Job Descriptions

Job Descriptions are broad statements of the purpose, duties and responsibilities of a job or position.  Job Descriptions should be based on a detailed job analysis. A primary output or result of job analysis is a job description.  In fact it must be clear to you by now that the primary focus of job analysis was the description of the job itself, which is called Job Descriptions.  The underlying concern here should be with describing the job as a unit within larger networks of activities, processes, statuses and roles.

Complete Job Descriptions should rightly contain three categories of information: job missions and location; the work performed; and the context in which the action takes place.  While writing Job Descriptions you should be as brief, factual and precise as possible.  It will be helpful to you to follow some guidelines while writing Job Descriptions.  The headings under which Job Descriptions should be written and notes for guidance in completing each section are given below:

Job Title in Job Descriptions:  The existing or proposed job title should indicate as clearly as possible the function in which the job is carried out and the level of the job within that function.  The use of terms such as “manager, “assistant manager” or “senior” to describe job levels should be reasonably consistent between functions with regard to gradings of the job.  However, this does not mean that all posts described, say, as manager, should be in the same grade.  It is quite possible for someone described as a manager inn one function to have less reasonable job than a manager in another function.

Reporting to: The job title of the manager or supervisor to whom the jobholder is directly responsible should be given under this heading in every Job Descriptions.  No attempt should be made to indicate here any functional relationships the jobholder might have to other managers.

Reporting to Him:  The job titles of all the posts directly reporting to the job holder should be given under this heading in Job Descriptions.  Again, no attempt should be made here to indicate any functional relationship that might exist between the hob holder and other staff.

Overall Responsibilities:  This section of every Job Descriptions should describe as concisely as possible the overall purpose of the job.  The aim should be to convey in no more than two or three sentences a broad picture of the job, which will clearly identify it from other jobs and establish the role of the jobholder, and the contribution he should make towards achieving the objectives of the company and his own function or unit.

No attempt should be made to describe the activities carried out under these headings; however, the overall summary should lead naturally to the analysis of activities in the next section.  When preparing the Job Descriptions, it is always better to defer writing down the definition of overall responsibilities until the activities have been analyzed and described.