Use the information below as a guide to developing effective orders of succession.

As a minimum, orders of succession must:

1. Establish an order of succession for the position of the organization’s head. There should be a designated official available to serve as acting head of the organization until that official is appointed by the Chief Elected Official or other appropriate authority, replaced by the permanently appointed official, or otherwise relieved.
• Geographical dispersion is encouraged and ensures roles and responsibilities can transfer in all contingencies.
• Where a suitable field structure exists, appropriate personnel located outside of the subject region should be considered in the order of succession.
2. Establish orders of succession for other key organizational leadership positions, including but not limited to administrators, key managers, and other essential personnel.
3. Describe orders of succession by positions or titles, rather than by the names of individuals. Coordinate the development of orders of succession with the organization’s general counsel.
4. Establish the rules and procedures designated officials must follow when facing the issues of succession to office.
5. Include in the succession procedures the conditions under which succession will take place, in accordance with applicable laws and organizational or department directives; the method of notification; and any temporal, geographic, or organizational limitations to the authorities granted by the order of succession.
6. Include orders of succession in essential records to ensure that they are available at all times.
7. Revise orders of succession, as necessary, and distribute the revisions promptly as changes occur.
8. Develop and provide a duties and responsibilities briefing to the designated successors to the position of the organization’s head, when named, and other key positions, on their responsibilities as successors and on any provisions for their relocation.