hand over the baton

To bestow a particular responsibility or job to someone. The phrase refers to a relay race in which one runner literally passes a baton to the next runner. I have so much work to do now that my boss has retired and handed over the baton to me. My grandmother is unable to stand long enough to cook such a large meal, so we're making Thanksgiving dinner this year—she has handed over the baton to us. Because Gina is leaving, she is handing over the baton to me, and I'll take on her job as supervisor.