A job description sets out a job's title, department and reporting line, its purpose, duties, the qualifications of the jobholder and the indicators their performance is measured on. Pick one of seven ready-made jobs common in shops, restaurants and distribution above, edit its duties, then download it for the employee to sign. The salary scale that grades link to now has its own page among these templates.
A good description has a two-sentence purpose, five to eight duties that start with a verb, minimum qualifications and measurable performance indicators. The accountant example has six duties, four qualifications and three indicators, the first being "Month closed within 5 working days".
How to use the job description template
- Choose a job from the examples: accountant, cashier, sales representative, warehouse keeper, branch manager, head chef or restaurant supervisor.
- Edit the duties and qualifications line by line, and switch off any general terms in the clause list that do not suit your company.
- In advanced mode, add performance indicators, working conditions, the job code and its grade.
- Download the description in Word to edit the wording, or as a PDF for the employee to sign.
What a job description is and why it matters
A job description is a fixed reference for three decisions: who to hire, what to appraise them on, and where the job sits in the organization chart. It differs from a job advert: the advert is a short marketing text to attract candidates, while the description is an internal document the employee signs and that is reviewed at appraisal or when duties change.
What a good job description contains
| Part | What to write |
|---|---|
| Job purpose | One or two sentences: why the job exists and the result expected from it. |
| Duties and responsibilities | Five to eight duties starting with a verb, such as "Reconcile bank statements every month". |
| Qualifications and experience | The minimum actually needed, not a wish list that rules out suitable candidates. |
| Performance indicators | What the employee is evaluated on, such as "drawer differences at shift close". |
| Working conditions | Shifts, field work, long hours standing, lifting. |
Keep general phrases such as "team player" and "any other duties" out of the duty list; they belong in one general clause at the end.
Job description examples for retail and restaurants
The cashier description centers on the drawer and the invoice, measured by drawer differences at shift close. The warehouse keeper is measured by stock count differences as a share of inventory value. The restaurant supervisor is measured by average serving time and complaints closed on their shift. The accountant's indicators are closing the month within 5 working days and zero unexplained bank differences. Each example opens complete for you to adapt to the work in your company.
Job description vs project description
A job description is a hiring document about a person and their ongoing role. Someone looking for a "project description template" usually means a project management document that sets a project's goal, scope, duration, deliverables and team, and ends when the project ends. If what you are writing has a start date, an end date and deliverables, it is a project description, and a project plan with a timeline suits it better than this template.
Common mistakes
- A job description copied from another company, listing duties the employee never performs.
- Duties with no verb and no result, such as "responsibility for accounts".
- A description written at hiring and never reviewed when duties change.
Labor Law notes
The Labor Law does not require a separate job description, but the employment contract states the type of work agreed, and assigning substantially different work is restricted; check the relevant articles of the Saudi Labor Law before changing the duties of an existing job. The employee's signature on the description records that they know their duties.
When employee files sit in more than one place
Microtec accounting software is an ERP system built for businesses in the Kingdom, with an HR module that keeps employee details in one place instead of scattered files.
Job description template FAQ
Who writes the job description?
The line manager, who knows the actual duties; HR reviews it to keep wording and grades consistent, and the department head or owner approves it.
How often should a job description be updated?
Once a year with the performance appraisal, and whenever the job's duties change. The template has a "Review of this description" clause you can switch on to state this in the description itself.
Is the job description attached to the employment contract?
Many companies attach it and have the employee sign to acknowledge it, so it becomes a reference at appraisal. The contract itself remains the reference for pay and the type of work agreed.
Does a job description differ by company size?
Yes. In a small business one employee covers more duties, so the list is longer; in a large one the job is narrower with more indicators. Download the template in Word and fit the duties to your company's size.