Job Description Template (New Zealand)

A Job Description Template in New Zealand sets out the duties, hours, pay, leave, and termination terms between employer and employee, consistent with the minimum entitlements guaranteed by the Employment Relations Act 2000.

The legal foundation for job descriptions in New Zealand is section 65(2)(a)(ii) of the Employment Relations Act 2000 (ERA), which requires every individual employment agreement to include 'a description of the work to be performed by the employee'. A detailed position description satisfies this requirement and, when attached to or incorporated into the individual employment agreement, fulfils the employer's statutory obligations. Without a clear description of the work, disputes about the scope of an employee's duties, the legitimacy of performance management action, and the reasonableness of role changes become significantly harder to resolve.

The Employment Relations Act 2000 is built on the principle of good faith, which is enshrined in section 4. The good faith obligation requires all parties to an employment relationship to be active and constructive in maintaining a productive relationship, to be responsive and communicative, and not to be deceptive or misleading. A well-crafted position description directly supports the good faith obligation by confirming both the employer and employee have a shared, clear understanding of what the role involves and how performance will be assessed.

In New Zealand HR practice, the position description also forms the basis for recruitment and selection (by defining what the successful candidate must bring to the role), for performance management and development (by establishing the benchmarks against which performance is assessed), for organisational design and workforce planning (by documenting the reporting structure and functional scope of each role), and for compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (by documenting the health and safety responsibilities associated with the role).

For public sector organisations, position descriptions must also reflect the requirements of the Public Service Act 2020 and the Public Service Commission's position description framework. For Māori organisations and those working with Māori communities, position descriptions typically include a commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi / Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles of partnership, participation, and protection.

A position description is needed at several key points in the employment lifecycle in New Zealand.

At the recruitment and hiring stage, a position description is essential for advertising a vacancy, briefing a recruitment agency, and assessing candidates consistently and fairly. The Human Rights Act 1993 prohibits discrimination in employment on a range of prohibited grounds, and having objective, skills-based selection criteria documented in a position description supports fair and defensible hiring decisions. A clear position description allows candidates to assess their own suitability and helps interviewers ask consistent, role-relevant questions.

At the commencement of employment, the position description should be attached to or incorporated into the individual employment agreement to satisfy the requirements of section 65(2)(a)(ii) of the ERA. The employee should receive, read, and acknowledge the position description before commencing work, as required by the mandatory provision of employment agreements under the ERA 2000.

During employment, the position description is used as the basis for regular performance reviews, goal-setting, and development conversations. The key performance indicators and competencies in the position description provide the benchmarks for performance assessment. Under the ERA's good faith obligation, employers must communicate clearly with employees about their performance and what is required of them — which requires the position description to be current and accurate.

When managing underperformance, a current position description is essential. The Employment Relations Authority has consistently held that employers cannot take disciplinary action for poor performance without first establishing that the employee clearly understood what was required of them. Without a documented position description, an employer may struggle to demonstrate that their performance expectations were fair and communicated.

When changing or restructuring roles, a position description documents the current state and provides the basis for consultation under the good faith obligation. If a role is significantly changed, the employee's agreement is required under section 65(2)(b) of the ERA, and the position description must be updated accordingly.

A well-drafted New Zealand Position Description must address the following key elements to be effective for employment, HR, and compliance purposes.

The position summary provides a quick overview of the role, including the job title, employment type (full-time, part-time, casual, or fixed-term), the person the role reports to, any direct reports, the primary place of work, and the remuneration range. These details are required elements of the individual employment agreement under section 65 of the ERA and should be consistent between the position description and the employment agreement.

The purpose of role statement explains in one or two sentences why the role exists and what it is ultimately accountable for. A strong purpose statement helps the employee understand how their role contributes to the organisation's goals and provides context for all the specific responsibilities listed below it.

The key responsibilities section is the core of the position description and should describe, in specific and measurable terms, what the employee is expected to do. The duties should be listed in order of priority or logical grouping and should be aligned with the skills, qualifications, and competencies required for the role. The ERA requires the employment agreement to include a description of the work to be performed, and this section satisfies that requirement.

Key performance indicators (KPIs) or success criteria document how performance in the role will be measured. Clear, specific, and measurable KPIs support fair and defensible performance management processes under the ERA 2000.

The qualifications and experience section should distinguish between essential requirements (which candidates must have to be considered) and desirable attributes (which are advantageous but not mandatory). Essential requirements must be genuinely necessary for the role and must not discriminate on grounds prohibited by the Human Rights Act 1993.

The health and safety responsibilities section must reflect the employee's obligations under section 45 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. All employees have a statutory duty to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and to take reasonable care that their acts or omissions do not adversely affect the health and safety of others. Role-specific health and safety responsibilities should be documented where the role involves particular hazards, supervisory responsibilities for others' safety, or work with hazardous materials or equipment.

The approval and review section documents when the position description was approved, by whom, and when it should next be reviewed. Position descriptions should be reviewed at least annually and updated whenever the role materially changes. The forms-legal.com Job Description Template (New Zealand) provides a ready-to-use template that meets New Zealand legal requirements.