---
name: offer-management
description: Generate, route for approval, deliver, and track employment offers. Use when creating offer letters, negotiating compensation, handling counteroffers, managing offer deadlines, tracking acceptance rates, or triggering post-acceptance onboarding workflows. Supports full-time, contract, internship, and executive offers with appropriate templates and approval chains. Triggers on phrases like "extend an offer", "offer letter", "compensation offer", "counteroffer", "negotiate salary", "offer approval", "acceptance tracking", "employment terms".
---

# Offer Management

Create, approve, deliver, and track employment offers through acceptance.

## Workflow

1. Pull candidate details, approved role, and compensation band from the requisition and ATS.
2. Determine offer components: base salary, equity, bonus, signing bonus (if approved), benefits, start date, employment type.
3. Validate offer against comp policy: ensure salary is within band, equity grant aligns with level, total compensation is defensible internally.
4. Draft the offer letter using the appropriate template.
5. Route for approvals: HR → Hiring Manager → Finance (if above midpoint) → Legal (executive roles).
6. Upon approval, deliver offer via e-signature platform with a clear acceptance deadline.
7. Track offer status; send reminder 48h before deadline.
8. Handle negotiations: assess counter-proposals against policy, route exceptions for approval.
9. Upon acceptance: trigger onboarding workflow, notify hiring manager and team, update ATS and HRIS.
10. Upon rejection or expiry: log reason, update candidate record, consider pipeline hold.

## Offer Component Structure

| Component | Full-Time | Contract | Internship | Executive |
|-----------|-----------|----------|-----------|-----------|
| Base salary | ✓ (within band) | ✓ (hourly rate) | ✓ (stipend/hourly) | ✓ (within band + discretion) |
| Equity / Options | ✓ (per level grant) | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ (accelerated vesting possible) |
| Annual bonus | ✓ (% of base) | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ (performance-based, higher %) |
| Signing bonus | Conditional (approved by Finance) | ✗ | ✗ | Common (pre-approved range) |
| Relocation | Conditional | ✗ | Conditional | ✓ (comprehensive package) |
| Benefits | ✓ (full package) | ✓ (prorated or excluded) | ✓ (limited) | ✓ (executive benefits) |
| Start date | Negotiated (target < 4 weeks) | Negotiated | Fixed (program start) | Negotiated (notice period) |
| Employment terms | At-will / permanent | Fixed-term | Fixed-term | Fixed-term + severance |

## Offer Letter Template

```
[Company Letterhead]

EMPLOYMENT OFFER LETTER

Date: [Date]
To: [Candidate Full Name]
    [Address]

Dear [Name],

We are pleased to offer you the position of [Job Title] with [Company].
Below are the terms and conditions of your employment:

POSITION:
  Title: [Job Title]
  Department: [Department]
  Reporting to: [Manager Name, Title]
  Location: [City, State / Remote]
  Start date: [Date]

COMPENSATION:
  Base salary: [$X,XXX] per year, paid [monthly/bi-weekly]
  Annual bonus: Target [X]% of base salary, based on [company/individual] performance
  Equity: [X] [stock options/RSUs] granted under the [Year] Plan,
         vesting over 4 years with a 1-year cliff (25% per year thereafter)

BENEFITS:
  Health, dental, and vision insurance (effective [date])
  401(k) with [X]% company match
  [X] weeks paid time off per year
  [X] paid company holidays
  Parental leave: [X] weeks paid
  Learning & development stipend: $[X]/year

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
  - Successful completion of background check
  - Proof of eligibility to work in [country]
  - Execution of proprietary information and inventions assignment agreement
  - [At-will employment statement — required in most US states]

This offer expires on [Date — typically 7–10 business days from offer date].
To accept, please sign and return this letter via [e-signature link].

We are excited about the possibility of you joining our team.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions.

Sincerely,
[HR Director Name]
[Title]
[Company]

ACCEPTANCE:
I, [Candidate Name], accept the offer of employment under the terms described above.

Signature: ___________________    Date: ____________
```

## Approval Routing

```
Offer ≤ Band Midpoint:
  → HR review → Hiring Manager approval → Send

Offer > Band Midpoint (up to Max):
  → HR review → Hiring Manager → Finance approval → Send

Offer > Band Max (exception):
  → HR review → Hiring Manager → Finance → VP/HOD → CFO → Send
  → Document business justification for exception

Executive offers (Director+):
  → HR review → CHRO → CEO → Board compensation committee (if C-suite) → Send
  → Legal review of employment agreement terms
```

## Negotiation Handling

### Common Counter-Offers and Responses

| Candidate Request | Assessment | Response |
|------------------|------------|----------|
| Base salary + 5–10% | Check vs. band max; if within, approve | "We can adjust to $X, which reflects your [specific qualification]" |
| Base salary > band max | Requires exception approval | "Let me check with leadership — this would require an exception" |
| More equity | Check total comp vs. market | "We can adjust the equity grant by [X] shares" |
| Signing bonus | Check budget; one-time cost | "We can offer a $[X] signing bonus" |
| Remote work request | Check policy; location-based comp impact | "We can accommodate remote work; note that comp is based on [policy]" |
| Extended deadline | Reasonable request | "We can extend the deadline to [new date]" |
| Benefits customization | Limited flexibility | "Our benefits are standardized; here's the full package details" |

### Negotiation Rules

- **Never lowball**: Initial offer should be within 5% of final expected offer — lowballing destroys trust
- **Give before asking**: Present the full offer before asking for commitment
- **Justify exceptions**: If granting above-band salary, cite specific value (unique skill, competing offer, market scarcity)
- **Document everything**: Log all negotiation exchanges in ATS for audit trail
- **Know your walk-away point**: Pre-define the maximum offer before negotiations begin
- **Timing**: Respond to counter-proposals within 24 hours; delays signal disinterest

### Counter-Offer Risk (Candidate Has Current Job)

```
When a candidate receives our offer, they may counter at their current company.

Risk factors:
  - Candidate has been at current role < 2 years (higher loyalty)
  - Current company known for aggressive retention
  - Candidate expressed uncertainty during interviews

Mitigation:
  1. Build rapport throughout process (warm recruiter relationship)
  2. Be decisive — extend offer quickly after decision
  3. Include a personal call from hiring manager after offer delivery
  4. If candidate goes silent for 3+ days: proactive check-in call
  5. Have a backup candidate in late stages (never admit this to primary)
```

## Offer Tracking Dashboard

```
OFFER PIPELINE — Week of Jan 20, 2025
======================================

Active Offers: 6
  ✓ Jane Doe — Senior Designer — Accepted (Jan 18)
  ⏳ Alex Chen — Backend Engineer — Pending (deadline: Jan 25)
  ⏳ Sarah Kim — Data Analyst — Negotiating (requested +8% base)
  ✓ Tom Brown — Sales Rep — Accepted (Jan 19)
  ⏳ Lisa Park — PM — Pending (deadline: Jan 28)
  ✗ Mike Johnson — DevOps — Declined (accepted competitor offer)

Metrics:
  Offer-to-accept rate: 82% (9/11 this quarter)
  Average time to acceptance: 5.2 days
  Average negotiation delta: +3.1% of base
  Counter-offer loss rate: 12% (1/8 who had current jobs)
  Top decline reason: Better offer elsewhere (40%), timing (30%), comp (20%), other (10%)
```

## Post-Acceptance Actions

Trigger immediately upon signed offer receipt:

```
  1. Update ATS status to "Accepted"
  2. Notify hiring manager: "Great news — [Name] accepted!"
  3. Send welcome email to candidate with pre-boarding info
  4. Trigger onboarding workflow (equipment, access, buddy assignment)
  5. Announce to team (hiring manager drafts, HR approves)
  6. Create HRIS record with start date
  7. Schedule pre-boarding check-in calls
  8. If other candidates in pipeline: send holding messages or close requisition
```

## Edge Cases

- **Multiple offers** (candidate applying to multiple roles internally): Coordinate to avoid conflict; assign to best-fit role
- **Rehire offers**: Simplified process — use prior compensation as baseline, adjust for market changes and time away
- **Global hires**: Account for local employment laws, EOR requirements, currency, tax implications
- **Contingent offers** (background check, reference check, proof of eligibility): Clearly state contingencies; define timeline for completion
- **Verbal offers**: Never make a verbal offer without written follow-up within 24 hours; verbal offers create legal exposure