Part of the HR templates hub. It is free, printable and placeholder-based — read it here, copy the block, or use the print/save-as-PDF button. For the wider practice, see the related employer-operations guides and the HR metrics it supports.
Template overview
The template moves from the essentials (title, team, purpose) to responsibilities, the skills and experience that matter, and the practical details. It is intentionally generic so you can shape it to any role and keep your descriptions consistent across the organisation.
When to use it
- Opening a new role and writing the description from scratch.
- Standardising job descriptions so they read consistently across teams.
- Refreshing an old description before re-advertising a role.
Who it is for
- Founders and hiring managers defining a role.
- Recruiters and HR turning a request into an advert.
- Team leads aligning on what a role actually needs.
Template structure
- Role essentials — title, team, location, type and who it reports to.
- Purpose — one or two lines on why the role exists.
- Responsibilities — the core, ongoing work.
- Skills and experience — must-haves versus nice-to-haves.
- Practical details — working pattern and how to apply.
Printable template
Copy the block below and replace every [bracketed] placeholder. It contains no real names or data — adapt every part to your situation.
Example (placeholder version)
An illustrative version using placeholders only — it shows the kind of content each part holds, with no real employee or company data.
Customisation guidance
- Keep responsibilities to the handful that define the role — long lists dilute the signal.
- Split must-haves from nice-to-haves honestly; over-specifying narrows your pool.
- Use plain, inclusive language and avoid internal jargon a candidate would not know.
- Match the wording to how you will screen and interview, so the description and the process agree.
Common mistakes
- Listing every possible task instead of the core responsibilities.
- Marking nice-to-haves as must-haves and shrinking the candidate pool.
- Copying an old description without checking it still matches the role.
- Describing the team rather than the job the person will do.
Create a professional CV
Hiring for a role like this? Candidates can create and update a clean, well-structured resume with the HELPERG CV Builder — useful to share with applicants who need to refresh their CV before applying.
Export, edit and share documents
Once you have filled in this template, you can export, edit, sign, store and share it as a PDF with the HELPERG PDF Editor — handy for sending a finished document or keeping a clean record.
Free, printable HR resources
Every template here is free and ungated. Grab the matching downloadable checklists too — no signup.