Position Description should:
- Describe the work to be performed in detail.
- Be specific to the position; identify areas of overlap, if necessary, with other positions.
- Provide an understanding of how the work relates to and contributes to the work of the team, unit, or department.
- Include percentages of time over a year period.
- Identify knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to function in the position successfully.
Position Purpose should provide two to four sentences of why this job exists.
Purpose Examples:
- Establish and maintain open communication channels with various media outlets covering local, national, and international topics of interest. In particular, this individual will work within the research area of Local Burden of Disease (LBD).
- To support the research activities of the Local To support the research activities of the Local Burden of Disease project, we will build a modern, reproducible, data-driven research infrastructure.
Position’s complexities, dimensions, and impact to the University should:
- Describe the decision making, authority, and responsibilities involved in the position.
- Provide the scope of duties.
- Describe the Impact to the University.
Position Responsibilities should:
- Identify major or critical functions/duties regularly performed.
- Include percent of time for each area of responsibility.
- Be descriptive and specific about the work. (Clarify verbs. Some words that need clarification and elaboration: Assist, manage or supervise, coordinate, oversee, monitor, maintain, support, facilitate.)
- Avoid vague phrases.
- Vague: Assist Administrative Assistant in budget management.
- Better: Monitor 30 intramural supply and expense accounts by posting expenditures and reconciling balances against the General Ledger.
A job description should be detailed enough to provide a clear picture to someone who is unfamiliar with the job.