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Team Charter Template

A team charter template to align a team on purpose, goals, roles, ways of working, and decision-making — the operating manual every team needs.

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What you get

  • A complete charter structure from mission to working agreements
  • Prompts to define roles, decision rights, and communication norms
  • A meeting cadence and ways-of-working section
  • A facilitation flow to build the charter together

Template preview

A preview of the structure. Download the PDF or CSV for the complete, ready-to-use version.

Charter header

Team name
Team lead
Members
Last reviewed

Purpose & goals

Mission— why this team exists in one sentence
Top goals this quarter— 2–4 measurable outcomes
How we measure success— the metrics we own
Who we serve— internal/external stakeholders

Roles & responsibilities

MemberPrimary responsibilitiesBackup / cover

Decision-making rights

Decision typeWho decidesWho is consultedWho is informed
Day-to-day execution
Prioritisation / roadmap
Hiring within the team

Ways of working (agree as a team)

  • Core collaboration hours and timezone expectations
  • Where we communicate and expected response times
  • How we run and prepare for meetings (agenda, no-agenda-no-meeting)
  • How we give and receive feedback

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How to use this template

  1. 1

    Co-create it

    Draft the charter in a working session with the whole team so it reflects shared commitments, not a manager's wishlist.

  2. 2

    Be concrete

    Replace vague aspirations with specific norms — response times, meeting rules, and decision rights.

  3. 3

    Make it visible

    Store the charter where the team works and reference it when onboarding or resolving friction.

  4. 4

    Revisit quarterly

    Review the charter each quarter and after major changes so it stays a living agreement.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a team charter and company values?

Company values describe culture across the whole organisation. A team charter is your team's operating manual — purpose, goals, roles, decision rights, and the specific norms for how this team works day to day.

Who should write the team charter?

The whole team, together. A charter imposed by a manager rarely sticks. Co-creating it in a working session builds the shared commitment that makes the norms real.

How often should we update it?

Review it quarterly and after any major change — new members, a reorg, or a shift in goals. The charter is a living agreement, not a one-time document.