Succession planning is an ongoing discipline built into how a marketing function operates year-round. It protects institutional knowledge, preserves continuity of strategy and prepares the team for planned or unplanned leadership transitions. This checklist keeps the focus on clarity, documentation, delegation, team readiness and communication across the year.

Annual Tasks – Strategic Readiness

These activities keep the department’s accumulated expertise, bench depth and transition plans current and actionable.

1. Succession Plan Review & Update

• Review and revise the formal succession plan for the CMO and other senior marketing leaders.
• Confirm interim leadership assignments and alternates for all critical functions (e.g., communications, digital, BD support).
• Update the documentation of role responsibilities and decision rights to reflect any changes.
• Save the revised plan in Shared Drive > Strategic Planning > Succession.

2. Organizational Layering & Leadership Pipeline Strength

• Assess internal preparedness of potential successors and candidates across the team.
• Identify skill gaps and develop targeted training plans.
• Coordinate with HR for development planning and leadership training workshops.

3. Stakeholder Mapping & Communication Structures

• Confirm key internal and external stakeholder lists (practice leaders, BD leads, key clients, major vendors).
• Document alternate points of contact if leadership changes abruptly.
• File in CRM & Key Contacts Folder.

4. Risk & Continuity Scenario Exercise

• Conduct one tabletop or scenario walk-through (“what if the CMO departs tomorrow?”).
• Confirm the interim outward communications plan.
• Debrief and revise the plan based on results.

5. Technology, Logins & System Access Audit

• Validate ownership and permissions for key marketing platforms (CMS, CRM, analytics, social tools, vendor portals).
• Archive credentials and log administrative rights via a secure enterprise tool (e.g., LastPass).

Monthly / Periodic Tasks – Maintain Readiness

These do not need to run on a rigid monthly schedule. Align them to checkpoints and recurring responsibilities.

1. Quarterly Check-Ins

• Review succession status with the CMO’s executive sponsor (COO/Managing Partner).
• Confirm that role documentation and coverage assignments are current.
• Refresh crisis contact lists and interim delegation agreements.

2. Vendor & Partner Continuity

• Confirm that PR agencies, digital firms, and content suppliers have secondary internal contacts on file.
• Verify escalation owners for key deliverables when the primary point of contact is unavailable.

3. Communications & Media Continuity

• Keep spokesperson briefing decks and templates current in the PR Folder.
• Refresh messaging frameworks for rapid external announcements when needed.

Weekly Tasks – Execution & Stability

These activities maintain the plan and the team’s working knowledge.

1. Decision Log & Documentation

• Capture major decisions with rationale in a running log (date, context, outcomes).
• Store in a shared, searchable directory tagged for transitions.

2. Shared Drive Hygiene

• Confirm critical resources are saved in team-accessible locations rather than personal drives.
• Check that succession and point-of-contact docs reflect accurate information.

3. Team Cross-Training / Shadowing

• Confirm at least one team member is cross-trained on each high-priority role.
• Rotate shadowing assignments for key recurring tasks (news announcements, reporting, agency meetings).

4. Upcoming Deadlines & Ownership

• Review the weekly calendar for deliverables and identify designated alternates.
• Update the accountability tracker, with particular attention to repeating activities managed by the CMO.

Daily Tasks – Operational Continuity

These are the daily habits that reduce risk and preserve institutional memory.

1. Shared Documentation Standards

• Save all work in shared drives or enterprise tools.
• Apply consistent naming conventions to support quick retrieval.

2. Contact & Notes Updates

• Update CRM notes after calls, especially with agency partners or external vendors.
• Verify that designated backups are recorded for each key stakeholder.

3. Flag Risk & Knowledge Gaps

• Note any bottlenecks or areas where critical knowledge is concentrated in one individual.
• Create a plan to document or cross-train that area promptly.

4. Calendar Clarity & Delegation Lines

• Confirm your calendar reflects task owners and their alternates.
• Include designated stand-ins in recurring meetings.