Support Staff Position Description Procedure

Accurate position descriptions are essential for staff productivity, safety, and success. They define key responsibilities, guide recruitment and development, support equitable compensation, ensure legal compliance, and set clear expectations for performance and results.

What differentiates the MSU HR classification and the position description?

MSU HR classification - an objective system used by MSU to broadly define a job’s duties, requirements, and responsibilities.

Position Description - A reflection of the duties and responsibilities of a position. Provides a realistic picture of a position and answers the question, “What does the person in this position actually do?” This version is also used for job ads when recruiting.

The actual work and the position description must align with the overall characteristics of the MSU Classification. Position descriptions may not grant more responsibility or authority than is indicated by the classification or require qualifications outside of the classification scope.

Position descriptions contain sufficient information to describe major responsibilities, expected levels of performance, and essential functions for the position. A position description provides all the information necessary to classify the position, not the person; thus they are “incumbent neutral” and not based on any specific quality of an incumbent (such as knowledge, skills, abilities, performance, dedication, loyalty, years of service, or degree).

PROCEDURE:

1. Review the MSU HR classification for the role you wish to create a position description for.
   1. Go to Job Classifications to learn how to search for the classification on EBS.
2. Use the NatSci Template – Position Description to document the roles: position title, position purpose, assigned scope, major duties and responsibilities, knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs), position duties, qualifications, working direction, and interfaces.
   1. Consult the NatSci Template – Position Description Guidance for detailed information on how to complete each element listed above.
3. Use the position description to align roles and responsibilities with staff and provide structure for performance evaluation. Also, use the position description as the job ad for recruitment and selection.
4. The position description should be reviewed, revised (as needed), and signed annually by the employee and supervisor, and retained in the unit personnel file. A review of the position description is most appropriate during new-hire onboarding and during the performance excellence process.

• NatSci Template – Position Description
• NatSci Template – Position Description Guidance