Field Explanations for Classified Position Descriptions

1. Position Purpose: This is a concise paragraph that describes the overall reason the job exists.  It should identify the most important roles/objectives/functions of the position.

2. Reports to: Should indicate the actual classification or title of the position’s immediate supervisor

3. Supervise: Should indicate the number of actual classification titles this position supervises

4. Budget: Indicate the dollar amount of budget which this position controls, manages or influences

5. Clientele:People and/or organizations directly affected by this position

6. Principal Responsibilities: Describe major activities in which the employee is involved.  These summarize common tasks into broader areas of responsibility. List in the order of most important to least important.

   • If more than eight statements have been identified, or if any one statement reflects five percent or less time, it may indicate that statements need to be combined
   • Under each principle responsibility statement, list the tasks associated with the responsibility

7. Percent of Time: Assign a percentage of time to each principal responsibility.  When assigning time, consider the time spent on each job responsibility during a one year period

8. Essential Functions: Identify which principal responsibilities are essential (critical) to the position.  An essential function does not necessarily involve a significant percentage of time.

9. Priority: Determine the priority with respect to accomplishing the purpose, work-unit objectives and organizational goals.

   • A - Results are essential  and must be accomplished
   • B - Results are important and should be accomplished, but not at the expenses of A
   • C - Results are desirable, but should not be accomplished at the expense of A and/or B

10. Discretion: Determine the discretion associated with each major responsibility.

    • A - Employee investigated situations, makes decisions, takes appropriate action, reports by exception and through normal review process
    • B - Employee investigates situations, makes decisions, takes appropriate action, and reports to supervisor immediately after action id taken
    • C - Employee investigates situation, recommends action to supervisor, makes decisions with supervisor, takes appropriate action, and reports to supervisor immediately after action is taken
    • D - Employee discusses situations with supervisor before investigating, makes decisions with supervisor,  takes appropriate action, and reports to supervisor immediately after action is taken

11. Relationships: Describe contracts, internal and external customers, and stakeholders both within and outside of the agency that the employee has contact with.  Also include reasons for these contracts

12. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA): Describe any relevant knowledge, skills and abilities minimally required to perform the essential job duties.  Also list desirable KSA’s and any required licenses, certificated, etc.

13. Problem Solving: Describe the major types of problems an employee must solve and the process that they use to solve them.  Include examples.

14. Freedom to Act: Describe the employee’s level of independence and authority in carrying out the major job responsibilities. Describe how the employee reports to higher authority as well as external controls that limit the employee’s freedom to act.