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8/6/2019 Sample Position Description

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Key Components for an Effective Job Description1

Job Purpose: This is a one sentence description of the overall purpose/mission of the job. It

provides the rationale for why the job exists and how it contributes to the agency. If well done, itcan reinforce for employees the critical role the position plays in the organization’s success.

Goals and Objectives: These should be somewhat broad and general, but also indicate whatincumbents should be accomplishing. This section provides key criteria for setting performanceobjectives and may include several bullet points.

Reporting Relationships: Includes the title of the position to which the incumbent reports, andalso includes the titles of jobs reporting to it.

Duties and Responsibilities: Lists the duties and responsibilities of the position written as

simply, yet completely, as possible. Usually, agencies include the caveat that the list of duties isnot meant to be exhaustive, to minimize challenges from employees who resist performingduties that are not listed.

Key Technical Skills and Knowledge: Lists the important technical and professional skills andknowledge required to do the job well. This list may be an important source of information for the selection process and the professional development process.

Key Success Factors: Although somewhat related to Duties and Responsibilities and KeyTechnical Skills and Knowledge, these are the few key factors that relate to success on the job.They are the brief descriptions of the key behaviors and abilities that are critical to achieving the

position’s mission and goals.

Performance Measures: Lists the measures by which the position incumbents are heldaccountable, and are indicators of how well the job is being performed. In very general terms,these are how the goals and objectives of the position can be measured.

Competency Model: Includes the competencies identified for the position that differentiatesuperior performance. (You can incorporate these into the position description once you’vedetermined what these are.)

Job Fit: The factors within the job that certain employees may find particularly satisfying or

dissatisfying. These might include things like heavy volume of paperwork, travel into dangerousneighborhoods, and opportunity to work with all kinds of people.

Career Pathways: The classifications that might be next career opportunities for employees inthis classification.

1Adapted from Zwell, Michael. 2000. Creating a Culture of Competence. New York: John Wiley & Sons,

Inc.

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Sample Position Description Template

Effective Date:

Job Title:

Job Classification:

Salary:

Job Purpose: One-sentence description of the overall purpose/mission of the job; the rationale for why the job exists and how it contributes to the agency.

Goals and Objectives: These should be somewhat broad and general, but also indicate whatincumbents should be accomplishing. This section provides key criteria for setting performanceobjectives and may include several bullet points.

Reporting Relationships: Include the title of the position to which the incumbent reports, and alsothe titles of jobs reporting to it.

Title of position to whom this job reports: These positions report to this job:

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Duties and Responsibilities: List the duties and responsibilities of the position as simply, yetcompletely, as possible.

Key Technical Skills and Knowledge: List the important technical and professional skills andknowledge required to do the job well.

Key Success Factors: List the few key factors that relate to success on the job in the format of brief descriptions of the key behaviors and abilities that are critical to achieving the position’smission and goals.

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Performance Measures: List the measures by which the position incumbents are heldaccountable. These are indicators of how well the job is being performed.

Competency Model: Include the competencies identified for the position that differentiatesuperior performance.

Job Fit: The factors within the job that certain employees may find particularly satisfying or dissatisfying. Examples include heavy volume of paperwork, travel into dangerousneighborhoods, opportunities to work with all kinds of people.

Career Pathways: Identify the classification/s that might be next career opportunities for employees in this classification.

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