MAKE YOUR FREE Job Description
What we'll cover
What is a Job Description?
When should I use a Job Description?
Use this Job Description:
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when you're advertising a new or existing role
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if you're expanding your workforce or replacing an employee who is moving on
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to clarify the requirements for a new position
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to ensure you are advertising a position in accordance with best practice
Sample Job Description
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JOB SPECIFICATION
Job Summary
Position:
: , paid
Location:
Grade:
Department:
Reference number:
Job Description
Primary Responsibilities:
Employee Benefits
Holiday: days per year
Contact Details
Address:
Phone:
Website:
About Job Descriptions
Learn more about making your Job Description
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How to make a Job Description
Making a Job Description online is simple. Just answer a few questions and Rocket Lawyer will build your document for you. When you have all of the details prepared in advance, making your document is a quick and easy process.
To make your Job Description you will need the following information:
Employer details
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What are the employer’s details (eg legal structure and name)?
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If the employer organisation is a charity, what is its Charity Commission or OSCR registration number?
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What are the employer’s contact details (ie address, website, and phone number)?
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What does the employer organisation do?
Role details
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What is the job title?
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What is the job’s grade (ie level)?
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In which department will the job be based?
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What does the role involve? You should:
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Provide a brief summary, and
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Set out the main tasks and responsibilities involved
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Will the job be full-time or part-time?
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If part-time, how many hours will the employee be expected to work?
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Is the job being offered on a permanent or a fixed-term basis?
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If fixed-term, how long is the initial job term?
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Where will the job primarily be based?
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Will the employee work regular days and hours?
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If so, which days and hours?
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Will you also set out:
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Who the employee will report to?
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Which internal contacts the employee will have and how they will interact with these contacts?
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Which external clients or contractors the employee will deal with and how they will interact with them?
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Entitlements and benefits
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Will the employee be paid an annual salary or an hourly wage?
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In either case, how much will this be?
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How frequently will the employee be paid?
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How many days of holiday will the employee be entitled to each year? Does this include or exclude bank holidays?
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Will the employee also receive:
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A discretionary bonus? If so, what’s the maximum bonus the employee may receive each year?
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A company car?
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Enhanced pension contributions?
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Health insurance?
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Other benefits? If so, which other benefits will they receive?
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Candidate specification
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Which information will you provide about the ideal candidate for this job:
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Essential skills and experiences?
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Desirable skills and experiences?
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Essential qualifications?
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Desirable qualifications?
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Desirable communication skills?
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Desirable IT and computer skills?
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Additional desirable skills and attributes?
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The application and recruitment process
Will you include information about the application and recruitment processes for this job? If so:
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Should candidates apply via email or via an online application system?
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If via email, what are the name and email address of the person to whom applications should be sent?
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If via an online application system, provide a URL for the application page.
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Do candidates need to submit cover letters?
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If so, will you set out what candidates should include in their cover letters?
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Is there a closing date for applications for this role? If so, what is it?
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Will you respond to applications within a specified period of time? If so, what is it?
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Will you provide more information about what’s involved in the recruitment process? For example, whether an interview, pre-employment checks, or written assessments are required.
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Does your organisation have an Equal opportunities policy in place?
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If so, can it be accessed online? What is its URL?
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Is there a reference number for this position?
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Common terms in a Job Description
Job Descriptions are used to set out requirements and entitlements for new roles. To do this, this Job Description template covers:
Job summary
This section provides basic details about the role. This usually includes:-
the job title and grade
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the department the role will be based in
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whether the job will be full-time or part-time
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whether the job will be permanent or for a fixed-term
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the days and hours of work
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where the role will primarily be based
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the salary or wage for the job
Job description
This section provides details of the job role and the key tasks and responsibilities that it entails.Reporting and contacts
If relevant, this section sets out who the employee will report to as well as details about any internal and/or external contacts (eg clients or contractors) the job involves working with.Person specification
This section describes the type of person the employer is looking for for the role. It sets out, for example, the essential and desirable skills, experiences, and qualifications required.Employee benefits
This section sets out the entitlements and benefits that come with the job. For example, annual leave entitlements, enhanced pension entitlements, health insurance, and company cars.Contact details
This section provides the employer’s contact details. These include the employer’s address, telephone number, and website.Recruitment process
If included, this section sets out the stages involved in the recruitment process for this role.How to apply
This section provides information about how candidates can apply for the job and how applications will be dealt with. For example, it will always state that candidates will be treated in line with equal opportunities law. It may also:-
state that a cover letter is required and what this should include
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set out when applications close
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set out within what period of time you will respond to applications
If you want your Job Description to include further or more detailed provisions, you can edit your document. However, if you do this, you may want a lawyer to review or change the Job Description for you, to make sure it complies with all relevant laws and meets your specific needs. Ask a lawyer for assistance.
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Legal tips for making a Job Description
Follow a clear and transparent recruitment process
When hiring a new employee, it is crucial that you follow a clear and transparent recruitment process. This is not only to ensure that the recruitment process is as easy as possible but also ensures that you help prevent any unlawful discrimination from taking place during the recruitment process. For more information on this process, read Recruitment. It is also a good idea to adopt a Recruitment policy so that everyone (and especially those involved in the hiring process) has a clear recruitment process to follow.
Understand what employment documents you need to provide
Whenever someone starts working for you, you need to provide them with certain written information. On their first day of work, all employees and workers must be provided with a written statement of employment particulars. This document sets out the key provisions of the employment relationship. The statement can be contained within the employee’s Employment contract.
Before employing an employee using an employment contract, consider using a Job offer letter to offer a role to an employee.
For more information, read Employment documents.
Consider what other workplace policies you should adopt
As an employer, there are various policies you should consider making and implementing to ensure that you comply with your legal obligations and that you ensure the well-being of your workforce. While there are various employment policies you may wish to adopt, key policies include:
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a Health and safety policy - setting out how you uphold and ensure workplace health and safety obligations
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an Equal opportunities policy - setting out how you comply with your duties relating to ensuring equal opportunities and preventing discrimination under the Equality Act 2010
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an Anti-harassment and bullying policy - outlining how workplace bullying and harassment are prevented
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a Data protection and security policy - detailing your policies and procedures for processing (eg handling) employee personal information and personal data
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a Recruitment policy - outlining the process you follow when recruiting employees
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a Disciplinary procedure - outlining your process for disciplinary action and disciplinary appeals
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a Grievance procedure - detailing how workplace grievances can be raised and how they will be addressed
For more information, read HR policies and procedures.
Understand when to seek advice from a lawyer
Ask a lawyer if:
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you are looking for a company director
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you are searching for a business partner
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you are advertising a position that will be primarily based outside England, Wales and Scotland
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this Job Description doesn’t meet your specific needs
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Job Description FAQs
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What is included in a Job Description?
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Why do I need a Job Description?
Employees and candidates
Preparing comprehensive and accurate Job Descriptions is a crucial part of the recruitment process. Both internal and external candidates will need to understand the requirements of the role. As well as providing relevant details of work responsibilities, a Job Description can help to attract new talent to your organisation, as part of an overall job advertisement.
Employers and managers
Writing a Job Description helps ensure that only the most suitable and qualified candidates apply for a position. This reduces the time spent on filtering applications by management and HR.
A Job Description is also helpful for line managers. This is especially true if they are new or not directly responsible for recruiting the new staff member. In this scenario, a Job Description can help a line manager to pick the right person for a job. It can also help managers to evaluate the performance of an employee and to gauge whether or not they have met expectations.
For more information, read Hiring.
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What information should be included in a Job Description?
There are no specific requirements for Job Descriptions. However, they often include the following:
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the main purpose of the role
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responsibilities of the job holder
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any required skills and qualifications
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days, hours and location of work - and whether there are any flexible working opportunities
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salary and other benefits (eg pension schemes or company cars)
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who the job holder will report to
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details of how to apply for the job
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What should I avoid putting in a Job Description?
Discrimination
To comply with employment law, you must ensure that nothing in a Job Description (or any other job advertisement materials) can be considered discriminatory.
The Equality Act 2010 sets out certain protected characteristics, including age, disability, sex and race. In general, any protected characteristics should not be taken into account in the process of selecting a candidate. Further, a Job Description should not imply that any of these characteristics contribute to the selection criteria, either directly or indirectly.
For example, phrases like 'youthful go-getter' or 'mature experienced' should be avoided when describing an ideal candidate, as they could constitute age discrimination. However, if there is a 'genuine occupational requirement' (eg a young black male actor being required to play the role of a young black male character in a theatre production), this can be included in a Job Description.
For more information, read Equal opportunities and discrimination.
Terminology
Avoid the use of internal terminology and acronyms when preparing a Job Description. Remember that the candidates reading the Job Description will not be familiar with business-specific terms, unless you are recruiting internally.
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Does a Job Description have to reflect the terms of the employment contract?
Many of the terms contained in a Job Description will form the basis of the Employment contract. However, in order to allow room for negotiation, it's a good idea to keep the terms open and flexible. For example, you can include a pay range (rather than a specific salary) and if you have several offices, you can state that the employee may need to work from any of those locations.
If any contract terms differ from those in the Job Description, these need to be clearly pointed out before the contract is signed. You may want to include a clause in the Job Description stating that terms may change.
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