Frequently Asked Questions

Below is a summary of the most frequently asked questions received from staff and leaders throughout the course of the project. If you have additional questions that you’re not finding answers to, let us know.

Last updated February 26, 2021.

Top FAQ

How does this affect me?

Put simply, the new job framework reorganizes jobs in a way that is clear and consistent across the university.

The new framework does not change base salaries, job duties, eliminate jobs, or impact the importance of any jobs at IU. It replaces the existing classification structure for appointed staff positions, and eliminates outdated labels such as professional, service, and support. It organizes jobs at IU into clearly defined functions, families, roles, and levels—making it easier for everyone to see opportunities for career growth at IU.

When you know where your role fits into the new framework, you’ll be able to use the IU Career Navigator tool (available February 21, 2021) to explore all jobs at IU. You can view your role and role descriptor—and every other role and role descriptor at IU—to make comparisons and uncover career opportunities.

The new framework gives you a clearer view of your job and how it relates to other jobs, your individual career path, and opportunities for development and growth at IU. When paired with career planning and development tools, you’ll be able to plan your career at IU like never before and focus on developing the skills and competencies you need to succeed.

Learn how the framework can uncover career opportunities or see some examples of the framework in action.

What do I do with my job framework information?

With the transparent job framework in place, you now can see all roles at IU, consider potential career paths, and plan your career at IU. You can use your information and the IU Career Navigator to view your role inside the IU job framework and see how it relates to others. You can view and compare the role descriptors for any job, which will let you determine which skills and competencies you need to develop to take on a new role when it’s available.

Career Planning at IU is a suite of career planning and development tools, resources, and guidance that can help you plot your career path, then guide your growth and development as you pursue your career goals.

See some examples of how you can use the framework’s structure to consider new roles at IU.

For a more in-depth look at how the job framework helps rethink staff careers at IU, see the February 10, 2021 edition of Inside IU.

What is a role descriptor?

A role descriptor is a high-level summary of the most important aspects of a job that includes a brief summary, fundamental responsibilities, and work dimension details typical for the career level.

Role descriptors are not specific to any one individual position and should represent the position at a high level. In most cases, role descriptors are representative of numerous positions. In the new job framework, role descriptors capture job responsibilities rather than day-to-day tasks. This is why the role descriptor may not seem like a perfect fit–it’s not intended to be an exact representation.

See an example of a role descriptor.

Why is my role descriptor not specific to me and my position?

Since role descriptors are intended to be representative of many positions, they are focused on describing job responsibilities rather than describing the day-to-day tasks that are specific to an individual position.

The role descriptor is essentially a job profile that describes a particular role in a generalized way. Expectations for performance in a position and specific assignments should come from ongoing discussions with a leader. The role descriptor is not intended to guide day-to-day work that may be constantly evolving or changing.

The IU HR Compensation team acknowledges and understands that “hybrid” roles exist across the university. When considering which function, family, or role descriptor is most appropriate for these roles, we identify the primary purpose of the position (why does it exist?) and the primary skillset necessary to help identify the most appropriate fit.

Why is my title changing?

System titles have changed for most positions to create a common language and improve consistency across the university. Having consistent system titles makes it much easier for current and prospective employees to understand the relationships between roles for career planning purposes. It also allows for a more accurate assessment of IU’s compensation compared to the external market.

Learn more about titles in the new framework.

Why isn’t my position mapped to a higher career level based on my education and experience?

The job framework project focused on reorganizing jobs/positions NOT employees/people. When determining the appropriate career level, the position is considered, not the person occupying that position. This includes evaluating the current level of a position in comparison to similar positions across the department, campus, and university. It is not uncommon for employees to have more years of experience than what is minimally required in a role descriptor since it is only a minimum; departments often hire candidates who have more than the minimum experience/education.

While every staff position at IU will be associated with a new career structure and career level, this is NOT intended to be interpreted as a demotion/promotion for any position. If positions are currently classified at the same level, it is most likely that the levels within the new framework will be the same as well. The new job framework simply reorganizes jobs in a way that is clear and consistent across the university.

Why are the minimum requirements or degree for the role I’m mapped to fewer or lower than before?

A primary goal of the job framework project is to create consistency in the classification structure across the university. Historically, each campus has had its own classification structure for non-exempt positions. This led to large differences in what positions have minimally required for education/experience qualifications even though the positions are described the same and performing the same duties/responsibilities.

Identifying the appropriate minimum education/experience for a role descriptor required analysis and review of current descriptions on file, union-covered position historical minimums, and more, to determine the most appropriate qualifications to consider as minimum qualifications. The redesign also looked at third-party survey data to consider the typical education/experience for a role at a given level.

Why was I mapped to an individual contributor role rather than a people leader role?

Positions that exist primarily to direct/oversee the work and outcomes of other staff positions are classified as People Leader roles. If a position does not directly supervise the work of staff positions and/or if the position is a mix of leadership and performing the work (for example, a position that is expected to perform the same work at a higher level while also acting in a leadership capacity for lower level positions) it would be most appropriately classified as an individual contributor role.

I lead strategic efforts and/or collaborative initiatives for my area. Why doesn’t that define me as a leader?

It is not uncommon for an exempt individual contributor to have strategic impact and/or be considered a leader within their department/school. That said, a position that is leading strategic efforts and collaborative initiatives without having direct supervision of other staff would be accurately classified as an individual contributor.

Why make this change now?

The new job framework will launch as planned on February 21, 2021. At some point, COVID-19 will be behind IU and the hiring freeze will be lifted. The goal is to make sure staff have what they need to prepare for what's on the other side of the current situation.

From a career perspective, staff should be planning for the future and what's next for them, no matter what. Ultimately, this project is about giving staff the tools and ability to plan a career at IU, focus on their development, and prepare for the future, whatever that may be.

About the Project

What is the Job Framework Redesign Project?

The Job Framework Redesign Project is an initiative to implement a consistent, modernized structure for organizing jobs university-wide.

How will this project benefit employees?

Appointed staff employees and managers will have a new, transparent job framework, with clearly and consistently defined jobs, levels, and role descriptors. User-friendly resources and tools will be available that will make it easier for employees to explore and consider what a career at Indiana University means for them.

Who is leading the project?

The IU HR Compensation Team is leading the project and will be working closely with several advisory groups.

Why do pilots and what will be the result?

Pilots are opportunities to refine our process for implementing the new job framework. Through the pilots, we hope to identify the most efficient and consistent process for implementing the new job framework across all appointed staff jobs in the university. While the pilots offer opportunities to begin considering jobs in the context of the new framework, nothing will be formally implemented until the launch of the new framework.

When is the project anticipated to be completed?

The project ends and the new job framework launches on February 21, 2021.

How much input will department leaders have in developing role descriptors, especially for jobs that are unique to one specific department?

The IU HR Compensation team will have different approaches for developing role descriptors based on what makes the most sense for the job family. For most roles, IU HR Compensation will take the lead on writing the first draft of the role descriptor. We will then work with stakeholders and HR partners in departments, schools, responsibility centers, and across campuses to vet and get feedback on what we’ve drafted. We will work to make sure that we vet role descriptors with HR partners and managers that support areas where there are numerous positions performing a given role (in other words, areas that could be considered “subject matter experts” for the role(s)). For roles that are very unique and/or specific, stakeholders, HR partners, and/or managers may even reach out to employees in these positions for feedback or information.

Will employees be able to provide input on the new design?

Yes, we’re listening! Employees are encouraged to submit input via the Contact Us webform. There will also be opportunities to attend Listening Sessions on various topics as the project progresses. Be sure to check out the Tools and Resources page for past Listening Sessions.

The New Framework’s Structure

What is a job framework?

A job framework is the structure or overall organization of jobs within job functions, job families, and job levels and is used to better identify career progressions and to facilitate effective compensation administration.

Are temporary/hourly positions part of the new framework?

Temporary/hourly positions will not be affected by this project or included in the new framework.

Are faculty/academic positions included in the new framework?

Faculty and/or academic positions will not be affected by this project or included in the new framework.

How are the job functions and job families being determined?

We are using third-party surveys that contain both cross-industry and higher education jobs as a primary source to inform and shape our decisions. In addition, we are taking into consideration what makes sense for how we organize jobs and our new framework at Indiana University

Will the minimum requirements for jobs be flexible or firm?

We will have typical minimum requirements for each role descriptor/job. There will be flexibility for managers to add preferred requirements, qualifications, or skills to job postings.

How will roles that have duties that span across multiple job families be classified?

The IU HR Compensation team acknowledges and understands that “hybrid” roles exist across the university. When considering which function/family is most appropriate, we will be first thinking about the primary purpose of the role (why does it exist?) to determine which function/family makes the most sense. If the role is truly 50/50 split between two functions (or families), we’ll work with stakeholders and HR partners to make the best possible decision considering all factors. There is a possibility that we may need to create additional families to accommodate truly “hybrid” roles.

What is a role descriptor?

A role descriptor is a high-level summary of the most important aspects of a job that includes a brief summary, fundamental responsibilities, and work dimension details typical for the career level.

Role descriptors are not specific to any one individual position and should represent the position at a high level. In most cases, role descriptors are representative of numerous positions. In the new job framework, role descriptors capture job responsibilities rather than day-to-day tasks. This is why the role descriptor may not seem like a perfect fit–it’s not intended to be an exact representation.

See an example of a role descriptor.

Do role descriptors include day-to-day tasks and specific duties for an individual position?

No. Role descriptors do not include specificity for any one individual position. In the new job framework, role descriptors capture job responsibilities rather than day-to-day tasks. Generally, responsibilities demonstrate what a position is responsible or accountable for completely whereas tasks demonstrate (more/less) how an individual might be expected to go about accomplishing the work.

Why isn’t my position mapped to a higher career level based on my education and experience?

The job framework project focused on reorganizing jobs/positions NOT employees/people. When determining the appropriate career level, the position is considered, not the person occupying that position. This includes evaluating the current level of a position in comparison to similar positions across the department, campus, and university. It is not uncommon for employees to have more years of experience than what is minimally required in a role descriptor since it is only a minimum; departments often hire candidates who have more than the minimum experience/education.

While every staff position at IU will be associated with a new career structure and career level, this is NOT intended to be interpreted as a demotion/promotion for any position. If positions are currently classified at the same level, it is most likely that the levels within the new framework will be the same as well. The new job framework simply reorganizes jobs in a way that is clear and consistent across the university.

Why are the minimum requirements or degree for the role I’m mapped to fewer or lower than before?

A primary goal of the job framework project is to create consistency in the classification structure across the university. Historically, each campus has had its own classification structure for non-exempt positions. This led to large differences in what positions have minimally required for education/experience qualifications even though the positions are described the same and performing the same duties/responsibilities.

Identifying the appropriate minimum education/experience for a role descriptor required analysis and review of current descriptions on file, union-covered position historical minimums, and more, to determine the most appropriate qualifications to consider as minimum qualifications. The redesign also looked at third-party survey data to consider the typical education/experience for a role at a given level.

Titles and the New Framework

Why is my title changing?

System titles have changed for most positions to create a common language and improve consistency across the university. Having consistent system titles makes it much easier for current and prospective employees to understand the relationships between roles for career planning purposes. It also allows for a more accurate assessment of IU’s compensation compared to the external market.

Learn more about titles in the new framework.

What if I don’t agree with my system title?

Titles are not intended to be specific to any individual. In most cases, they are representative of numerous positions. This is why the title may not seem like a perfect fit–it’s not intended to be an exact representation, but to give consistency and a common language to positions performing the same or similar work.

Leaders and departmental HR have the flexibility to allow working titles (sometimes referred to as marketing titles) within established guidelines. These can be used for emails, business cards, and internal/external communications. They can also be referenced on job postings (along with system title) and on organizational charts.

Learn more about titles in the new framework.

What is the difference between a system title and a working title?

The system title is either a recognizable industry/market title for the role or determined using the job family name plus a title descriptor (there are specific title descriptors, or labels, used based on the career structure of the role). System titles will be reflected in HR systems.

This is an effort to bring consistency to titling across the university. To allow for additional flexibility, employees may use working titles (also called marketing titles) that will be pre-approved based on the career level and career structure of the role with department/responsibility center approval (manager and HR partner). Working titles will not be maintained in HR systems.

Learn more about titles in the new framework.

How will system titles work for positions that currently have associate director in the title, but are not primarily responsible for leading and/or managing people?

Depending on the level of the role, there will be working titles that will be available to use with local HR and/or management approval in email signatures, business cards, etc. The purpose of creating new system titles is to bring consistency to titling for roles performing the same fundamental responsibilities. If the role is a higher level exempt independent contributor role, there will likely be flexibility to use Associate Director as a working title.

Learn more about titles in the new framework.

Why was I mapped to an individual contributor role rather than a people leader role?

Positions that exist primarily to direct/oversee the work and outcomes of other staff positions are classified as People Leader roles. If a position does not directly supervise the work of staff positions and/or if the position is a mix of leadership and performing the work (for example, a position that is expected to perform the same work at a higher level while also acting in a leadership capacity for lower level positions) it would be most appropriately classified as an individual contributor role.

I lead strategic efforts and/or collaborative initiatives for my area. Why doesn’t that define me as a leader?

It is not uncommon for an exempt individual contributor to have strategic impact and/or be considered a leader within their department/school. That said, a position that is leading strategic efforts and collaborative initiatives without having direct supervision of other staff would be accurately classified as an individual contributor.

My current job title is Coordinator. What is the likelihood that after my job duties are examined that my position is retitled in the system as “Specialist?”

The system title will depend on the career structure: non-exempt individual contributor, exempt independent contributor, or people leader. If the position is currently non-exempt, the system title might remain “coordinator.” If the position is currently exempt, the system title would change since coordinator is a system title that will be used only for non-exempt independent contributor positions.

Learn more about titles in the new framework.

I am using a working title approved by my leader and local HR representative(s). How will employment verifications work if the title on my resume does not match the system title of my role descriptor?

IU’s written employment verifications generally provide your name, compensation, job title, business address and phone, and dates of employment. The title provided will be your current system title, as historical position/title information is not offered without a special request and we cannot verify working titles. We encourage you to include both your working and system titles on your résumé and/or job applications; however, for employment and salary verifications for mortgages or other banking needs, you should list your system title.

Project Impact

Will this project eliminate jobs?

No. No employees will lose their jobs as a result of this project.

Is my job going to change?

Job responsibilities and duties will not change as result of this project.

How does this affect me?

Put simply, the new job framework reorganizes jobs in a way that is clear and consistent across the university.

The new framework does not change base salaries, job duties, eliminate jobs, or impact the importance of any jobs at IU. It replaces the existing classification structure for appointed staff positions, and eliminates outdated labels such as professional, service, and support. It organizes jobs at IU into clearly defined functions, families, roles, and levels—making it easier for everyone to see opportunities for career growth at IU.

When you know where your role fits into the new framework, you’ll be able to use the IU Career Navigator tool (available February 21, 2021) to explore all jobs at IU. You can view your role and role descriptor—and every other role and role descriptor at IU—to make comparisons and uncover career opportunities.

The new framework gives you a clearer view of your job and how it relates to other jobs, your individual career path, and opportunities for development and growth at IU. When paired with career planning and development tools, you’ll be able to plan your career at IU like never before and focus on developing the skills and competencies you need to succeed.

Learn how the framework can uncover career opportunities or see some examples of the framework in action.

Will I have to reapply for my job as a result of the new job framework?

The job framework redesign project will not result in employees having to reapply for their jobs.

Will the job framework result in my position being demoted or promoted?

While every staff position at IU will be associated with a new career structure and career level, this is NOT intended to be interpreted as a demotion/promotion for any position. The job framework project will simply reorganize jobs in a way that is clear and consistent across the university.

Will my current base salary or benefits be impacted by the new job framework?

The new job framework will not be focused on increasing or decreasing base salary pay. Base salaries will not be decreasing as result of this project. If you have immediate concerns about your current compensation or classification we recommend contacting your local campus human resources professional. Similarly, this project is not intended to impact benefits offerings; positions currently classified ‘professional non-exempt’ (PAO) will be restructured in the framework and included with all non-exempt positions. Current benefit options/offerings for PAO employees will not change as a result of the Job Framework Redesign Project.

How will the project affect my job classification?

The project will review jobs across the university to help us understand how they are constructed, organized, and relate to other jobs. This will serve as a foundation as we build out the new job framework. Jobs will be organized into new functions, families, and levels, all of which will be used to determine the classification. Labels such as professional, service, and support will be eliminated. The changes to the classification structures and approach will provide consistency and clarity for employees when considering career development at IU.

What if my job does not fit into one of the new designated job families?

This framework will organize jobs into functions and families based upon the primary purpose and essential responsibilities of the role. Current job duties for each role will not change based on the classification in the new structure.

What will happen to any job classifications in the works with HR currently? Will they be put on hold or denied?

IU HR Compensation is continuing to review and consider significant position changes and ensuring appropriate classification. Closer to the implementation of the new job framework, we will need to discontinue reviewing jobs for reclassification.

When will employees be able to access their role descriptor?

Supervisors will share an employee’s role descriptor alongside their job function, family, career level, and system title in brief conversations in January or February of 2021. Employees will also receive an email from IU Human Resources the week of February 22 listing their job function, family, career level, and system title. The email will contain a link to the IU Career Navigator tool, where role descriptors can be viewed and compared.

The IU Career Navigator tool (available February 21, 2021) gives employees access to not only their own role descriptor, but also all other role descriptors in the job framework below the AVP level. The goal is for employees and managers to be able to explore the roles that exist at IU for development and career planning.

Why is my role descriptor not specific to me and my position?

Since role descriptors are intended to be representative of many positions, they are focused on describing job responsibilities rather than describing the day-to-day tasks that are specific to an individual position.

The role descriptor is essentially a job profile that describes a particular role in a generalized way. Expectations for performance in a position and specific assignments should come from ongoing discussions with a leader. The role descriptor is not intended to guide day-to-day work that may be constantly evolving or changing.

The IU HR Compensation team acknowledges and understands that “hybrid” roles exist across the university. When considering which function, family, or role descriptor is most appropriate for these roles, we identify the primary purpose of the position (why does it exist?) and the primary skillset necessary to help identify the most appropriate fit.

What if I disagree with my new role descriptor?

Role descriptors are not intended to be specific to any individual position(s). In most cases, role descriptors are representative of numerous positions and represent the position at a high level. This is why the role descriptor may not seem like a perfect fit–it’s not intended to be an exact representation. Similarly, new system titles are not an exact representation, but give consistency and a common language to positions performing the same or similar work.

If you have concerns about your role descriptor, we recommend first approaching your supervisor/manager and then your local HR representative. They may have additional context or information to help you understand the decision. If not, local HR can reach to IU HR Compensation for additional review. You may also contact the IU HR Compensation team through the project website.

What happens to PAO positions?

Individuals who currently hold PAO positions will move into the non-exempt individual contributor career structure with grandfathered benefits so long as they remain in the position. If the individual moves into another non-exempt individual contributor role (even at the same level), the benefits offerings will change to be consistent with all other non-exempt individual contributor roles. If the individual moves into an exempt individual contributor role or an exempt people leader role, the benefits offerings will not change and will be consistent with all other exempt roles. When a formerly classified PAO position becomes vacant, benefits will no longer be grandfathered to that position. Going forward, the position will be eligible for the same benefits offered to all other non-exempt individual contributor roles.

Using the New Job Framework – Now What?

What do I do with my job framework information?

With the transparent job framework in place, you now can see all roles at IU, consider potential career paths, and plan your career at IU. You can use your information and the IU Career Navigator to view your role inside the IU job framework and see how it relates to others. You can view and compare the role descriptors for any job, which will let you determine which skills and competencies you need to develop to take on a new role when it’s available.

Career Planning at IU is a suite of career planning and development tools, resources, and guidance that can help you plot your career path, then guide your growth and development as you pursue your career goals.

See some examples of how you can use the framework’s structure to consider new roles at IU.

For a more in-depth look at how the job framework helps rethink staff careers at IU, see the February 10, 2021 edition of Inside IU.

I don’t have access to email or didn’t receive an email. How do I get my information?

You should have received an email from IU Human Resources dated February 22, 2021 with the subject line “Your Job Framework Information.” If you do not have access to email or cannot find your email, please contact your leader (manager or supervisor) or your local HR representative. They will be able to assist you in retrieving your information.

What is the IU Career Navigator?

The IU Career Navigator is the online tool used to explore the job framework. The navigator is always available at One.iu.edu by searching for “Navigator.” You can use it to:

  • View or search for any role at IU
  • View any role’s role descriptor—it shows you the skills and competencies required for that role
  • Compare roles and role descriptors
  • Print or save role descriptors

step-by-step guide to using the navigator is available. 

Launch the IU Career Navigator