A job description is a formal outline of the responsibilities and duties of a job. It is usually required by employers and employees as a common agreement about the nature of the work to be done. Some job descriptions are very specific, while others are more general. Specific job descriptions allow for a better understanding of the scope of the position and ensure that everyone involved (employees and employers) know exactly what is expected.
If you are helping to start a company, it can be difficult to find a suitable job description for the role. You want the job to be exciting and challenging, but you also want to make sure that everything is properly signed off on paper.
The following outlines some of the essential job descriptions for a writer when helping to start a company.
Accountant
An accountant is required to prepare the accounts for the company and to ensure that these are accurately kept up to date. They may also need to prepare tax returns and work with other professionals to ensure that all tax laws are complied with.
A job description for an accountant should include the following:
- Duties: The duties of the job should be set out in detail, including but not limited to preparing accounts, filing tax returns, preparing budgets, etc.
- Scope of work: The scope of work should be defined, including but not limited to entry-level responsibilities, responsibilities for specific accounts, etc.
- Accountability: The person responsible for carrying out the duties in the job description should be named, and should be held accountable for any errors or omissions.
- Hours of Work: The hours of work should be defined, including but not limited to; normal hours, overtime, weekend work, etc.
- Salary: The salary should be agreed upon, including but not limited to basic, senior, etc.
- Contract: The contract (if any) should be defined, including but not limited to duration, start date, etc.
- Benefits: The benefits should be defined, including but not limited to health insurance, pension, etc.
- Job security: The job security should be defined, including but not limited to; temporary, seasonal, part-time, etc.
- Deadline: Set a deadline for the job, either physically or virtually
Business Analyst
A business analyst is basically an accountant who specializes in business problems rather than just financial statements. They are required to analyze the financial statements of the company to determine the feasibility of various projects and business initiatives. They may also need to prepare reports for senior management.
A job description for a business analyst should include the following:
- Duties: The duties of the job should be set out in detail, including but not limited to gathering and analyzing relevant financial information, preparing reports, etc.
- Scope of work: The scope of work should be defined, including but not limited to determining the viability of new products and services, analyzing market trends, etc.
- Accountability: The person responsible for carrying out the duties in the job description should be named, and should be held accountable for any errors or omissions.
- Hours of work: The hours of work should be defined, including but not limited to; normal hours, overtime, weekend work, etc.
- Salary: The salary should be agreed upon, including but not limited to basic, senior, etc.
- Contract: The contract (if any) should be defined, including but not limited to duration, start date, etc.
- Benefits: The benefits should be defined, including but not limited to health insurance, pension, etc.
- Job security: The job security should be defined, including but not limited to; temporary, seasonal, part-time, etc.
- Deadline: Set a deadline for the job, either physically or virtually
Marketing Manager
A marketing manager is basically the person who is in charge of marketing for a company, either directly or indirectly through a sales team. They are responsible for coming up with the marketing strategy for the company, then overseeing the process of executing on that strategy. They may also need to create marketing materials (brochures, pamphlets, billboards, etc.) and lead training sessions for new employees.
A job description for a marketing manager should include the following:
- Duties: The duties of the job should be set out in detail, including but not limited to determining the marketing strategy for the company, creating the marketing plan, coordinating the marketing activities of the company, etc.
- Scope of work: The scope of work should be defined, including but not limited to coming up with new marketing strategies, identifying markets, etc.
- Accountability: The person responsible for carrying out the duties in the job description should be named, and should be held accountable for any errors or omissions.
- Hours of work: The hours of work should be defined, including but not limited to; normal hours, overtime, weekend work, etc.
- Salary: The salary should be agreed upon, including but not limited to basic, senior, etc.
- Contract: The contract (if any) should be defined, including but not limited to duration, start date, etc.
- Benefits: The benefits should be defined, including but not limited to health insurance, pension, etc.
- Job security: The job security should be defined, including but not limited to; temporary, seasonal, part-time, etc.
- Deadline: Set a deadline for the job, either physically or virtually
Sales Manager
A sales manager is essentially the person who is in charge of selling a product or service to others. They are responsible for creating a winning sales team, training team members, and dealing with sales accounts. They may also need to prepare sales materials (pamphlets, postcards, etc.) for distribution. They may be called upon to lead sales meetings and process sales orders.
A job description for a sales manager should include the following:
- Duties: The duties of the job should be set out in detail, including but not limited to developing and overseeing the execution of a sales plan, training salespeople, processing sales orders, etc.
- Scope of work: The scope of work should be defined, including but not limited to determining the target market, researching economic trends, etc.
- Accountability: The person responsible for carrying out the duties in the job description should be named, and should be held accountable for any errors or omissions.
- Hours of work: The hours of work should be defined, including but not limited to; normal hours, overtime, weekend work, etc.
- Salary: The salary should be agreed upon, including but not limited to basic, senior, etc.
- Contract: The contract (if any) should be defined, including but not limited to duration, start date, etc.
- Benefits: The benefits should be defined, including but not limited to health insurance, pension, etc.
- Job security: The job security should be defined, including but not limited to; temporary, seasonal, part-time, etc.
- Deadline: Set a deadline for the job, either physically or virtually
To create a job description, you will need to consider various factors, including but not limited to: