Key points
This content was first published in August 2020 and was updated in July 2026.
Introduction
A job description is an essential document for every role. It helps organisations define the purpose of a post, clarify responsibilities and supports consistent decision-making across recruitment, performance management and job evaluation. It often also confirms some contractual elements for example, base, hours and pay band.
The NHS Job Evaluation Scheme (JES) measures the skills, responsibilities and effort required by a role to determine the appropriate pay band. Trained job evaluation panels use agreed job information, including the job description, to understand the demands of the role and ensure consistency and equal pay across the NHS.
What makes a good job description?
A good job description should provide a clear and accurate picture of the role itself rather than the individual performing it and should:
- describe the purpose of the role and why it exists
- clearly explain the main responsibilities and accountabilities
- set out the level of autonomy, decision-making and authority required
- explain where the role sits within the organisational structure
- identify the knowledge and skills required to perform the role effectively
- reflect the actual requirements of the job rather than aspirations for the post-holder.
Whilst a JE panel will use national job matching profiles to determine the pay banding of roles, it is important to remember that these profiles are not job descriptions themselves.
Job descriptions should not therefore mirror national profiles or follow the 16 factors of the NHS Job Evaluation Scheme. Instead, they should provide clear operational information that enables a job evaluation panel to understand the role and apply the scheme appropriately.
National job profiles are not job descriptions.
Job descriptions do not need to look like a national job profile.
Do not use words and phrases taken straight from the NHS Job Evaluation Handbook or national job evaluation profiles. Many of the phrases that are used in profiles and the factor plan are defined within the handbook and may have a specific meaning in JE terms that is different to common understanding.
Where the language is the same as the JE profile, the JD is likely to be rejected by the panel. However, you can look at profiles to get an idea about the expectations and differentiation between profiles at different bands.
There are some factors that would not be expected to be covered in a JD, such as effort factors. There is provision for collecting that information in the NHS Job Evaluation Handbook either by using partnership job analysts or by agreeing a pro forma for the jobholder and their line manager to complete.
Line managers are encouraged to seek advice and support from their organisation's job evaluation leads when writing or reviewing job descriptions to help ensure they provide sufficient and accurate information for job matching and evaluation purposes.
Revising a job description for an existing role
Annex 31 of the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook requires all job descriptions to be kept under regular review. To ensure they document accurately and comprehensively the work currently being required of staff in post.
Updates may be required because:
- duties have changed over time
- services have been restructured
- reporting arrangements have changed
- new responsibilities have been introduced.
When revising an existing job description, organisations should follow the job evaluation process for when jobs change.
Any revisions should ensure the job description accurately reflects the duties and responsibilities required and current organisational context of the role. During the drafting process, it is helpful to keep the following principles in mind:
Writing a job description for a new role
Creating a job description for a role that does not currently exist requires careful consideration. The focus should be on designing a role that meets organisational needs and provides sufficient evidence for recruitment and job evaluation purposes.
When designing a new role:
- start with the purpose of the role, then define responsibilities, then develop the person specification
- describe the actual work that needs to be undertaken
- focus on organisational outcomes rather than individual preferences
- avoid inflated language unless it is genuinely justified
- ensure consistency with similar roles across the organisation
- do not write the job description in job evaluation factor language, use plain English
- be prepared to review the role after implementation if responsibilities develop differently than anticipated.
You may find it helpful to seek advice and support from your organisation's job evaluation leads when drafting job descriptions.
