University Human Resources

Promotions and Job Audits

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Job Audit Request Form

Promotions and Job Audits

All staff should have a job description that accurately describes their work. When the work performed by an incumbent changes significantly, the job description must be re-written to fully and accurately describe the work so that a comprehensive evaluation of the position can be conducted.

A job audit is appropriate if the job description is no longer accurate because a position (the scope of the role and the level of responsibilities) has changed substantially. In some cases, the staff member may have already been successfully performing the new duties of the role, which initiated the request for an audit.

It is possible that some jobs may grow in scope and responsibility, but not sufficiently enough to elevate the job into another grade. In these cases, the salary will be reviewed to determine if it is appropriate based on the changes to the role.

A job audit is not appropriate:

  • As a way of recognizing performance; or 
  • When an increase in the work volume occurs, not requiring additional new skills or responsibilities to perform the tasks. 

Job Audit Process

The following steps should be used to determine if a promotion may be an appropriate course of action for a staff member:

  1. Speak with your supervisor about the position and the funding to support a promotional increase.
  2. If an agreement is reached that a promotion should be considered, partner with the staff member to rewrite the job description so that the process is a collaborative one. Please refer to the Job Descriptions information page.
  3. When discussing the prospect of a promotion with a staff member, be careful not to build unrealistic expectations, be honest about the process and keep them informed on progress.
  4. Compare the old and new major responsibilities and qualifications to determine the scope of the changes (e.g., reconcile and monitor accounts vs. developing projections and budget, entering information into spreadsheets vs. creating spreadsheets and reports; collecting information vs. analyzing and summarizing).
  5. The next step is to consult with your HR Business Partner or Compensation Services.

If a job audit is warranted, the next steps are:

  1. Prepare a Job Audit Request Form, documenting the justification and the proposed changes.
  2. Discuss the job audit with the appropriate senior staff member or divisional representative prior to submitting the job audit request and obtain approval for the funding source.
  3. Email the completed job audit form, along with the new job description with the changes tracked, to your HR Business Partner or Compensation Services.
  4. The anticipated turnaround time to complete a job audit review is 1-2 weeks, but this can vary depending on the volume and complexity of job audits in queue.

Compensation Services is available to provide additional information on the job audit process to employees, and assist with reviewing job descriptions. Compensation Services will work with supervisors on all revised job descriptions.

Biweekly or Monthly Payroll

Questions?

Job Audit Request Form