18 February 2013
Support staff job description pro-forma
The form should be completed:
- for the job, not the job-holder;
- by the Head of School/ Budget Centre (or nominee)
Post number / Scribe
Name of post-holder
College
School/Department
Responsible to:
Responsible for which other posts:
Proposed band:
Role summary
1 or 2 sentences summarising
Why the post exists?
What is the post intended to achieve?
You might find it easier to write this summary after you have completed the rest of the form.
To carry out scribing duties for a variety of clients in an exam setting.
Organisation chart
Draw a chart showing how the post fits into the School/Budget Centre. This should include the job titles of:
the person to whom the post reports, and other posts reporting to that person ;
all postsreporting to this post-holder
Main duties and responsibilities
List and detail the main responsibilities (normally between 4 and 10) of the post in order of importance, regardless of the amount of time spent. It is not necessary to list every duty carried out by the post-holder.
If the post-holder has supervisory responsibility, the nature of that responsibility should be described.
Priority order / Duties and responsibilities / Typical % of time spent
What is done / To what or with whom? / To achieve what end result
Responsible for arranging to meet with clients prior to examinations to discuss requirements.
Responsible for accurately scribing client’s answers to exam questions within time period allowed.
This will include:
- Using subject specific knowledge to ensure that all information is accurately transcribed without excessive checking from the client
- Ensuring that all technical terms and equations are accurately transcribed.
Working with clients
Working with clients / To check client requirements prior to exam
Ensure accurate transcription of client’s thoughts.
Ensure accuracy in exam script. Reduces client stress by reducing amount of checking client has to do.
Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications and Experience Required
What knowledge, skills, qualifications and experience mustthe post-holder have to make it possible for them to do a good job?
If the post was vacant, what knowledge, skills, qualifications & experience would be requested in the advert?
State the requirements for the role, not the qualities possessed by the current role-holder.
Subject specific knowledge above that of clients. In the case of UG student exams this will require a postgraduate student to be the postholder.
Skills in quickly and accurately transcribing client’s instructions.
Interpersonal skills to work with clients and interpret their needs.
Ability to accurately transcribe all equations and technical terms.
Problem-solving/decision-making
Give examples of typical problems that the post-holder needs to solve/ typical decisions the post-holder is required to make.
Examples of typical problems that the post-holder needs to solve/ typical decisions the post-holder is required to make / What work routines or procedures are in place to guide the role-holder
(e.g. simple defined tasks, acquired through demonstration)
… without reference to others / What to write down following information from client.
How to write down equations. / No procedures as such. Postholder is guided by own specialist knowledge.
… after consulting others / Querying understanding with the client as required. Occasional checking of what has been written down. / No procedures as such. Postholder is guided by own specialist knowledge.
… or that would be referred to someone else / None
Internal and external relationships
List the people the post-holder must deal with regularly to do a good job?
Who? / What ?
(Nature of communication) / When ?
(Frequency, e.g. daily, weekly) / Why?
(What key output of this role depends on this communication?) / Skills required by post-holder for this communication?
Clients / To discuss upcoming exams.
To discuss what is required to be written down. / As required / Important that client feels confident that the postholder can accurately carry out the transcription role. / Interpersonal skills in building rapport.
Questioning skills in cases of uncertainty as to what the client wants writing down.
Any comments
… Head of School/Budget Centre may wish to add
… post-holder may wish to add, including, if the post-holder is unwilling to agree the contents of the job description, the reasons why
Verification of the job description as an accurate record of the requirements of the post
Head of School/Budget Centre (or nominee)
Name:
Signature:
Date:
Post-holder (if the post-holder does not agree, the job description, s/he should not sign below and should outline the reasons why above)
Name:
Signature:
Date:
Next steps: the Head of School/Budget Centre should pass this form to the Head of College/Corporate Service (or nominee) who should then complete the grade proposal rationale form 1, and pass both forms to the Head of HR for grading.
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