Job Description Components
A job description contains the following components: job title, job purpose, job duties and responsibilities, required qualifications, preferred qualifications, and working conditions.
Job Title
The Job Title is a brief description (1-4 words) of the job which reflects the content, purpose, and scope of the job and is consistent with other job titles of similar roles within Wright State University (University).
Examples include Archivist, Associate Director of Disability Services, Associate Registrar, Director of Student Health Services, Facilities Planner, Grants Accountant, Budget Analyst, Instructional Designer, Manager Desktop Services, and Manager Custodial Services.
Job Purpose
The Job Purpose provides a high-level overview of the role, level, and scope of responsibility consisting of three or four sentences providing a basic understanding, the “bird’s eye view” of the role. A concise summary of “Why the job exists?”
Job Duties and Responsibilities
This section contains a description of the duties and responsibilities assigned to the job; also referred to as the essential functions. They describe the fundamental nature of the job which occupies a large proportion of the employee’s time. Some items to consider:
- Include explanatory phrases that tell why, how, where, or how often the tasks and duties are performed.
- Focus on the outcome of tasks.
- Reference areas of decision-making, where one will influence or impact.
- Identify areas of direct or indirect accountabilities.
- Describe the level and type of budgetary or financial responsibilities.
- Describe the nature of contact, the people contacted, and the extent to which the incumbent will interact with others within and outside of the University.
- List job duties that reflect the position requirements and ensure they are not based upon the capabilities of any one individual.
If applicable, also address the type of supervisory responsibility that is expected from this role. Detail the extent of the job’s authority to hire, discipline, terminate, assign work, train, and evaluate the performance of subordinates. This can be either a separate job duty or noted in other job duties as appropriate. The following lists various levels of supervision:
- Provide direction to other individuals.
- Supervises, hires, trains, and provides work direction, and problem-solving assistance for student workers. Also oversees the daily operations of other staff.
- Supervises staff, including hiring, scheduling, and assigning work, reviewing performance, and recommending salary increases, promotions, transfers, demotions, or terminations.
- Manages others through subordinate supervisors.
The job duties should be listed following their importance and/or frequency in which they are performed. They are typically presented in a bulleted or numbered format, consisting of approximately 4–7 separate duties, with each one assigned a “percent of the time” (adding to 100%) which reflects the estimated time an employee will spend over a year. Duties that require less than 5 percent of the time should be combined with other duties or removed from the job description.