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Job Roles

A large, complex organization such as UAB needs an efficient and effective communication channel that delivers timely information to those that need the information. Job roles help create focused communication channels for delivering information related to learning & development services, policy updates, cascading of organizational initiatives and more.

Review job role criteria below or download the UAB Job Roles Guide (PDF) for more information.

  • Job Role Criteria


    Job Role Defining Criteria

    Primary Criteria (These are the primary elements used for Job Role assignment.)

    • Responsibility: The level of instruction, direction, and guidance required for self and others to achieve consistent and desirable outcomes.
    • Accountability: The level of answerability for self and others as measured by expected outcomes.
    • People: The level of influence one has over the work environment, task assignment, performance appraisal and career development of others.
    • Budget: The level of influence one has over the procurement, budget, and finances of a function, department or the organization.
    • Processes: The level of influence one has over the change of processes within a department, or the process flow between departments or within the organization.
    • Initiatives: The level of influence one has over the development of goals and objectives for self, functional areas and/or the organization.


    Secondary Elements (Secondary elements are used to validate Job Role assignments.)

    • Reports to: Generally relates to job relationships and reporting structures. Job Roles typically follow an upward reporting hierarchy, but some reporting relationships can be found within the same Job Role assignment. An example would be the hierarchical relationship of a Vice President reporting to a Senior Vice President reporting to the President, with all jobs assigned to the Organizational Leader Job Role.
    • Sample Jobs: Job Roles should not be assigned based only on job title, but should be based on the entire job, including scope of authority, responsibility, and accountability. Generally, jobs with similar titles will be grouped together; e.g. most ‘Manager’ titles will be assigned the ‘Functional Manager’ Job Role, however, current job titles should only be used for Job Role validation and not as decision criteria for Job Role assignment.
  • Individual Contributor


    Individual Contributor Criteria

    Primary Criteria

    • Responsibility: Works independently or collaboratively within a team environment. Receives direct to minimal supervision, and applies knowledge, skill and expertise to a specialized discipline. May be given opportunity for developing new solutions but is expected to deliver consistent and specific results as an individual.
    • Accountability: Answerable to others for self and acts within a task or team level mindset. Effective at managing their own time and responsibilities. Generally not held directly responsible for team or overall departmental outcomes.
    • People: No direct influence or required reporting relationships over other individuals, but may work with others through collaboration or as a team.
    • Budget: No direct influence over budget, procurement or business finances. May perform tasks associated with budgeting, procurement and/or business finances, but impactful financial decisions fall upon another’s responsibilities. May be required to complete the annual State of Alabama Statement of Economic Interest form as a purchasing or procurement agent.
    • Processes: No direct influence over business processes, but may have influence over tasks directly associated with their job responsibilities.
    • Initiatives: May have some influence over personal development goals, but does not directly influence the development of departmental or organizational goals and objectives.


    Secondary Elements

    • Reports to: Generally reports to an Emerging Leader and/or higher.
    • Sample Jobs: Labor, Skilled Labor, Assistant, Associate, Analysts, Specialists, Techs and Administrative Support.
  • Emerging Leader


    Emerging Leader Criteria

    Primary Criteria

    • Responsibility: Provides task level instruction, direction and guidance to an Individual Contributor or a group of Individual Contributors within a team. May represent the team as a stakeholder in discussions or as the point-of-contact for departmental and organizational communications. Is given opportunity for developing new solutions but is expected to deliver consistent and specific results as an individual and within a team.
    • Accountability: Answerable to others for self and the consistent results and approach of the team. Typically held directly responsible for team performance but not for overall departmental outcomes.
    • People: May mentor, coach or coordinate the work of an Individual Contributor or team of Individual Contributors. May provide input on performance evaluations, but generally is not directly responsible for performance management or merit award decisions. May be required to complete the annual State of Alabama Statement of Economic Interest form as a public employee serving as a supervisor.
    • Budget: May have task responsibilities associated with budgeting, procurement and/or business finances, but impactful financial decisions fall upon another’s responsibilities. May be required to complete the annual State of Alabama Statement of Economic Interest form as a purchasing or procurement agent.
    • Processes: Has direct influence over task processes of others, but little influence over business processes.
    • Initiatives: May have some influence over the development goals for self and others, but does not directly influence the development of departmental or organizational goals and objectives.


    Secondary Elements

    • Reports to: Generally reports to a Functional Manager and/or higher.
    • Sample Jobs: Supervisor, Team Lead.
  • Functional Manager


    Functional Manager Criteria

    Primary Criteria

    • Responsibility: Provides instruction, direction and guidance to a functional team or program. Represents the functional area as a stakeholder in larger discussions and is a point of contact for organizational communications.
    • Accountability: Accountable to a Functional Director or Organizational Leader for the effective daily operations of a functional team or program. Typically held directly responsible for team performance and may be held responsible for overall departmental outcomes or major elements of the overall departmental outcomes.
    • People: Communicates job expectations and evaluates job performance of Individual Contributors and/or Emerging Leaders. May be required to complete the annual State of Alabama Statement of Economic Interest form as a public employee serving as a supervisor.
    • Budget: May be responsible for budgeting, financial reviews and maintenance, monitoring of financial goals, and/or monitoring and approving expenditures for a program or functional area. May be required to complete the annual State of Alabama Statement of Economic Interest form as a purchasing or procurement agent.
    • Processes: Has direct influence over task processes of others, and influence over business processes within the functional unit.
    • Initiatives: May establish functional or program level initiatives based on cascaded departmental or organizational initiatives.


    Secondary Elements

    • Reports to: Generally reports to a Functional Director or Organizational Leader.
    • Sample Jobs: Manager, Assistant Director, Associate Director.
  • Functional Director


    Functional Director Criteria

    Primary Criteria

    • Responsibility: Provides instruction, direction, and guidance to a functional department or unit. Represents the department/unit area as a stakeholder in larger discussions and is a point of contact for organizational communications.
    • Accountability: Accountable to a Functional Director or Organizational Leader for the effective daily operations of a department or unit. Held directly responsible for team performance and for overall departmental outcomes or major elements of the overall departmental outcomes. Generally required to complete the annual State of Alabama Statement of Economic Interest form as a director of a state agency.
    • People: Communicates job expectations and evaluates job performance of Individual Contributors, Emerging Leaders, Functional Managers and/or Functional Directors. Generally required to complete the annual State of Alabama Statement of Economic Interest form as a public employee serving as a supervisor.
    • Budget: Is responsible for budgeting and financial reviews and maintenance, monitoring of financial goals, and monitoring and approving expenditures of a department or unit. May be required to complete the annual State of Alabama Statement of Economic Interest form as a purchasing or procurement agent.
    • Processes: Has direct influence over departmental business processes and indirectly influences major functional and/or organizational business processes.
    • Initiatives: Establishes departmental or unit level initiatives based on cascaded organizational initiatives. Establishes/approves departmental level goals and goals for Functional Directors to Individual Contributors.


    Secondary Elements

    • Reports to: Generally reports to another Functional Director or Organizational Leader.
    • Sample Jobs: Operations Director, Functional Director, Unit Director, Chair, Executive Director.
  • Organizational Leader


    Organizational Leader Criteria

    Primary Criteria

    • Senior Leadership Members: Will be a Senior Leadership member at UAB in an Organizational Leadership tier of either Tier I, II, or III.
      • Tier I – UAB President
      • Tier II – Direct reports to the President that have broad institutional responsibility and do not serve in an administrative support position, i.e. Executive Assistant, Business Officer, etc.
      • Tier III – Direct reports of Tier II who have broad institutional responsibility of at least one major University-wide functional area, i.e. Finance, IT Security, Human Resources, etc. Also excludes administrative support positions.
    • Responsibility: Establishes overall organizational vision and strategic initiatives. Provides direction to functional department and unit leadership. Represents the overall organization within a specialized function. Is the point of origination for organizational communications.
    • Accountability: Accountable to a Senior Leadership Member or Board of Trustees for the effective operation of an organizational unit and/or the overall organization. Generally required to complete the annual State of Alabama Statement of Economic Interest form as an Executive of a state agency.
    • People: Communicates job expectations and evaluates job performance of Individual Contributors, Emerging Leaders, Functional Managers, Functional Directors and/or Organizational Leaders. Generally required to complete the annual State of Alabama Statement of Economic Interest form as a public employee serving as a supervisor.
    • Budget: Is accountable for budgeting and financial reviews and maintenance, monitoring and establishment of financial goals, and monitoring and approving expenditures of a specialized organizational function. May be required to complete the annual State of Alabama Statement of Economic Interest form as a purchasing or procurement agent.
    • Processes: Has direct influence over organizational business processes within a specialized organizational function and/or for the overall organization.
    • Initiatives: Establishes overall and specialized functional organizational initiatives and cascades these initiatives downward to functional units. Establishes and/or influences the overall mission, vision and values of the organization. Establishes and/or approves departmental level goals and/or goals for Organizational Leaders to Individual Contributors.


    Secondary Elements

    • Reports to: President, Senior Vice President, Vice President or Board of Trustees.
    • Sample Jobs: Vice President, Associate VP, Assistant VP, Dean, Chief Officer, Provost, President.