Section Three - Review Checks

A checklist of questions that should be covered in the Accountability Profile is provided in Appendix A. The description that has been written should be checked to make sure all the items have been covered.

Another way to check the Accountability Profile is to look for the most common job description errors:

General Mistakes

• The Profile is too long, with too many details on tasks, many of which are irrelevant.

• The Profile does not focus on results, and, therefore, fails to capture the essence of the job.

• There is an incorrect emphasis on minor aspects of the job.

• There are incomplete facts.

Primary Focus Mistakes

• A summary of duties is presented, rather than a statement of the primary purpose of the job.

• There is a lengthy, detailed list of activities taking 5 to 10 lines. The statement should not exceed 3 lines.

Specific Accountabilities Mistakes

• Activities or duties are listed, rather than major end results.

• The relationship between the end result and the «how» is tenuous.

• One Specific Accountability statement covers several end results to the extent that it encompasses as much as 70% of all that is expected of the job.

• The end result or the means are worded too generally to be meaningful.

Reporting Relationships Mistakes

• Organizational relationships (upwards or downwards) are confusing or incomplete.

Dimensions Mistakes

• There is an effort to be too precise. In most cases, approximate figures or data are enough.

• Too many dimensions are given. Three or four are usually enough.

• The dimensions are not related to the actual accountabilities or the nature and scope of the job as it has been described.

Challenges, Issues and Initiatives Mistakes

• There is an emphasis on elements of the position that are common to similar positions in the public service such as the lack of resources.

• Initiatives are of a short term nature or do not indicate the fundamental changes in the way of doing business that are the intended result of the initiative.

• Issues are limited in scope and do not bring out the broader, longer term implications of the issues.

Working Environment and Conditions Mistakes

• Conditions that are described can be mitigated by some intervention or changes in the work environment, such as the office being too hot, too cold, etc.

• The nature of the condition is transitory and does not represent an on-going element of the work.

Core Competencies Mistakes

• The examples provided do not provide a meaningful demonstration of the behaviour in question.

Appendix A — Information Gathering Checklist

Major Responsibilities

• What is the overall purpose of the job?
• What are the major responsibilities the job is intended to achieve?
• Which are the most time-consuming?

Program or Legislative Responsibilities

• What is the incumbent’s role in administering the legislation or program?
• What is the incumbent’s role in formulating or recommending policy?

Authority and Assistance

• What are the most important decisions the incumbent makes?
• About what does the incumbent inform his/her superior before taking action?
• What are the most important recommendations the incumbent makes to his/her superior?
• What other responsibilities does the incumbent have that may not usually be associated with such a position?

Relations with Others

• To whom does the position report?
• What aspects of the environment surrounding the job make it more difficult to accomplish its objectives?
• What subordinates report to the position?
• Who else reports to the position’s immediate superior?

Hardest Part of the Job

• What are the major headaches?
• What is the greatest challenge?
• What are the most complex problems?
• What initiatives are the incumbent called upon to initiate or participate in?

Statistics on Job Dimensions

• What are the approximate numerical values of the items, which help to explain the overall size of your job?

Working Environment and Conditions

• What element of the job cannot be changed to mitigate the conditions?
• What sensitivities must the incumbent be aware of and incorporate into the work?
• Are the conditions temporary or permanent?

Core Competencies

• What issues does the incumbent have to deal with in an innovative manner?
• What is the incumbent’s role in leading the group or supporting the leadership of the organization?
• What are the different kinds of situations which the incumbent is called upon to react to or incorporate in his/her work?
• What non-verbal messages does the incumbent have to respond to in his/her work?

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