How to Write a Good Job Description

Writing a good job description is essential. It’s the gateway to reaching top talent and your charity’s first impression on potential candidates. Surprisingly, though, many recruiters still find themselves struggling to write effective job descriptions or don’t know where to start.

That’s why we’ve done extensive research into what actually makes a good job description, analysed our top-performing job ads and gathered valuable insights from candidates themselves.

How long is a good job description?

You should aim to keep your job descriptions succinct (aim for 300–700 words total), clear about all aspects of the job, and focused on how the charity and role makes a difference.

Here, we’ll walk you through seven simple steps to create appealing and engaging job descriptions that attract top-quality talent.

1. Tell readers what your charity is passionate about

Begin your job description with your organisation’s vision and goals to inspire readers from the very start. Use powerful, positive language to convey the importance and impact of the work you do.

For example:

• “At We Care UK, our mission is clear: prevent heart attacks, empower lives. Together, we champion heart health for those at risk, creating a world where every beat counts, and hearts stay strong.”
• “At Birmingham Youth Association, we’re devoted to empowering vulnerable young people through education, employment, and training initiatives. We aim to unlock potential and shape a brighter future for young people in Birmingham.”
• “At Embracing Minds, our mission is to champion neurodiversity and create a world where every mind is valued, celebrated and empowered.”

 

2. What does your charity do and why is it great to work there?

Next, give an overview of your charity’s key projects and the support and services you provide. You may also want to include a short description of the workplace and culture. This is your sales pitch – keep it succinct and impactful.

One tip to consider is adding a motivational question to draw in prospective candidates (e.g. ‘Do you want to help create a world where both people and the planet flourish in harmony?’).

Here’s an example:

• “Each year, we work in partnership with hundreds of organisations and businesses to foster best practices that champion inclusivity. With our helpline and comprehensive training opportunities, we provide unwavering support to neurodivergent individuals throughout their working journeys. We take pride in our forward-thinking, open and transparent approach, making a tangible difference in the lives of those we serve. Are you ready to join our passionate team as we embrace the power of neurodiversity together?”

 

3. What is the role and its impact?

CharityJob candidates want to make a difference. In a sentence or two, give an overview of the role, what’s exciting about it and how it contributes to the charity’s mission.

For example:

• “As Campaigns Manager, you’ll play a leading role in developing and delivering campaigns that raise awareness and garner support for neurodivergent individuals.”
• “As Fundraising Officer, you’ll play a vital role in securing funding for our two core programmes aimed to support those at risk of criminal exploitation and increasing uptake in education, employment and training.”
• “As Finance Manager at We Care UK, you’ll be at the heart of our strategic vision. You’ll support the organisation to deliver its financial targets through building and nurturing trusted relationships.”

4. Highlight the key details

CharityJob candidates told us that they want recruiters to increase clarity in job descriptions.

List essential practical information, including office location, hours, flexible working arrangements, salary, benefits, annual leave, contract type, job application process and closing date. Be as clear as possible and be upfront about whether you may close the ad early. And remember to use the CharityJob Salary Checker to benchmark your salary against sector standards.

For example:

“Position: Fundraising Officer

Responsible to: Head of Fundraising

Location: Flexible and remote working is offered to all staff. We have an office in Vauxhall, London for those who wish to come into the office.

Hours: 35 hours per week (full-time), core hours of 10am–4pm

Salary: £30,000–£32,000 per annum

Annual leave and benefits:

• 30 days annual leave (not including bank holidays)
• Enhanced maternity and parental leave
• Company pension scheme with matched contributions of 5% after 3 months
• Healthcare cash plan
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• Long service leave entitlement after 3 years of service and 1-year unpaid sabbatical leave after 5 years of service
• Career development loans

How to apply: Click the Quick Apply button below. You’ll be asked to submit a CV and answer a few short screening questions about your relevant skills and motivation.

First-round interviews will take place in the week commencing 14 November; final interviews are due to take place in the week commencing 21 November.

Closing date: 14 October 2023.

Please note, we’re actively reviewing applications and interviews will be held on a rolling basis. The ad may close early if a successful candidate is found.”

5. What are the responsibilities?

Next you should summarise the post holder’s key tasks. It might help to focus on what they’ll do in a typical day or week, key projects and working relationships. Write in bullets and don’t list every single responsibility, just the most important ones.

You should also use second-person pronouns (i.e. ‘you’) to help the reader imagine themselves in the role.

Here’s an example:

“What you’ll be working on:

• You’ll lead the development and delivery of compelling campaigns, including Mindful Minds and NeuroChampions, leveraging your creativity and strategic insight to promote understanding and support for neurodiversity.
• You’ll lead the campaigns team, line managing a Campaigns Officer and an Email Campaigns Officer, fostering their professional growth and nurturing their potential.
• You’ll craft high-quality campaign materials and messages and drive impactful communication across various channels to reach diverse audiences.
• You’ll collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Fundraising and Marketing, to ensure campaigns align with Embracing Minds’ overall vision and objectives.
• You’ll monitor and evaluate campaign performance to continuously improve strategies, ensuring maximum reach and impact.”

 

6. What are the requirements?

Specify the skills, behaviours or personal characteristics needed for the role. But stick to the essentials and avoid asking for years of experience or qualifications unless they’re absolutely vital. These are poor predictors of job performance and can put capable candidates off applying, reducing inclusivity. For example, women are less likely to apply for roles where they don’t meet all the criteria.

A smart tip is also to centre the candidate by saying ‘This job is for you if…’ rather than ‘We are looking for…’.

Examples:

“This job is for you if…

• you work effectively with others to identify, analyse, and solve problems
• you thrive developing innovative fundraising ideas and campaigns
• you have a genuine passion for improving the outcomes of vulnerable young people in Birmingham and can inspire others to support through your enthusiasm
• you’re highly results-driven with a proven track record of achieving fundraising goals or similar objectives, through either direct or transferrable experience.”

 

7. Note any additional important information

For example, if you have an EDI policy or you want to encourage people who may not match all the criteria to apply, you should mention that here.

You may also want to provide an expected timeline for getting back to candidates.

 

Ready to put this into practice? Post a job today.