Getting the Job Description Right When Creating a Position

This is the time of year when educational leaders look ahead to the next school year to determine whose contracts need to be renewed or non-renewed, which personnel need to be reassigned and which positions need to be cut altogether. Often there are needs that need to be met in a school and, for whatever reason, there is no faculty or staff person currently in place to meet those needs. In such a situation, a position may need to be created so someone can be hired to meet those needs.

When creating a position, several steps need to be taken to help ensure the success of the person selected to fill the position. First, a position should be created only if there is a need that needs to be met and if that need cannot be met efficiently by another member of the team. The void created by the lack of the position should be well-documented.

Second, a thorough and detailed job description must be created and the job description must outline several things. The job description should include the job title and should outline a general explanation of the position, basic job functions as well as detailed job functions; it also should delineate clearly where in the chain of command the new position falls. The basic and detailed job functions should match up with the documented, un-met needs of the school or organization.

Perhaps the most important part of creating a new position and a quality job description for that position is this: Create a job description based on needs that must be met and not based on the skill set of a person that needs a job or needs to be reassigned. In other words, a school or organization may very well get itself into trouble by creating a job description to match a person rather than creating a job description for a position that will make the organization better and more efficient. If you're asking the question Can we create a position and job description to match his or her skill set? then you may be setting yourself and the organization up for disappointment.

The Importance of a Job Description

In the world of education, as in the business world, administrators must assess the needs of the organization and make decisions about how best to meet those needs. Many times, administrators with vision meet organizational needs by creating new positions and by hiring new personnel. Perhaps an HR position needs to be created to manage the increasing number of employees, employee needs and future hires. Perhaps an Academic Dean must be hired to vertically align curriculum and begin the process of teaching across the curriculum. There exist countless needs waiting to be met in many schools and districts. Visionary leaders and administrators can meet those needs by creating new positions or by shuffling responsibilities so needs are met by current employees.

As John Maxwell points out in his book The Difference Maker, change must be managed. It is one thing to make a change but, to be effective, leaders and administrators must manage the change they institute. One of the simplest ways to manage the change of creating a new position or of shuffling responsibilities assigned to current positions within an organization is to create detailed job descriptions for new and for redefined positions.

A Venn diagram perfectly illustrates the need for accurate job descriptions for new and altered positions. Let the circle on the left represent a position that has existed in the organization for some time. Let the circle on the right represent a new position created by a visionary leader to meet needs that have arisen within the organization. The area inside the circle on the left and the area inside the circle on the right represent the responsibilities of each position as perceived by the employee holding that position. Without clear job descriptions for each position, the circles overlap and responsibilities are confused. The resulting confusion stems from two (or more) people trying to do the same job or trying to fulfill the same responsibilities. Conversely, responsibilities and tasks can be overlooked or forgotten altogether because each employee believes the other has it covered.

Once job descriptions have been written, they should be given to each employee in the department, within the office, etc. In other words, if a position is created on the administrative team, all members of the team should be provided with the job description for the new position.

Furthermore, written job descriptions can contribute to the long-term stability of the organization. Without written job descriptions for each position in the organization, turnover of personnel and changes in leadership will lead to disorganization, confusion and inefficiency. Whether creating new positions or redefining pre-existing positions, written job descriptions are a must.