Human Resource & Organizational Development

Defining the Work Before Defining the Worker

A job description becomes useful only when it reflects the work that actually needs to be done. If a school advertises for a “training coordinator” but has not identified the role’s decisions, tasks, outputs, and required capabilities, applicants may be selected for confidence or general experience rather than for the work itself. Job analysis provides the evidence needed to avoid that problem.

Job analysis is the systematic process of examining a role: why it exists, what the role holder does, what results are expected, and what knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics support good performance. Competency mapping then connects those requirements to observable capabilities. Together, they help educators and HR teams write accurate job descriptions, create fair selection criteria, identify development needs, and align roles with organizational goals. This work builds on earlier attention to organizational purpose and structure by translating broad priorities into clear individual responsibilities.

Learning Objectives

• Distinguish between a role, a task, a responsibility, an output, and a competency.
• Use a practical job-analysis process to identify essential work and performance requirements.
• Convert analysis findings into job-description content and selection criteria.

A useful starting question is: “What must this person do, and what evidence would show that they can do it?” Keep that question in view as you examine each role.

From Role Purpose to Observable Competencies

Role - a defined area of work held by one person or position within an organization. A role is broader than a list of duties. For example, “Learning and Development Coordinator” describes a role that supports the planning, delivery, and review of learning activities.

Role purpose - a short statement explaining why the role exists and the value it provides. A strong purpose statement names the main contribution, not every activity. “To coordinate reliable staff training that meets operational and compliance needs” is more useful than “To help with training.”

Task - a specific activity performed as part of the role. “Schedule a workshop,” “update the attendance register,” and “send evaluation forms” are tasks. Tasks should use clear action verbs and describe work that can be observed.

Responsibility - an area of work for which the role holder is answerable. A responsibility may include several tasks. “Maintain accurate training records” could involve entering attendance, checking completion data, correcting errors, and preparing reports.

Output - the result produced by the work. Outputs make expectations easier to assess. A training coordinator’s outputs might include a published monthly schedule, complete attendance records, and a quarterly evaluation summary.

Competency - the knowledge, skill, ability, behavior, or other characteristic needed to perform work effectively. Competencies should be linked to real tasks. “Communication” is too broad by itself; “writes clear participant instructions and confirms changes with facilitators” is more specific and observable.

Knowledge concerns information a person needs, such as the organization’s learning policy or a data-protection requirement. Skill concerns learned proficiency, such as using a learning-management system or preparing a report. Ability concerns capacity to perform a type of activity, such as organizing several deadlines. Behavior concerns how the work is carried out, such as responding accurately and respectfully to participant questions.

A job analysis normally examines five connected questions:

1. Why does the role exist?

2. What are the main responsibilities?

3. What tasks and outputs belong to each responsibility?

4. Which competencies are needed for those tasks?

5. Which requirements are essential, and which can be developed after appointment?

The fifth question matters particularly when writing selection criteria. A requirement should be included only when it is genuinely connected to performance. If a role requires the coordinator to produce a monthly attendance report, competence with spreadsheets may be essential. Requiring advanced statistical analysis would be excessive unless the role also interprets complex evaluation data.

Several information sources can support the analysis. Interviews with current role holders reveal how work is actually performed. Supervisors clarify priorities, standards, and decision boundaries. Observation is useful when tasks are visible and repeated. Work diaries show how time is distributed, although they may overrepresent unusual busy periods. Existing documents, such as procedures, service standards, training calendars, and performance measures, provide further evidence.

A short structured interview can ask:

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