Basics of Position Management

1. Basics of Position Management Health Dept Job Keita Cannon SPHR, CPM Local Government Program Team Leader North Carolina Office of State Personnel http://www.osp.state.nc.us/ExternalHome/Group5/LocalGovmt/index.html

2. North Carolina Position Evaluation System • Process by which a group (or class) of positions are defined by the types and levels of work involved • Positions evaluated based on the application of accepted job analysis techniques and according to job factors (Factor Comparison Method) • The relative importance and presence (or absence) of these job factors are how positions are appropriately classified and leveled

3. Roles in Position Design and Development Health Department Management has primary responsibility for designing roles and structuring jobs to achieve organizational and/or programmatic goals Local Government Program Team has primary responsibility of creating class specifications, classifying and leveling positions in order to ensure consistency, compliance and appropriate classification Board of County Commissioners/County Manager have funding responsibility only (unless your County is substantially equivalent in classification and compensation)

4. Class Specifications Generic description of the duties and responsibilities Used to determine occupational characteristics and distinguish levels of work among positions in a class series Is not meant to be exhaustive Class Specifications Position Descriptions

5. The Eight Allocation Factors • Variety and Complexity of Work • Analytical Requirements • Decision-Making/Consequence of Error • Nature of Supervision Received • Nature of Supervision Given • Nature and Purpose of Public Contacts • Working Conditions • Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs)

6. Factor# 1 – Variety and Complexity of Work Variety – indicates the kinds of work performed; range of different duties; whether the duties call for similar or unrelated KSAs Complexity – nature and intricacy of tasks; difficulty and originality in performing work; repetition; problems encountered; whether established procedures exists to handle issues; need to exercise independent judgment

7. Factor# 1 – Variety and Complexity of Work Different degrees to rank Variety and Complexity Like Limited variety recurring with little differentiation among types and nature of tasks and duties Varied Recurring and non-recurring assignments relating to a common goal Wide Range Larger number of widely varying assignments relating to common goals Diverse Many broad and functionally diverse activities and assignments relating to goals

8. Factor# 1 – Variety and Complexity of Work Which factor does the following duty represent: Responsible for conducting new hire orientations, daily scheduling and completion of employee performance appraisals for the HD Clerical Unit

9. Factor# 2 – Analytical Requirements Intricacy of work processes and the range of thinking and judgment required; new approaches or deviations from standard work practices

10. Factor# 2 – Analytical Requirements Different degrees to rank Analytical Requirements Limited Related work steps; minor variation in sources of data and types of minimal analysis in actions taken Increased Detail Varying work processes; variations in data; some analysis in actions taken Considerable Detail Unusual problems; unlike and changing data; considerable analysis required to understand data and determine best course of action Extensive Broad, unsolved or novel problems, undefined data sources, ingenuity and research and analysis in deciding approaches, develop work concepts and policies weighing alternative solutions to complex problems

11. Factor# 2 – Analytical Requirements Which Analytical Requirement do you think more difficult: Reviewing patient check-in sheet to determine type of lab test being requested and forwarding patient to appropriate clinic Conduct and analyze lab test results in order to share with Physician or Nurse who will follow-up with patient Please provide reasons for your answer

12. Factor# 3 – Decision-Making/Consequence of Error Types of recommendations or decisions affecting programs, methods, policies or people; delegated authority and binding commitments

13. Factor# 3 – Decision-Making/Consequence of Error Different degrees to rank Decision-Making/Consequence of Error Minimal Time, financial material loss or inconvenience which temporarily bothers people within organization, no direct effect of public Limited Hampers people or organizations; time, financial or material loss; affects organization and can affect public Moderate Impact on environmental condition; public health, safety; substantial waste of manpower or money; immediate discomfort to public Significant Continual or significant effect on person or public health, major loss of time and money affecting immediate and future operations; injuries or fatalities

14. Factor# 3 – Decision-Making/Consequence of Error Do you see a different impact (consequence or error) in denying (decision-making) someone the use of sick leave versus the use of Family Medical Leave? What are some of the different impacts you can come up with?

15. Factor# 4 – Nature of Supervision Received Planned supervisory control exercised over employee(s)

16. Factor# 4 – Nature of Supervision Received Different degrees to rank Nature of Supervision Received Specific Detailed instructions on new assignments; supervision readily available General General work objectives, results and target dates given on some assignments; unusual problems discussed; general review of key work while in progress Limited Purpose and desired results shared, major projects jointly planned; daily work self-planned and performed with considerable independence Minimal Total freedom in carrying out technical assignments; only problems having significant impact on agency policy discussed

17. Factor# 4 – Nature of Supervision Received Which of the ranking degrees applies to your current position? Please provide examples to support your ranking.

18. Factor# 5 – Nature of Supervision Given Leadership and coordination of the efforts of others; accountability for the performance of others

19. Factor# 5 – Nature of Supervision Given Different degrees to rank Nature of Supervision Given Planning, Organizing and Directing Budgeting Training Setting Work Standards Reviewing Work Counseling and Disciplining Other HR Functions (selection, promotion, etc)

20. Factor# 5 – Nature of Supervision Given Wally Wishiweresupervisor is part of the HD Clinical Unit. When Eileen Iamsupervisor is out of the office, she usually designates Wally as being “in-charge” as he has the most years of work experience in the Unit. A position for HD Administrative Unit Supervisor has recently become available. The required training and experience listed indicates “must have at least one year of supervisory experience”. Wally figures he has been “in-charge” for at least a year counting Eileen’s absences. Would you consider Wally’s “in-charge” for at least a year experience as meeting the supervisory experience requirement? Why or why not?

21. Factor# 6 – Nature and Purpose of Public Contacts Type and range of interaction with others while accomplishing an objective

22. Factor# 6 – Nature and Purpose of Public Contacts Different degrees to rank Nature and Purpose of Public Contact Receive and Convey Give fact related to work Explain and Interpret Interpret and carry out policies or resolve operating problems Direct and Motivate Direct and motivate persons or groups to obtain desired effect Persuade and Negotiate Obtain concurrence and cooperation of proposed courses of action by justification, defense and negotiation

23. Factor# 6 – Nature and Purpose of Public Contacts To what degree would you rank: The Front Desk Receptionist who is responsible for greeting patients when they first enter the building and then calling the appropriate party with whom the patient has an appointment? The Coordinator of Health Services who is responsible for analysis of the health needs of a community, identifying the financial resources/agencies with whom to partner and crafting a study report to acquire the necessary finances and buy-in from identified partner agencies?

24. Factor#7 – Working Conditions Risks, hazards and discomforts in surroundings; additional demands in carrying out safety regulations and techniques

25. Factor#7 – Working Conditions Different degrees to rank Working Conditions Agreeable Good working conditions Mildly Disagreeable Moderate exposure to disagreeable elements or one that is particularly disagreeable; continual exposure could result in permanent injury or disability Considerably Disagreeable Continuous and intense exposure to several disagreeable elements; continual exposure may result in permanent disability or death

26. Factor#7 – Working Conditions How would the working conditions of the Administrative Assistant to the Health Director who has a cushy office compare to that of a Public Health Jail Nurse who provides service for violent offenders or an Animal Control Officer who must clear traps and capture rabid animals daily?

27. Factor# 8 – Knowledge, Skills and Abilities What is needed for the full performance of work

28. Agency Tools of the Position Management Trade Class Specifications • Found on the OSP Local Government website • These are not position descriptions • To be used as a “skeleton” and you are responsible for filling in the organs, muscle, tissue, etc.

30. Agency Tools of the Position Management Trade Position Action Form (PD-118) • Lets OSP understand what you are trying to accomplish • Signatures of the appropriate parties to let OSP know this action has been authorized

32. Agency Tools of the Position Management Trade Position Description Form (PD-102R) • Essential component describing in detail the duties and responsibilities of a position • Serves all parities involved • Employees (purpose, duties and responsibilities, organizational fit, supervisory expectations, performance management) • Management (planning, budgeting, organizing and directing, determining training needs, recruit and select, counseling, appraising and disciplining)

35. Agency Tools of the Position Management Trade Organizational Chart • Graphical representation to show where a position fits into a Unit, Division and Health Department as a whole • Denotes supervisory/subordinate relationships

37. Agency Tools of the Position Management Trade Local Government Resources Manual • Lists several of the more common classifications used and what OSP looks for in order to level the job appropriately

39. Agency Tools of the Position Management Trade Your OSP HR Consultant!

40. Required Training and Experience These State Minimum Recruitment Standards are set only by the Office of State Personnel by virtue of 25 NCAC 01I.1802 – Policy on Establishing Minimum Qualification Standards *DO NOT ALTER THE REQUIRED TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE!! If you would like to add more information for targeted candidates, needs to be offset from the required T&E – special preferences, desired qualifications; Public Health Superhero Attributes…

41. Details Wanted; Details NEEDED The most common deficiency in position descriptions is the lack of detail: Bad (and unfortunately all too common) – Develops and implements policies Good – Develops policies for the Animal Control Officers regarding interaction with owners of biting animals, proper protocol when dealing with rabid animals and traps, and canvassing County to determine if animals are not wearing required rabies vaccination tags.

42. Position vs Person Conflict Position descriptions should detail the work required of the position, not the particular attributes of a person: Your Department has a vacancy for a Program Assistant V. Because the economy is so bad you get lucky and receive an application from Ned Needajob who, well, needs a job. Ned’s background in Public Health is quite diverse – started as a Program Consultant, moved up to Division Director, went to school and received his Masters in Public Health Admin but had to resign when his health started to become an issue. He is in good health now and has no desire to assume the stress he previously had and you hire him. Does that now mean he is the Health Director lite since his T&E qualifies him or is he a PA V because that is the vacancy and need of the organization?

43. Testing the Position Management Waters • Job Enlargement – more duties added to a position at the same or lower level; not the impetus for a reallocation request • Job Enrichment – duties added to a position at a higher level; can be the impetus for a reallocation request

44. Popular Misconceptions of Position Management Process • Something, ANYTHING, is different in a position; therefore it needs to be reallocated • My Director has approved the position at a certain level so the OSP classification should be the same • My County has funded a position at a certain level so the OSP classification should be the same • If I take a job description from another Agency and replace all instances with my Agency’s name, OSP should approve the reallocation

45. Popular Misconceptions of Position Management Process • I can transcribe the class spec into a job description form and OSP should approve the reallocation • The incumbent in the position is qualified for a higher level classification so OSP should approve the reallocation • Equity among other positions (internal or external to Agency) is of no consequence

46. Questions/Concerns?