SFOS Human Resources
Friday, June 26, 2009 Position Description Guidelines for SFOS
Note: For PDs for term funded positions the PCN will always start with a 9XXXXX not a 2XXXXX. All full time, benefitted personnel positions at the SFOS must be approved and reviewed by SFOS administration (initially by HR coordinator KC Love or, secondly, by Greg Simpson, Admin. Manager) and must be reviewed and approved by Dean Denis A. Wiesenburg).
Creating a new, or updating an older PD to a new grade level, is a process that should involve three documents and be a collaborative project between hiring supervisor, unit PPA and SFOS HR coordinator (or administrative manager or dean if a new position).
First, there is a distinction between a position description (PD) update and a reward for performance of personnel; updating a PD is done when a position's duties have changed; if a person who is currently in a PCN has illustrated a sustained outstanding performance, or you are seeking a method to financially advance professional or career growth within a position, than an in grade step movement (see note 1 below) is the appropriate method.
For updating a PD.- Locate old PD in UAKJOBS; you need the last approved version that HR actually approved. Make a PDF, or copy and paste into MS Word; either way you want a copy of the last approved version; put in a file.
- "Save as" a new copy of the PD; this will be the working or draft file for creating update.
If you are creating a new position, then it might be best to try to get a copy of a similar or same PD (position or system title and grade) from HR consultant or PPA, or work with them to obtain copy from another dept.
HR will not send PDs to departments.
- Obtain Job Family Classification (JBC); see http://www.alaska.edu/classification/job-families-completed/ for copies of current JBCs.
When submitting a PD for approval (either for new position or for update) it is a proposal in which you are seeking a planned result (most often an approval of a new grade); it is a description of the duties but that is the secondary aspect of the action.
A PD action should consist of three documents:
- a revised PD (or PD final first draft if new position).
- a memo, which adds details of position's level of expertise, levels of interaction within and without university system, and explanations of complexity of position's processes or duties (especially important for IT or research positions where specialized descriptors or phrases may be ambiguous or abstract or theoretical to HR PD committee reviewers (who are not discipline specialists)). The memo would further explain or specify justification in UAKJOBS.
- Current org. chart, illustrating position's placement within the organization (and thus org.
charts need updating on a regular basis).
The PD should contain general duties of the position and specifics explaining how those duties are executed or performed within the laboratory, field, office or administrative area, work area, etc. The PD is not simply word for word use of JBC; the JBC is a guideline, not a template for copy and pasting into a PD. Use phrases and keywords from the appropriate level of the appropriate JBC and then add additional specifics that illustrate the application of the JBC phrases to the specific position.
Example: General duty (based on guidelines): Resolves technical design, software, hardware, file formatting, and output issues. Specifics: This includes upgrading or modifying software, tracking usage and modifying capacity capabilities, documenting changes or related actions, evaluating and testing related software and hardware, and consulting with peers and clients.
Note: PDs are normally reviewed once a week, on Friday. However, it is first come, first served and thus if a PD is sent to HR for review on Wednesday or later, it will likely not be reviewed by the HR review committee until the next week.
Note: UAF HR review committee is composed of UAF HR personnel; they confer, make a ruling, and correspond with SFOS HR personnel soon after (currently in the form of a phone call or email correspondence, but currently no written comments or score sheet are sent to the departments).
Note 1. INGR – In Grade Step Movement A step increase within a grade for a regular exempt or non-exempt employee that is an exceptional occurrence; includes factors such as internal equity/alignment, sustained outstanding performance, and professional or career growth within a position. Refer to University Regulation R04.05.043.B.2. at http://www.alaska.edu/bor/policy/04-05.doc for the appropriate approval requirements.
