This is starting to smell of total incompetence of their part. Whats the point of creating a new role (which hopefully by definition is therefore to achieve an important improvement in the business) and then not be willing to pay the market rate for the job.

I can understand that they might give you freedom to fine tune the role, but they must have some clear idea of why they are creating the role and how it will fit in the matrix/hierarchy. I have never-ever seen a "DIY" role work out unless you are so high up you call the shots over the organisation of a whole functional area.

Re the salary, I wont tell you how I would feel knowing that they were willfully paying me significantly less than the market for the role and didnt even manage to keep it secret from you. Dont underestimate the cost of living here (wherever here is). There are plenty of threads on that if you search.

The "confident" approach is. Hey guys the market salary is X, if you are only prepared to pay ME Y then Im the wrong person (too good) for the job... and hey there are lots of other fish in the sea (they do think you have other irons in the fire dont they?).

Alternatively, if you are prepared to invest a few hours or even a day or two. Tell them you feel for both parties its important to make the role clear upfront so its a success. Invest the time to work on that with your future boss and people who will be your counterparts. Come up with the role. Revert to "confident" approach having built up some goodwill.

If its a no-no to renegotiate, and you still want to go for it, you can always tell them you will expect a significant review to the market median after 6 or 12 months if the role is delivering what they expect. But you need to be prepared to leave if they dont.

Daniel