Glossary

Below is a glossary of terms that you may find useful when learning about this project. It will be updated, as needed, as the project continues.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

 

A

Appointed Staff: Employees who hold budgeted university staff positions that may be eligible for such benefits as health care, life insurance, tuition benefit, vacation, and other paid time off benefits.

 

C

Career Evolution: The result of growth and development of knowledge, skills and abilities combined with experience that enables an individual to explore new career opportunities that align with personal goals and interests. Career evolution is not necessarily linear; an individual could be interested and move into a different role at the same level, but within a different job family/function.

Career Level: Represents the position of a role within a career structure measured by typical work dimensions. Proficiency and complexity progress within each work dimension as levels increase.

Career Level Description: Defines the level of a role based on typical characteristics within various work dimensions. Articulates the increasing responsibilities and requirements of roles. The description for a particular career level is consistent across all job families and roles. Career level descriptions will be included as part of each role descriptor.

Career Structure: The job framework includes three career structures based on the type of role (see definitions below). Each career structure is comprised of multiple levels. Most roles will have multiple levels within a given career structure that demonstrate growth and represent progressive proficiency and complexity.

The Career Structures of the job framework are defined as follows:

Non-exempt – Individual Contributor: This career structure contains only non-exempt (overtime-eligible) roles across the university. Non-exempt roles do not meet the criteria as outlined by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) duties exemption tests and/or do not meet the FLSA minimum salary threshold to qualify as exempt from overtime.

Exempt – Individual Contributor: This career structure contains exempt (not overtime-eligible) individual contributor roles across the university. An individual contributor role is not primarily responsible for managing other staff employees. Exempt roles are paid on a salary basis and must meet the criteria of at least one of the FLSA duties exemption tests and meet the minimum salary threshold as outlined by the FLSA.

Exempt – People Leader: This career structure contains exempt (not overtime-eligible) people leader roles across the university. A people leader role is primarily responsible for overseeing and managing other staff employees. Exempt roles are paid on a salary basis and must meet the criteria of at least one of the FLSA duties exemption tests and meet the minimum salary threshold as outlined by the FLSA.

For additional information on the FLSA and the criteria to determine whether a position may be considered exempt from overtime, please visit the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division website.

Competencies: Competencies are the combination of observable and measurable abilities and/or personal attributes that can be improved and developed over time and contribute to enhanced performance. Explore IU’s Staff Competencies.

 

J

Job Family: A sub-category of classification that represents a group of jobs performing similar types of work and requiring similar skills, knowledge, and/or expertise. Each job function has its own group of job families. Some examples of families within the Finance function include: Accounting, Payroll, or Tax.

Job Framework: The structure or overall organization of jobs within job functions, job families, and job levels used to identify career progressions and to facilitate effective compensation administration. The job framework consists of: job function, job family, career structure, career level, career level description, work dimensions, and role descriptor.

Job Function: The largest category of classification that represents a group of related job families. Some examples of functions include: Information Technology, Finance, or Student Services.

 

M

Mapping: The review process for matching a staff position/job to a role descriptor in the job framework that most accurately represents it.

Market-based Pay: The competitive range of pay for a job based upon analysis of relevant external compensation survey data.

 

R

Role Descriptor: A summary of the most important aspects of a job that includes a brief summary, fundamental responsibilities, and work dimension details that are typical for the career level. Role descriptors create the foundation for career development. Example role descripton

 

S

Salary Surveys: Third-party surveys comprised of company-sourced compensation data matched to jobs commonly found in organizations (public and private) at varying levels with increasing essential responsibilities and qualifications.

System Titles: Roles will be given new system titles if there isn’t an industry-recognized title that is more fitting, such as: Custodian, Nurse, or Academic Advisor.

  • Non-exempt – Individual Contributor roles, regardless of level, will have one of the following (preceded by the job family name): Representative, Coordinator, Assistant, or Technician.
  • Exempt – Individual Contributor roles, regardless of level, will have one of the following (preceded by job family name): Analyst, Consultant, Generalist, or Specialist.
  • Exempt – People Leader roles, regardless of level, will have the following (preceded by job family name): Leader.

Learn more about titles in the new framework.

 

W

Work Dimensions: Categories within Career Level Descriptions that describe typical characteristics of a role based upon Career Level. Work dimension descriptions are consistent across all job families and roles for a particular Career Level. See an example of a role descriptor, including definitions of each work dimension in the Role Descriptor document.

Functional Knowledge: Describes the typical level of functional understanding (knowledge) necessary for a role at a given career level.

Problem Solving & Complexity: Describes the typical expectations for problem-solving and level of complexity of work for roles at a given career level.

Autonomy & Decision-Making: Describes the typical amount of independence and level of decision-making for roles at a given career level.

Scope & Impact: Describes the typical scope and impact associated with roles at a given career level.

Leadership & Influence: Describes the typical leadership characteristics, as well as the typical amount of strategic and/or operational influence a role might have at a given career level.

Working Title: Working titles (also called marketing titles) allow additional flexibility (within reason) for what positions are called within departments. With leadership and departmental HR approval, working titles may be allowed within established guidelines. These titles 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.

Working titles are not managed or administered by IUHR.