps/Infrastructure ($140K-$170K)

### Sales & Marketing

**Pre-Seed:**
- Founders do sales
- Contract marketing help

**Seed:**
- First Sales Hire / Head of Sales ($120K-$150K + commission)
- Marketing/Growth Lead ($100K-$140K)
- SDR or BDR (if B2B) ($50K-$70K + commission)

**Series A:**
- VP Sales ($150K-$200K + commission + equity)
- 3-5 Account Executives ($80K-$120K + commission)
- 2-3 SDRs/BDRs ($50K-$70K + commission)
- Marketing Manager ($90K-$130K)
- Content/Demand Gen ($70K-$100K)

### Product Team

**Pre-Seed:**
- Founder as product lead

**Seed:**
- First Product Manager ($120K-$150K)
- Contract designer

**Series A:**
- Head of Product ($150K-$180K)
- 1-2 Product Managers ($120K-$150K)
- Product Designer ($100K-$140K)
- UX Researcher (optional) ($90K-$130K)

### Customer Success

**Pre-Seed:**
- Founders handle support

**Seed:**
- First CS hire (optional) ($60K-$90K)

**Series A:**
- CS Manager ($100K-$130K)
- 2-4 CS Representatives ($60K-$90K)
- Support Engineer (technical) ($80K-$120K)

### G&A (General & Administrative)

**Pre-Seed:**
- Contractors (accounting, legal)

**Seed:**
- Operations/Office Manager ($70K-$100K)
- Contract CFO

**Series A:**
- CFO or Finance Lead ($150K-$200K)
- Recruiter ($80K-$120K)
- Office Manager / EA ($60K-$90K)

## Compensation Strategy

### Base Salary Benchmarks (US, 2024)

**Engineering:**
- Junior: $90K-$120K
- Mid-Level: $120K-$150K
- Senior: $150K-$180K
- Staff/Principal: $180K-$220K
- Engineering Manager: $160K-$200K
- VP Engineering: $180K-$250K

**Sales:**
- SDR/BDR: $50K-$70K base + $50K-$70K commission
- Account Executive: $80K-$120K base + $80K-$120K commission
- Sales Manager: $120K-$160K base + $80K-$120K commission
- VP Sales: $150K-$200K base + $150K-$200K commission

**Product:**
- Product Manager: $120K-$150K
- Senior PM: $150K-$180K
- Head of Product: $150K-$180K
- VP Product: $180K-$220K

**Marketing:**
- Marketing Manager: $90K-$130K
- Content/Demand Gen: $70K-$100K
- Head of Marketing: $130K-$170K
- VP Marketing: $150K-$200K

**Customer Success:**
- CS Representative: $60K-$90K
- CS Manager: $100K-$130K
- VP Customer Success: $140K-$180K

### Total Compensation Formula

```
Total Comp = Base Salary × 1.30 (benefits & taxes) + Equity Value
```

**Fully-Loaded Cost:**
- Base salary
- Payroll taxes (7.65% FICA)
- Benefits (health insurance, 401k): $10K-$15K per employee
- Other (workspace, equipment, software): $5K-$10K per employee

**Rule of Thumb:** Multiply base salary by 1.3-1.4 for fully-loaded cost

### Geographic Adjustments

**San Francisco / New York:** +20-30% above benchmarks
**Seattle / Boston / Los Angeles:** +10-20%
**Austin / Denver / Chicago:** +0-10%
**Remote / Other US Cities:** -10-20%
**International:** Varies widely by country

## Equity Allocation

### Equity by Role and Stage

**Founders:**
- First founder: 40-60%
- Second founder: 20-40%
- Third founder: 10-20%
- Vesting: 4 years with 1-year cliff

**Early Employees (Pre-Seed):**
- First engineer: 0.5-2.0%
- First 5 employees: 0.25-1.0% each

**Seed Stage Hires:**
- VP/Head level: 0.5-1.5%
- Senior IC: 0.1-0.5%
- Mid-level: 0.05-0.25%
- Junior: 0.01-0.1%

**Series A Hires:**
- C-level (CTO, CFO): 1.0-3.0%
- VP level: 0.3-1.0%
- Director level: 0.1-0.5%
- Senior IC: 0.05-0.2%
- Mid-level: 0.01-0.1%
- Junior: 0.005-0.05%

### Equity Pool Sizing

**Option Pool by Round:**
- Pre-Seed: 10-15% reserved
- Seed: 10-15% top-up
- Series A: 10-15% top-up
- Series B+: 5-10% per round

**Pre-Funding Dilution:**
Investors often require option pool creation before investment, diluting founders.

**Example:**
```
Pre-money: $10M
Investors want 15% option pool post-money

Calculation:
Post-money: $15M ($10M + $5M investment)
Option pool: $2.25M (15% × $15M)
Founders diluted by pool creation before new money
```

## Organizational Design

### Reporting Structure

**Pre-Seed:**
```
Founders (flat structure)
├── Contractors
└── First hires (report to founders)
```

**Seed:**
```
CEO
├── Engineering Lead (2-4 engineers)
├── Sales/Growth Lead (1-2 reps)
├── Product Manager
└── Operations
```

**Series A:**
```
CEO
├── CTO / VP Engineering (6-20 people)
│   ├── Engineering Manager(s)
│   └── Individual Contributors
├── VP Sales (5-15 people)
│   ├── Sales Manager
│   ├── Account Executives
│   └── SDRs
├── Head of Product (2-5 people)
│   ├── Product Managers
│   └── Designers
├── Head of Customer Success (2-5 people)
└── CFO / Finance Lead (2-5 people)
    ├── Recruiter
    └── Operations
```

### Span of Control

**Manager Ratios:**
- First-line managers: 4-8 direct reports
- Directors: 3-5 direct reports (managers)
- VPs: 3-5 direct reports (directors)
- CEO: 5-8 direct reports (executive team)

## Full-Time vs. Contract

### Use Full-Time for:
- Core product development
- Sales (revenue-generating roles)
- Mission-critical operations
- Institutional knowledge roles

### Use Contractors for:
- Specialized short-term needs (legal, accounting)
- Variable workload (design, marketing campaigns)
- Skills outside core competency
- Testing role before FTE hire
- Geographic expansion before permanent presence

### Cost Comparison

**Full-Time:**
- Lower hourly cost
- Benefits and overhead
- Long-term commitment
- Cultural fit matters

**Contract:**
- Higher hourly rate ($75-$200/hour vs. $40-$100/hour FTE equivalent)
- No benefits or overhead
- Flexible engagement
- Easier to scale up/down

## Hiring Velocity

### Realistic Timeline

**Role Opening to Hire:**
- Junior: 6-8 weeks
- Mid-Level: 8-12 weeks
- Senior: 12-16 weeks
- Executive: 16-24 weeks

**Time to Productivity:**
- Junior: 4-6 months
- Mid-Level: 2-4 months
- Senior: 1-3 months
- Executive: 3-6 months

### Planning Buffer

Always add 2-3 months buffer to hiring plans.

**Example:**
If need engineer by July 1:
- Start recruiting: April 1 (12 weeks)
- Productivity: September 1 (2 months ramp)

## Budget Planning

### Compensation as % of Revenue

**Early Stage (Seed):**
- Total comp: 120-150% of revenue (burning cash to grow)
- Engineering: 50-60%
- Sales: 30-40%
- Other: 20-30%

**Growth Stage (Series A):**
- Total comp: 70-100% of revenue
- Engineering: 35-45%
- Sales: 25-35%
- Other: 20-30%

### Headcount Budget Formula

```
Total Comp Budget = Σ (Role Count × Fully-Loaded Cost × % of Year)

Example:
3 Engineers × $202K × 100% = $606K
2 AEs × $230K × 75% (mid-year start) = $345K
1 PM × $162K × 100% = $162K
Total: $1.1M
```

## Additional Resources

### Reference Files
- **`references/compensation-benchmarks.md`** - Detailed salary data by role, level, and location
- **`references/equity-calculator.md`** - Equity sizing formulas and dilution scenarios

### Example Files
- **`examples/seed-stage-hiring-plan.md`** - Complete hiring plan for seed-stage SaaS company
- **`examples/org-chart-evolution.md`** - Organizational design from 5 to 50 people

## Quick Start

To plan team composition:

1. **Identify stage** - Pre-seed, seed, or Series A
2. **Define roles** - What functions are needed now
3. **Prioritize hires** - Critical path for business goals
4. **Set compensation** - Base salary + equity by level
5. **Plan timeline** - Account for recruiting and ramp time
6. **Calculate budget** - Fully-loaded cost × headcount
7. **Design org chart** - Reporting structure and span of control
8. **Allocate equity** - Fair allocation that preserves pool

For detailed compensation benchmarks and hiring plan templates, see `references/` and `examples/`.
