Steps to develop a position description

It is very important that job design is a central point of focus in your medical practice, as it affects the efficiency of the organisation.

Specifically, jobs within the healthcare industry must be designed effectively to improve the quality of care to patients, promote productivity and reduce costs.

To successfully design a job that positively influences operations within your practice, there are three main steps that you can follow.

The first step is ‘Define the job’. This step involves gaining a clear understanding of the job that needs to be filled, and the corresponding tasks that need to be completed. Talking to the supervisor or person that the employee will need to report to, and other employees who are working in the area is also very beneficial to gain scope of the job being designed.

The second step is to consider what the position will require in terms of relevant skills, abilities, qualifications, and levels of experience required.  When you are defining the job, give creed to the classification descriptions within the relevant modern Award to match up the position to a desirable Modern Award classification.

Modern Award classifications are particularly focused on consideration of:

• the level of supervision the position is under;
• the level of autonomy, discretion and judgement required in the position; and
• any qualifications or supervisory responsibilities of the position.

Typical Modern Awards
	Health Professional and Support Services Award 2020 (HPSS Award 2020)	Nurses Award 2010
Consider the HPSS Award 2020 classification definitions divided into two streams:	Health Professionals stream: Schedule B—List of Common Health Professionals; and Schedule A—Classification Definitions, A.1, levels 1 to 4; and	See the Nurses Award 2010 classification descriptions for nurses: Schedule B—Classification Definitions
	Administration staff: Support Services Employees stream, Levels 1 to 9: Schedule A—Classification Definitions, A.2, levels 1 to 9.

Step three is ‘Deciding on the status of employment’. At this stage of job design, employers must decide on status of employment the job needs. In short, whether the employee is to be permanent part-time, permanent full-time, or casual. This is important as it will determine the employment conditions, and employee’s pay.

It is also crucial that a decision is made as to:

• the number of hours needed to do the job;
• whether the job is indefinite or for a specific period of time; and
• whether the employee is a junior is examined, to ensure that the job is effectively designed.

Step four is to create the job description. Once the job role is defined, it is necessary that a job description is developed to provide a clear understanding of the duties and responsibilities the particular position entails.

The position description should include:

• The job title (role name)
• The employment status (permanent or casual) (type of employment)
• The location(s) of work (address where employee will work)
• The immediate supervisor/manager (who the employee will report to)
• The main duties and responsibilities (outline of the main duties and responsibilities of the position)
• The technical or interpersonal skills required, any qualifications necessary, level of experience needed

We encourage you to contact our Workplace Relations Team on (07) 3872 2222 or at workplacerelations@amaq.com.au, if you have any further questions or queries about job design, award compliance and workplace law. We also have position description templates available for purchase.