But the man himself is not expected to announce his team until he is almost out of the shiny black door of No. 10.
He told colleagues he would determine the direction of his plans before deciding who would get what job. Those interested will have to wait. At this point, Burnham holds all the cards.
But even though he is not yet Labor leader, the formal process of transferring power – the “access talks” – has begun.
As before the general election, the current Prime Minister gave the new team permission to begin negotiations with the civil service about what they wanted to do.
Cabinet Secretary Antonia Romeo, the country’s top official, is leading the process, while Burnham himself led the negotiations.
At his side were his chief of staff (former cabinet minister and old flatmate James Purnell) and Lou Hay, an MP who had been critical of his campaign and served in Starmer’s cabinet.
The focus so far has been on devolution, the appalling state of the country’s accounts and the security threats facing the UK. And next week there will be more negotiations.
As well as all the vital high-level conversations about plans and policies, there are also the key practical aspects of preparing for the big moving day when everything officially changes.
One former employee of No. 10 recalls arriving early in the morning and being “dragged through strange corridors, taken into a room, chosen logins and signed his life.”
How will Burnham’s team choreograph the moment he steps up to the podium to address the country?
Keir Starmer’s team wrestled with whether to bring crowds of supporters to Downing Street to wave and greet his arrival, fearing the “celebrations would seem too tactless”.
But in the end they managed to project an image they hoped would be “strong and patriotic”, in the words of one, with Union Jack umbrellas on hand in case of spills and supporters waving flags.
It would be Burnham’s first official introduction to the country as prime minister, an image that would be seen by millions and a speech that would be quoted again and again.