Writing Position Descriptions

The following information can be used to draft your position description. This Position Description Template can be used as a working document.  Please think about the following:

• Business need for the position – position descriptions should always be written based on the needs of the school, college, or department, not based on the current incumbent
• Identify and describe specific duties an employee will be required to perform and the levels of responsibility, decision making, and independence the employee will have to perform the duties
• Identify the minimum qualifications for the duties to be performed successfully
• Identify how the position will interact with, and impact, other positions and departments
• Identify if the position has direct reports (hire/fire authority, performance management, etc.). If yes, identify the position numbers of the direct reports and/or the number of direct reports, as well as the type of work the direct reports perform.

• Provide any details you believe may impact Compensation’s evaluation
• When in doubt, always provide more information, not less
• Describe the level of decision-making and independent judgment. This is important to determine if the position is exempt or non-exempt.
• Make your position description gender neutral: Substitute any uses of “he/she” with “the position”
• Keep in mind the goal of the position description is to describe the functions of the position, not the employee who will be fulfilling the functions. Details or descriptors about what type of employee is desired for the position should be reserved for the HR Posting Language.

Purpose of the Position Summary

The summary is for internal use and should focus on the responsibilities of the position. The position summary may begin with: “This position is responsible for…”.  The position summary is often used as a starting point for the HR Posting Language, the external, public-facing version used for posting. The HR Posting Language should address the responsibilities of the position as well as the qualities a successful candidate will be required to have. The HR Posting Language may begin with “We are seeking an individual who will…”. Please note the position description should include the position summary; the HR Posting Language should be reserved for the Talent Recruitment Services team.

Crafting the Position Summary

• The summary should only be a few sentences and should provide a high level overview of the general nature, level, and purpose of the position – it is often helpful if there is a sentence or two regarding the purpose of the department in which the position will be located. More detail will be provided in the essential functions.
• Begin the summary with a function statement – a concise description of why the position exists
• If you use an acronym, be sure to state what the acronym stands for at the first mention of the acronym.

Purpose of the Essential Functions

The essential functions are intended to elaborate on the position summary. The functions describe the major on-going responsibilities and end results the must be achieved. They form the basis for employee and manager performance expectations.

Crafting the Essential Functions

• List up to 6 functions in the order of importance; group similar responsibilities in a single essential function. The percent time allotted to a responsibility is often, but not always, an indication of the importance of the essential function.
• Each essential function should have at least 3-5 descriptive sentences telling “what”, “why”, and “how” in order to illustrate the type of work, responsibilities being performed, and the level of decision making and independence the role has.
• Review the Career Level Guide to determine where you feel the position falls. The language in the guide can serve as a basis for creating your essential functions. (e.g., do not use “manage” if “oversee” is more appropriate to the level of responsibility of the role)
• Be as specific as possible when describing the position responsibilities and lead with action words
• Describe the work so someone unfamiliar with the position can understand what the position is responsible for and how they will perform the duties. Consider what you would explain to a candidate in an interview, or on their first day in the position.
• Estimate the percent of someone’s position an essential function accounts for – essential functions under 5% should not be included and we recommend breaking down essential functions greater than 40% into multiple essential functions

• Identify the minimum qualifications needed to perform the position responsibilities at the time of start; for example, do not specify that a master’s degree is required if it is not essential to perform the function. Refer to the Career Level Guide if you are unsure what may be required.
• Determine if experience may substitute for a degree; this is often the case. A one to one ratio is used to determine the number of years of experience required in place of a degree (e.g., if a position requires a Bachelor’s degree, four years of relevant work experience is considered comparable). As an example, if a role requires a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree and 1-3 years of experience, the minimum qualification of experience in lieu of a degree would be five years for this role.
• Additional requirements, while not necessary, can be included as desired qualifications
• Choose only the skills that apply to the position, regardless of whether the incumbent has more, or less, skills or proficiency
• Choose the level of performance that applies to each skill. Levels should be the minimum level needed to perform the job at the time of start. Consider the position and how it fits in with other positions in your organization.
• Identify the physical requirements of the position so we can determine if a candidate with a declared disability can perform the duties without accommodation or with reasonable accommodation – this is a requirement of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

• The position title should clearly define the role, but avoid position titles so specific they must be changed each time duties change
• Ensure position titles are meaningful to the workgroup and the individual
• Do not include the department in the position title unless it is an aspect of the position itself

• Identify budgeted amount for the position
• If you have a salary range in mind, provide it. While there are many aspects to be considered in a review and your goal may not be achieved, it is helpful to know where you are hoping this will go.