Office of Human Resources
POSITION DESCRIPTION
These guidelines are
provided to assist supervisors and other senior staff when reviewing or
developing Position Descriptions.
The Position Description
(previously called Duty Statement) is a concise outline of the nature and
expected outcomes of the job. It
will also include the precise knowledge and skills required to undertake the
role. A Position Description is not
a detailed record of every task and duty.
Knowledge and skills sought
should include only those required to undertake the role and participate in the
workplace.
Refer to
General Staff
Collective Workplace Agreement – DWM Classification Descriptors for a guide
on classification levels. Human
Resources is responsible for classifying positions in accordance with the
current Agreement.
If a reclassification is
sought the Reclassification
Application policy and procedure should be followed.
t
·
The present tense should be used
(the attached definition of frequently used terms will assist).
·
Only the main, significant key
duties/responsibilities should be recorded. A detailed description of routine
tasks is not required nor will they add to the classification value of the
position.
·
The most significant
responsibilities should be listed in order of importance. A percentage of time
and frequency is not required.
·
Work undertaken by subordinate
staff should not be recorded.
·
Short term/temporary special
duties should not be listed. Peripheral
or infrequent activities should not be included.
·
Adding the words “other tasks as
required “ is acceptable and supports flexibility.
Position title:
A position title cannot be
changed without the approval of the Director of Human Resources.
Titles should commence with
the generic term, followed by more specific information such as function or
location, eg “Manager (generic term) Employee Relations” (function) or
“Administrative Assistant (generic) Education
(location)”
Establishment number:
The Establishment number
(EN) is the University reference number for the position.
It is important for payroll purposes and is provided by Human Resources.
The level refers to the
salary band at which the position is classified. Human Resources is responsible for classifying positions in
accordance with the current General Staff Collective Workplace Agreement.
Location:
The location is the
Division in which the position sits and the School/Area within this Division
Organisational
Relationships:
This part should stipulate
to whom the position is accountable and which positions directly report to this
one.
Primary role of the
position:
A succinct sentence which
highlights the overall role of the position or the reason the position exists.
For example: “The Manager Employee Relations is responsible for the provision
of industrial relations advice to management and staff and to ensure University
compliance with legislative requirements.”
Selection Criteria:
The Selection Criteria are extremely
important as the competencies/ skills/ qualifications/attributes listed are
used to shortlist applications for jobs and to assess applicants during the
interview process. They should also
link with the key outcomes, responsibilities and duties required to undertake
the position.
Only applicants who clearly
meet the essential criteria will be included when deciding who should be
interviewed.
The Selection Criteria
portion of the Position Description should accurately identify the minimum competency
level required in the position. The essential criteria should reflect what is essential
to fulfil the requirements of the position, and are used to eliminate
any applicants who do not meet these minimal, essential requirements.
The remainder of the
selection criteria should be limited in number. Usually five are sufficient for
desirable criteria.
To ensure the selection
criteria meet University standards the following is suggested:
·
state only those attributes that
are really required to perform the job
·
do not overstate the
qualifications/training required (for example requiring a tertiary qualification
if Year 10/11 secondary school English would be sufficient)
·
when a tertiary qualification is
required include the wording “or relevant employment experience” unless the
qualification is specifically required, for example “Degree in library
studies”
·
avoid criteria which will result
in applicants having to repeat information when applying for the job and will
also make it difficult for
interview panels to develop
specific questions
·
do not specify previous experience
if it can be easily learnt on the job and may detract good applicants from
applying (for example previous experience in a University may not be essential)
·
do not define the level of
experience required by using a number of years. This may restrict competent applicants from applying and can
be discriminatory. The alternative
is to specify the degree of experience, if required: for example,
“demonstrated experience in using a payroll system”
·
do not use discriminatory language
such as age, gender, marital status
·
clearly and carefully specify any
special skills required to do the job. For example it may be more appropriate to require
“demonstrated ability to interpret legislation” than “knowledge of the
Workplace Relations Act”.
Note
that all positions which involve management or supervisory
responsibilities must include the following words (or similar)
|
“Knowledge
and understanding of Equal Employment Opportunity legislation. |
|
|
|
“Knowledge
and understanding of Occupational Safety and Health legislation and
regulations specific to the area of work” |
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Division of Administration
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