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Key Components for an Effective Job Description

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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, it
can reinforce for employees the critical role the position plays in the organizations success.
Goals and Objectives: These should be somewhat broad and general, but also indicate what
incumbents should be accomplishing. This section provides key criteria for setting performance
objectives and may include several bullet points.
Reporting Relationships: Includes the title of the position to which the incumbent reports, and
also 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 is
not meant to be exhaustive, to minimize challenges from employees who resist performing
duties that are not listed.
Key Technical Skills and Knowledge: Lists the important technical and professional skills and
knowledge 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 Key
Technical 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
positions mission and goals.
Performance Measures: Lists the measures by which the position incumbents are held
accountable, 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 differentiate
superior performance. (You can incorporate these into the position description once youve
determined 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 dangerous
neighborhoods, and opportunity to work with all kinds of people.
Career Pathways: The classifications that might be next career opportunities for employees in
this classification.

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Adapted 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 what
incumbents should be accomplishing. This section provides key criteria for setting performance
objectives and may include several bullet points.

Reporting Relationships: Include the title of the position to which the incumbent reports, and also
the 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, yet
completely, as possible.

Key Technical Skills and Knowledge: List the important technical and professional skills and
knowledge 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 positions
mission and goals.


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

Competency Model: Include the competencies identified for the position that differentiate
superior 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 dangerous
neighborhoods, 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.