United Group

Role Profile

Work book for Jobholders

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section Page

I INTRODUCTION 1

II ROLE PROFILE CONTENT 2

III CHECKLIST 12

Appendices

A - Action Verbs

B - Role Profile Format

 I

INTRODUCTION

This Workbook contains guidance notes which describes the way in

which information about jobs is to be set out in the form of Roles Profiles.
It is designed to help jobholders prepare the role profile for their job. The
format consists of a number of specific sections so that enough
information is collected, but in a concise and consistent way. The
Workbook provides space for a rough drafting of each section as you
work through the guidance notes.

The sequence in which the sections are sets out in the final Role Profile is
designed to help others/evaluators understand the job quickly and easily.
However, job-holders often find that it is simpler to set down some of the
text sections before tackling the key summary of the job. This Workbook
is arranged to help job-holders develop a good quality Role Profile
Format, but using exactly the same sections.

You will need to prepare a final draft on the Role Profile form provided
with this Workbook. The intention is for final document to be 2, or at
most 3 pages long and the same format will be used for all jobs in the
Group.

Each job-holder will prepare their own Role Profile using the Workbook.
The information, and format, of the individual sections is given and space
is provided for you to draft your own Role Profile. Do so it in draft to start
with, leave it for a day, and then go over it again to make sure you are
satisfied that you have included all relevant information, but not
prepared a lengthy essay. Keep to functional comment and avoid making
any value judgements. Finally, check the wording before setting it down
as the final Role Profile.
 II

ROLE PROFILE CONTENT

1. Contextual Information

These sections of the Role profile are intended for specific

comments which add significantly to the framework of your job as
outlined in the Purpose and Principal Accountability statements,
which you will be asked to write later. They are designed to provide
the others/evaluators with information about how your job is
carried out, the depth and the extent of experience needed, the
particular areas in which success is expected and the other jobs
(internal/external) with which you have to deal.

i) Context/Environment

Describe the context in which your job operates, such as role

of the department/section, the way in which that relates to
other areas (internally/externally) and the way your job fits
into that overall pattern. Include information which will help
others understand the background and scope of your job,
such as the nature product dealt with, the type of markets
and their customers, the advisory nature of your role etc.
Also, briefly explain the roles of any subordinates you may
have. This section provides the background to set the scene
for the job.

ii) Knowledge, Skills and Experience

 Describe the work experience and expertise which are
necessary to carry out your job competently and effectively. A
good starting point is to describe the person specification for
a new incumbent which would be used if the job were to be
advertised. Although in some jobs, specific qualifications are
relevant, the best information describes the depth and extent
of experience required, with some indication as to why that is
so.

i) Context/Environment

ii) Knowledge, Skills/Experience

 3

iii) Key Success Factors

Highlight the key areas where success will significantly

contribute to the overall achievement of your job. Indicate
the sort of performance or results expected. One approach is
to list 3 or 4 parameters by which successful performance
will be judged. You should be able to refer the factors used in
performance appraisal process.

iv) Working Relationships

Describe the most important internal/external relationships

needed for your job to function effectively. Do not produce a
long list where, for instance, contact is only for information
exchange. Give some indication of the nature of the contacts
 and their purpose, eg. Whether they be negotiating,
establishing customer contact, extracting information,
advising people etc.

v) Additional Information

Use this section to provide any essential information which

does not fit easily under any of the other headings. For
instance it may be that there are particular circumstances
applicable to the job of a temporary or project nature.

4
iii) Key Success Factor

iv) Working Relationship

 v) Additional Information

5
2. DIMENSIONS

Use this section to identify in a quantitative way the significant

areas on which your job has a impact. It may include pertinent
statistics in 3 broad areas:

STAFF - numbers reporting to your job directly and

indirectly indicating, where appropriate a
functional breakdown.

FINANCIAL - identify annual budget, operating costs, project

costs, annual income, revenue, sales, turnover.
Make clear whether the figures relate to budget,
forecasts or actual.

OTHER - record information which will help to understand

the environment surrounding your job, e.g.
 number of suppliers/projects, interviews,
operating companies, etc.

In all cases, look to highlight dimensions which are relevant to your

job. Avoid including too much, or too detailed information
especially of a technical or specialist nature. Usually, 3 or 4 items
are sufficient. List headings and quantities, any explanation needed
should go in other sections. Most jobs will only have quantitative
information in one, or maybe 2 of the above 3 sections so do not be
concerned if you can only think of items under one heading.
Examples
Nos. of: products, markets, suppliers, projects, cases,
invoices, orders, phone calls, reports, staff,
customers

Cost/Value of: sales, contribution, purchases, project

___________________________________________________________
DIMENSIONS

3. Principal Accountabilities

Jobs are about achieving results and the principal accountabilities

are statements of the continuing end results required of a job. They
should identify what the job achieves and why, not how it is done.
Most jobs can be broken down into around six to eight main areas
where results are required and therefore most jobs should have
around six to eight Principal Accountabilities.
Key characteristics of Principal Accountabilities are:

 They represent the key outputs of the job and contribute to the
job purpose

 They are "timeless", if the accountabilities change significantly

the job has probably changed

 They suggest means by which their achievement can be

measured or tested and are therefore explicit and realistic

 They relate clearly to the job being described, and are therefore
under the control of the job-holder

Accountability statements are written in a particular way to help focus

this distinction between action and result. They should be written as
instruction (e.g. "achieve", "organise" etc) and should indicate in what
way the achievement could be measured. The format is:

ACTION VERB OBJECT END RESULT

(What is done) ( What) (For what

reason, the
expected outcome or
standard)

A list of Action Verbs is given in Appendix A.

Typical examples are:

Buyer
 Obtain quotations for which
are competitive,
goods/services meet the given
specification and are
submitted on time

Administration Officer

Maintain stationery stocks in accordance with

standard office
procedure and stock
levels

Management Accountant

Prepare and timely and accurate to

enable sound and
provide financial information well-
informed business
decisions to be
made

These examples are broken down to component parts for illustration

purposes only. The financial statements written into the profile document
should be in the form of a normal sentence.

A useful approach to writing accountabilities is to follow the sequence

1) Identify the major areas in which results are to be achieved, the

Main Results Areas of accountability.

2) Decide what it is the job is expected to do, and to what, for each of
these areas.

3) Define why this is the end result expected for each areas of
accountability.
 8

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

Main Result Area or What is done to that Why, What Output

Area of Standards or Results
Accountability is Expected
 9
4. Purpose Statement

This is a clear and brief statement of why your job exists and what
contribution it is expected to make. It should summarise the overall
role of your job from the organisation's point of view. Use only a
single sentence of no more than three or four lines.

For a Clerk/typist the Purpose Statement might read:

Provide a reliable and efficient typing and administrative

service to the department

For a Financial Accountant:

Provide accurate and timely accounting information and

advice so that management can make financially sound
business decisions

Avoid general statements which could apply to several jobs and do

not go into detail about the way in which your job is performed.
The purpose statement should answer questions such as:

 What is the distinctive contribution of your job?

 What does your job do that the others do not?
 What part of the organisation's purpose is accomplished by your
job?

5. Titles

These should be clear, but make sure they check with other
descriptions through your manager. Use job titles, not people's
names.
 10
PURPOSE STATEMENT

JOB TITLE:
DATE:

REPORTS TO:

FUNCTION:

LOCATION:
 11
III

CHECK LIST

The comments below provide a brief check list on what should be

included in each of the sections of the Role Profile.

 Titles
- Accurate, complete and consistent with rest of description and
others.

 Purpose
- Single sentence
- Unique achievement of job, not how done or processes
- Applies to this job, not business, boss or subordinates

 Dimensions
- Accurate definition of quantities
- Annualised
- Relevant

 Organisation Chart
- Accurate, complete and consistent

 Principal Accountabilities
- Not too many or too few (4 - 8)
- Identifies outputs,areas for which job is "accountable", not process
by which achieved
- Written in VERB-OBJECT-END RESULT format
- Under job-holders control ; fair measures of performance are
indicated
- Not too broad and vague, or too detailed.
  Additional Job Information
- Concise but adequate
- Objective, not questionable value judgements
- Compatible with Principal Accountabilities

12
APPENDIX A

ACTION VERBS

Accumulate Follow-up Participate Take

Achieve Forecast Perform Train
Advise Formulate Plan
Analyse Fulfil Prepare Validate
Appraise Furnish Present Verify
Approve Process
Ascertain Gather Promote Write
Assess Give Produce
Assign Propose
Assist Help Provide
Audit Hire Purchase
Authorise
Identify Receive
Budget Implement Recruit
Improve Recommend
Check Inform Reject
Compile Input Report
Complete Interview Represent
Conduct Inspect Review
Consult Issue
Contact Safeguard
Contribute Keep Search
Control Secure
Co-ordinate Lead See
Counsel Seek
Maintain Select
Deliver Market Sell
Design Meet Serve
Determine Monitor Service
Develop Motivate Set
Direct Specify
Distribute Negotiate Store
Structure
Ensure Operate Study
Establish Organise Supervise
Evaluate Submit
Examine Supply
Survey

Please note that this list is not comprehensive.

APPENDIX B
United Group
ROLE PROFILE

JOB TITLE:
DATE:

REPORTS TO:

FUNCTION:

LOCATION:

PURPOSE STATEMENT

DIMENSIONS
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

i) Context/Environment

ii) Knowledge, Skills & Experience

iii) Key Success Factors

iv) Working Relationships

v) Additional Comments

Signatures:

Manager:………………………………………….

Job Holder:……………………………………….