Position Description Form
The Position Description is used to record the duties, responsibilities, qualifications sought and fiscal impact of classified and non-classified positions. This
information is the basis for determining the title, salary rate, and Fair Labor Standards Act exemption status for positions. To achieve these purposes, it is
essential that detailed and exact information pertaining to current duties, responsibilities, and qualifications be accurately recorded on this form.
Working Title:
Line Item Title:
Position Percent:
Position Supervisor:
Fund Number & Name:
Split Appointment? Y or N
Org Number & Name:
Position Location:
If this is a new position (not previously filled), you must include a detailed justification for the position.
Brief Position Summary:
Posting Examples:
(Daily job duties advertised in the Posting to the public. These are more general in nature.)
Minimum Qualifications:
Note: Minimum Qualifications for
Classified positions are determined by
The Office of Personnel Management.
Leave this section blank, if
Classified.
Preferred Qualifications:
Risk Assessment:
Please answer the following questions with a Yes or No. For assistance or questions regarding our Criminal Background screen
policy contact the Employment Manager at 501-671-2149.
Does this position require frequent driving (once or more a week)?
Does this position require a criminal background check per Division Policy PMGS 10-1?
Does this position require a drug screen per Division Policy PMGS 10-1?
Does this position handle credit card payments, cash, or other currency as a regular responsibility?
Does this position have access to confidential information i.e. social security numbers, employee health
information?
Physical Requirements:
Does this position require Bending? If so, list frequency.
Does this position require a sighted employee?
Does this position require exposure to extreme environments?
Does this position require hearing?
Does this position require lifting? If so, weight of load & height of lift.
Does this position require pushing? If so, weight of object and frequency.
Does this position require repetitious movement of hands, wrists, arms?
Does this position require the handling of sharp tools?
Does this position require sitting for extended time periods?
Does this position require standing for extended time periods?
Does this position require walking for long distances?
Assigned Responsibilities:
The Assigned Responsibilities are the essential specific duties of the position. Please complete this section with as much detail as
possible. If possible, break the position down into different duty areas i.e., Administrative Functions, Customer Service, Program
Duties.
Duty Area 1:
Duty Area 2:
Duty Area 3:
Duty Area 4:
Communication Skills:
(Place an x next to all that all skills that apply to this position)
Read, write, and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos.
Read and interpret safety rules, operating/maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals
Write routine reports and correspondence, and speak effectively before both internal and external groups.
Read, analyze, and interpret business manuals, technical procedures, and governmental regulations.
Read, analyze, and interpret scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents.
Prepare and/or present written communications that pertain to controversial and complex topics.
(Select only one in each of the following sections. Place an x next to the appropriate entry.)
Internal Contacts:
Contact with employees primarily at a routine level involving basic information exchange.
Contact with peers and others involving explanation of information (these contacts may be within or outside your unit,
department, or division), and the gathering of factual information. May include the communication of sensitive or confidential
information.
Contact across units, departments, or divisions with employees involving persuasion of others, absent formal authority, to
conform to a policy interpretation or recommended course of action.
Contact that requires a high degree of authority in securing understanding and cooperation of multiple departments or interests.
External Contacts:
No contact with people outside the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
Limited external contact to gather information, answer questions, or solicit assistance.
Frequent external contact to gather information, answer questions, or solicit assistance.
External contact involving a requirement to maintain a continuing working relationship with external individuals or organizations
Division of Agriculture.
Supervisory Responsibility:
No supervisory responsibility; may explain work instructions or procedures to others.
Involves functional supervision only: general instruction, scheduling, and reviewing the work of others performing the same or
directly related work. Acts as a lead worker.
Recommends personnel actions (hiring, termination, pay changes, performance evaluations). Involves scheduling, supervising,
and evaluating the work of subordinate employees.
Involves scheduling, supervision, and evaluation of work as a 'manager' of the first line supervisors; or performs supervision of
workers who perform distinct and separate blocks of work.
Involves scheduling, supervision, and evaluation of work as a superior of 'managers.' Administers through subordinate managers,
departmental multi-function programs or operations.
Involves scheduling, supervision, and evaluation of work as a supervisor at the executive level.
Decision Responsibility:
Requires very little analytical thought or independent decision-making. The work has limited overall impact.
Regularly makes decisions involving how an operation will be done or carried out (i.e., sequence or method), and generally from
an available set of alternatives or precedents.
Regularly makes decisions of responsibility, involving evaluation of information. Decisions may require development or
application of alternatives or precedents.
Regularly makes significant decisions and final results, typically for one functional area within a department. Available guides or
precedents are limited. Has authority over the allocation of resources.
Significant responsibility for decisions and final results, affecting more than one department or a department with multiple units.
Substantial analysis is required and many factors must be weighed before a decision can be reached.
Major responsibility for decisions and final recommendation, which may result in the formulation of strategic plans of action to
achieve the broad objectives of the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.
Primary work responsibility involves the long range future of the organization. Decisions determine the scope, direction, and
goals of the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.
Budgetary Responsibility:
Little or no responsibility in the area of budgets or departmental resources.
Limited responsibility for financials, budgets, or other resources. May be responsible for entry of financial data into spreadsheets
and/or databases for use by others. Accuracy of work is monitored by supervisor.
Responsibility for compiling financial reports, creating annual program budgets or biennial budgets. May make oral or
audio/visual presentations.
Responsibility for interpretation and analysis of program and financial data. May determine departmental needs, research
available alternatives, and develop departmental recommendations.
Responsibility for oversight of others who carry out the entry, reporting, and presentation of financial data. Makes routine
decisions regarding use of financial and other resources on the department's behalf.
Complexity, Judgment, and Problem Solving:
Work of a routine nature. Requires the ability to understand and follow instructions.
Relatively structured work, following a limited variety of standard practices.
Generally diversified and moderately difficult work. Requires judgment in the adaptation and interpretation of established
practices and procedures to meet problems and situations to which the application is not clearly defined.
Typically difficult or complex work, generally involving broad instructions and objectives and frequently changing conditions
and problems.
Requires the ability to plan and perform work in light of new or constantly changing problems. Must deal with complex factors
not easily evaluated. Decisions require considerable judgment, initiative, and ingenuity in areas where there is little precedent.
Work requires the ability to act independently in the formulation and administration of policies and programs for major division
or functions.
Physical Conditions:
Job provides pleasant working conditions
Job provides minor annoyances. Unpleasant sights or odors may be encountered. Noise levels due to machinery or equipment in
use might preclude normal conversational levels.
Job provides moderately unpleasant working conditions. Unpleasant sights or odors constitute a regularly recurring aspect of the
job. Noise levels are such that protective ear coverings are recommended.
Job provides an unpleasant work environment.
Work Schedule:
Routine, regularly scheduled hours. Infrequent assigned overtime or weekends.
Considerable irregularity of hours and/or frequent overtime/weekend assignments.
Work demands and irregularity of assigned hours create considerable inconvenience for home and social life, such as regular and
frequent on-call availability.
Nature of work frequently requires highly irregular, unpredictable or particularly long hours beyond the work day, such as
attendance and participation at evening meetings.
Demands/Deadlines:
Little or no stress created by work, associates, or public.
Occasional stress due to deadlines or workload because of intermittent or cyclical work pressures, or occasional exposure to
distressed individuals within the immediate work environment.
High volume and variable work demands and deadlines impose strain on routine basis or considerable stress intermittently; OR
regular direct contact with distressed individuals within the immediate work environment, AND/OR exposure to demands and
pressures from persons other than immediate supervisor.
Work requires frequent, substantive contact with people in highly stressful situations; delicacy and unpredictability of contacts
routinely creates considerable strain or heavy stress regularly.