Establishing a Position

The Office of Human Resources - Classification Section is responsible for classifying positions for the University of North Florida’s Administrative and Support pay plans. The following steps are required by the department:

1. Secure funding for the position from the appropriate budget authority for your unit.


2. Secure a position number from the University budget office or Sponsored Research (for Contracts and Grants positions).


3. Submit a position description along with an updated organizational chart to the Office of Human Resources – Classification Section.

Completing the Position Description Form

• Please complete the A&P Position Description form for Administrative positions and the USPS Position Description form for Support positions.
• Departments are encouraged to periodically review Position Descriptions to ensure all fields reflect current and accurate information.
• Click here to see an example for proper wording of the Basic Qualifications for A&P Positions.
• Completed/Revised Position Descriptions must be forwarded to Human Resources for approval.

Class Specifications

Administrative - These classifications are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act. Examples include: Coordinator, Assistant Director, Director etc.

Support - These classifications are not exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act. Examples include: most staff positions such as skilled trades, technical, fiscal, service, office, and clerical titles.

Please carefully read and follow instructions to ensure the timely processing of your classification request. Missing or incomplete information impedes the ability of classification staff to complete the review and assessment process and may delay posting of vacant positions or push back effective dates of reclassifications.

General Position Information

• Provide a brief summary of the position’s role/responsibilities.


• Enter the proposed class title.


• Enter the current position number.

Information about All Positions

• Describe the essential functions of the job. These are the duties and responsibilities of the position. Include (if applicable) the methods and tools commonly used. Use action verbs such as coordinate, design, develop, implement and maintain. Assign percentages to each function. (See the section on "How to Write Position Descriptions" for more information.)
• Describe the marginal functions. Marginal functions are those that are optional only to individuals covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act who are unable to perform them with or without reasonable accommodation. (See "Guidelines for Essential versus Marginal Functions" for more information.)
• Explain the type and extent of instructions or directions normally given to the position by the immediate supervisor.
• List the class titles and position numbers of positions under the direct supervision of the position.
• Describe the normal work schedule (list the days and hours).
• List all education, training, or experience required, which must include the minimums listed on the class specification. Additional requirements or preferences may be listed.
• List the types of licenses and/or certificates that the incumbent must hold to perform the duties of the position and any other mandatory requirements.
• List any other characteristics of the position that have not otherwise been described. These would include any physical, mental or environmental factors essential to satisfactory performance of duties listed in the essential functions.

Information about Support Positions Only

• List any major types of machines and/or equipment used on the job and the approximate percentage of working time spent in the operation of each.

Information about Administrative Positions Only

• Any policy making and/or interpretation of policy that will be required.


• Any program direction and development that will be required.


• The level of public contact, internal and external, that will be required.


• Any monetary responsibility (amount and consequence of error) that will be required.


• The level of responsibility for confidential data, the disclosure of which would be prejudicial to the successful operation of the University of North Florida.

Guidelines for Essential versus Marginal Functions

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers to make job-related decisions on the basis of whether a person can perform essential job functions, under reasonably accommodating conditions, in an acceptable manner. Job descriptions must identify which functions are essential, and employers must make employment decisions based upon the essential functions. Other functions, not designated essential, are categorized as marginal and are not to be used as a basis for employment decisions. Both essential and marginal functions must be identified in job descriptions.

An essential function is a duty or responsibility that is fundamental to the job -- a critical or basic component of that job. A marginal function is relatively incidental to the reason for the job's existence. An essential function cannot or should not be assigned elsewhere, but a marginal function, even though it is desirable to include in the job design, could be made part of another job without causing significant problems.

A marginal function is not unessential to the work unit, only to a given job. The function has to be accomplished, but it can be done by another employee or position.

For example, a job requires the operation of a machine. In the job description, "painting the machine twice a month" is stated. However, this is not critical to the execution of the job. "Operating the machine" is the critical role, hence it is listed in the "essential functions". "Painting the machine" is not critical to the performance; hence, it is listed in the "marginal functions". Redistributing the "painting the machine" function would not alter the "Machine Operator's" job description.

Modifying a Position – Reclassifications

Reclassifying a position to a new title may be appropriate when the duties of a position have changed significantly.

The Reclassification Authorization Form, which is initiated by the supervisor and submitted through the appropriate chain of command, should include the following: 1) A revised A&P Position Description for Administrative positions and a revised Support Position Description for Support positions reflecting the newly assigned duties. 2) An updated organizational chart. The Classification Analyst will review and evaluate the changes.

The Classification Analyst will set the effective date with the approval of a classification action.

The effective date of filled reclassifications will be the 1st day of the next pay period after the position classification action has been approved by the Presidential Designee.

The effective date of vacant reclassifications and new positions that need to be posted will be the date that the classification has been approved by the Presidential Designee.

Note: The effective date of a classification action may be a date subsequent to the approval date if requested by the department.

How to Write Position Descriptions

Position descriptions are helpful to job applicants, employees, supervisors and to Human Resource staffers at every stage in the employment relationship. They provide information about the knowledge, training, education, and skills needed for each job. They prevent misunderstanding by informing employees what they need to know to successfully perform their jobs and fulfill the mission of the University.

• Position Descriptions Should Answer Certain Questions


• How to Describe a Job/Position


• Wording of the Position Description


• Commonly Used Action Verbs


• Ambiguous Terms


• Factors that Influence Position Classification




Position Descriptions Should Answer Certain Questions

• What work is assigned to the position?


• How is the work accomplished? (methods, procedures, etc.)


• What are the primary duties?


• How often are the duties performed?


• What percentage of time per week (based on the work week) is spent on these duties? (example: If a 40 hour week then 4 hours a week = 10%, 2 hours a week = 5%.)


• What specific materials, equipment or machines are used in carrying out the job?


• Does the position work with other positions or alone? What type of involvement occurs with other positions?


• What type of supervision is received? Who reviews a completed project for accuracy? How frequent is work reviewed?


• Does the position supervise other positions?


• What type of supervision is given to other positions?


• What are the minimum qualifications a person must have to be able to do the job (education, training, and/or experience)? These must be at least those required by the class specifications.

Quantify whenever possible. Indicate dollar volume for financial responsibility, number of accounts, ledgers, grants, number of faculty in department, number of persons supervised, etc.




How to Describe a Job/Position

• The job itself should be described--not the individual performing the job.


• Position descriptions should be written in a concise, uniform and complete fashion to enable reviewing personnel to understand clearly the duties and responsibilities.


• Position descriptions should be written in plain, straightforward, everyday English. Common terms should be used.





Wording of the Position Description

The position's immediate supervisor should complete the position description in collaboration with the incumbent. The supervisor and management have the right and responsibility to authorize the content of a position description (assign duties and responsibilities).

Do:

• Use short, direct verbs in the present tense.


• Describe specifically and in sufficient detail:


1. What work is completed?


2. What methods are used?


3. What equipment and/or tools are used?


4. Responsibility for the results.


5. Consequence of actions or errors.


6. Instructions or guidelines provided.


7. Supervision exercised and received.


8. Relationship of position with others within the organization.


9. Any other pertinent facts.


• Assign approximate percent of time spent in each outlined responsibility.


• Provide sufficient information on the position description to clearly distinguish the level from the other levels in the series if requesting that a position be classified to a class within a class series.


Don't:

• Copy the verbiage from the class specification.


• Use ambiguous terms, such as "handle," "research," etc., without an explanation as to what this involves.


• Lump several responsibilities together and assign large percentages of time.


• Use abbreviations or technical terms without an explanation.


• Describe personal characteristics. (example: "Deals with the public and must have a pleasing personality at all times.") This can be listed under “Other Characteristics of the Position” if necessary.





Commonly Used Action Verbs



• Administer - Manage or direct the execution of affairs.
• Adopt - Take up and practice as one's own.
• Advise - Recommends a course of action; offer an informed opinion based on specialized knowledge.
• Analyze - Separate into elements and critically examine.
• Anticipate - Foresee and deal with in advance.
• Appraise - Give an expert judgment of worth or merit.
• Approve - Accept as satisfactory; exercise final authority with regard to commitment of resources.
• Arrange - Make preparation for an event; put into proper order.
• Assemble - Collect or gather together in a predetermined order from various sources.
• Assign - Specify or designate tasks or duties to be performed by others.
• Assure - Give confidence; make certain of.
• Authorize - Approve; empower through vested authority.
• Calculate - Make a mathematical computation.
• Collaborate - Work jointly with; cooperate with others.
• Collect - Gather.
• Compile - Put together information, collect from other documents.
• Conduct - Carry on; direct the execution of.
• Confer - Consult with others to compare views.
• Consolidate - Bring together.
• Consult - Seek the advice of others.
• Control - Measure, interpret and evaluate actions for conformance with plans or desired results.
• Correspond - Communicate with.
• Delegate - Commission another to perform tasks or duties that may carry specific degrees of accountability.
• Design - Conceive, create and execute according to plan.
• Determine - Resolve; fix conclusively or authoritatively.
• Develop - Disclose, discover, perfect or unfold a plan or idea.
  • Direct - Guide work operations through the establishment of objectives, policies, regulations, practices, methods and standards.
  • Draft - Prepare papers or documents in preliminary form.
  • Endorse - Support or recommend.
  • Establish - Bring into existence.
  • Estimate - Forecast future requirements.
  • Evaluate - Determine or fix the value of.
  • Execute - Put into effect or carry out.
  • Expedite - Accelerate the process or progress of.
  • Formulate - Develop or devise.
  • Furnish - Provide with what is needed; supply.
  • Implement - Carry out; execute a plan or program.
  • Improve - Make something better.
  • Initiate - Start or introduce.
  • Inspect - Critically examine for suitability.
  • Interpret - Explain something to others.
  • Investigate - Study through close examination and systematic inquiry.
  • Issue - Put forth or to distribute officially.
  • Maintain - Keep in an existing state.
  • Monitor - Watch, observe, or check for a specific purpose.
  • Negotiate - Confer with others in order to reach an agreement.
  • Operate - Perform an activity or series of activities.
  • Participate - To take part in.
  • Perform - Fulfill or carry out.
  • Process - Handle in accordance with prescribed procedures.
  • Provide - Supply what is need; furnish.
  • Recommend - Advise or counsel a course of action; offer or suggest for adoption.
  • Represent - Act in the place of or for.
  • Report - Give an account of; furnish information or data.
  • Research - Inquire into a specific matter from several sources.
  • Review - Examine or reexamine.
  • Revise - Rework in order to correct or improve.
  • Schedule - Plan a timetable.
  • Sign - Formally approve a document.
  • Specify - State precisely in detail or name explicitly.
  • Submit - Yield or present for the discretion or judgment of others.
  • Supervise - Communicates with, trains and evaluates employees, plans and directs their work; and has the authority to hire, transfer, suspend, layoff, recall, promote, discharge, assign, reward or discipline subordinate employees or effectively recommends such actions.
  • Transcribe - Transfers data from one form of record to another or from one method of preparation to another without changing the nature of the data.
  • Verify - Confirm of establish authenticity; substantiate.
  


Ambiguous Terms
Avoid using ambiguous terms such as "assist," "advise," "handle," "inspect," and "research." If it is essential that such terms be used, the degree of assistance, advice, handling, inspecting, or researching should be stated.



Factors That Influence Position Classification

Complexity of Work Performed


1. Difficulty of tasks performed.
2. Variety of tasks performed.
3. Development of work methods.
4. Degree of independence and/or decision-making.

Consequence of Errors


1. Responsibility for safety of others.
2. Financial costs of errors.
3. Necessity for accuracy.

Supervision


1. Amount of supervision received.
2. Classification of immediate supervisor.
3. Number and level of subordinates under direct supervision.

Fiscal Responsibility


1. Budget maintenance and planning.
2. Dollar amount responsible for, complexity of record kept, number of accounts, types and number of contracts and grants.
3. Purchasing authority.
4. Type and dollar amount of purchases made.

Reports and Record Keeping


1. Complexity of records systems used.
2. Design of records systems used.
3. Gathering and compiling report data.
4. Drawing inferences from data.
5. Quantitative reports compiled.

Knowledge and Experience


1. Technical knowledge required.
2. Amount of training required.
3. Education
4. Special Certification

Responsibility for Public Contact


1. Classes or segments of the public, level of public officials dealt with.
2. Subject matter dealt with, simple or complex.
3. Purposes of contact: to give information, negotiate problems, gain support, etc.