Design or Evaluate a Position

Ensure you have completed all prior steps for recruitment before proceeding.


The Job Design and Evaluation team establishes fair and equitable base pay, designs jobs for the organization and supports faculties and units in the design of organizational structures aligned with strategic objectives.

If you’d like the Job Design and Evaluation team to save and file a position description, job card or job fact sheet you have revised, please email it to job.evaluation@ualberta.ca and indicate the changes are an “update” to our records and not a job evaluation request. Updating the file does not replace job evaluation. Use the steps below to determine whether a job evaluation is required.

Steps

1. Understand employee types and funding sources

The University of Alberta employs a variety of employee types. Consult your HR Service Partner to understand what type of position you should hire. Consult your Finance Partner to advise where funding will come from—operating or trust funds.

2. Determine if a position requires evaluation
Job evaluation is required for:
  • A new position (not yet created)
  • Existing vacant position (position exists but is not occupied by an employee and has not been evaluated within the past five years)
  • Encumbered position (position exists and is occupied by an employee)
  • Double head count position (position exists and is occupied by an employee who will be away and the position needs to be backfilled)
    • Double head counts are only available in support staff roles.
    • If you want to backfill an APO position, plan to create an additional TLAPS position.
    • If you want to backfill a MAPS position, plan to create a temporary MAPS position.
  • Significant changes to duties or qualifications (i.e. supervision responsibilities have been added).

Review the table below to determine what additional guidelines may apply.

Job evaluation is REQUIRED
(unless under 0.4 of a full-time employee)		 Job evaluation is NOT REQUIRED
  • Support - Regular
  • Support - Auxiliary (1 year +)
  • Trust/Research Academic Staff (TRAS)
    (Research Associate, Trust Professional, Trust Administrator)
  • Temporary Librarian and Professional Officer (TLAPO)
    Evaluation always required
  • Administrative Professional Officer (APO)
  • Management and Professional Staff (MAPS)
  • Temporary MAPS (8 months +)
  • Support - Casual (1 year or less)
  • Faculty Service Officer (FSO)
  • Academic Teaching Staff (ATS)
  • Librarian
  • Faculty (Chairs, Deans, Associate Chairs/Deans, Professors)
  • Casual Academic
  • Coaches
  • Postdoctoral Fellows
  • Temporary MAPS (under 8 months)

If you do not see a specific scenario in the table, discuss with your HR Service Partner.

In circumstances where a job evaluation is not required, but you do not have a copy of the most recent position description, please work through your HR Service Partner to obtain the document.

To backfill, start by discussing with your HR Service Partner.

  • If you want to backfill an APO position, plan to create an additional TLAPS position.
  • If you want to backfill a MAPS position, plan to create a temporary MAPS position.
  • Double head counts are only available for support staff and excluded support staff positions.

If a job evaluation is not needed, skip the rest of the steps on this page.

4. Create an organizational chart

Create an organizational chart that displays the overall reporting structure. Ensure the chart includes:

  • the position
  • supervisor
  • peers
  • any direct reports
  • position numbers and/or working titles
5. Request a job evaluation

The job evaluation along with the approved job card/job fact sheet/position description will be used to draft the job posting and appoint an employee.

Email job.evaluation@ualberta.ca with the following information:

  • Subject line: Faculty or unit
  • CC your HR Service Partner, as well as anyone else you would like to receive confirmation of the evaluation’s result
  • Indicate the type of evaluation requested
  • Indicate if there are re-structures or major organizational changes underway in your area
  • Attach the job card (if applicable), job fact sheet/position description, organizational chart
What to expect after you submit your request

You will receive an automated email acknowledging your submission was received. All job evaluations are entered into the system within 48 hours of being received and will be completed within the processing timelines detailed in the email.

The evaluation process is completed based on the content of the information provided, the context in which the work is done and comparator positions at the university. Positions are reviewed with the appropriate evaluation methodology:

  • The Aiken Plan (for NASA and excluded support staff),
  • The Hay Plan (for APOs and MAPS), or
  • Internally developed ranking systems (for other position types).
The evaluation results are sent to the individuals CC’d in the request for evaluation email. The HR Service Partner and incumbent (the person in the position, if applicable) are always included in the results.
Hiring a foreign national?

If applications are open to foreign nationals, there are additional steps you must take. Learn more