How to Write a VA Job Brief (Template + Examples)

A clear brief gets better replies faster. You don't need a 10-page SOP — five sections are enough.

VA job brief template

1. Company context (2–3 sentences)

What you do, who your customers are, and your timezone.

2. Primary tasks (bulleted)

List the top 3–5 recurring tasks with estimated weekly hours.

Example:

• Inbox triage (Gmail) — 5 hrs/week
• Calendar scheduling — 2 hrs/week
• Weekly KPI spreadsheet — 1 hr/week

3. Tools & access

List software they'll use on day one: Notion, Slack, HubSpot, Zendesk, etc.

4. Hours, budget, and start date

• Hours: e.g. 15 hrs/week, Mon–Fri overlap with US Eastern
• Budget: e.g. $18–25/hr (profiles on Orca show rates upfront)
• Start: e.g. within 2 weeks

5. Success criteria for week one

One concrete deliverable: "Inbox at zero daily by 5pm ET" or "CRM deduped and documented."

What to skip in the first message

Don't dump every process doc upfront. Send the brief, answer questions, then share Looms and SOPs after you pick a finalist.

Where to send it on Orca

1. [Browse the directory](/virtual-assistants) or use [Scout Concierge](/scout-concierge).
2. Message 2–3 VAs with this brief.
3. Run a $30 trial on the best responder before a weekly retainer.

Skill-specific guides: [Executive assistant](/hire-executive-assistant) · [Customer support VA](/hire-customer-support-va) · [Bookkeeper](/hire-bookkeeper)