A Simple Format for NGOs to write Job Descriptions for their Staff

Writing job descriptions for staff is a necessary part of a well-managed human resource management system. However, often NGOs ignore to define the role of their staffs even after they join the organization for work. Maintaining job descriptions not only reflect the effectiveness of the organization’s human resource policy, they also lay out clarification for the staff and also mitigate any conflicts in the future. Below is some basic information about what job description is and how it can be developed.

A job description usually comprises of the following information of an individual staff about to be recruited or about to join the organization for work:

• Title of the Job
• Location or Base
• Date of Joining
• Name of the Supervisor
• Qualifications
• Tasks or Assignments

In some cases, these are also referred to as “Terms of reference” and they go into further details of defining the objectives, scope and deliverables of the staff position in addition to the above –mentioned points. As we can understand here, a job description is useful in the following manner:

• It clearly outlines the role and responsibilities of each staff working in the organization and how the person is contributing to the overall vision of the work.
• It helps in recruiting the most suitable candidate for the expected job work and it can be used for job advertising purposes as well.
• A clear record of tasks listed in the job description also enables the organization to provide better orientation for newly recruited staff.
• Job descriptions are also useful for accounting and financial management systems
• A job description plays an important role for the organization in monitoring and evaluating the performance of the staff.

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