Job Description Examples for 10 Common Roles

The easiest way to see what a good job description looks like is to read a few. Below are ten, written for common roles in ordinary organisations. Each has a summary, the main responsibilities, and what the person needs. They are deliberately compact: use them as a starting point, then add your own pay range, location and benefits.

If you want a blank form to fill in, use a job description template. If you want to understand why each line is written the way it is, read the full guide to writing a job description, which also includes examples for customer support, marketing and software engineering roles.

How to use these examples

• Change the numbers. "Manage 20 invoices a day" is only right if it is true for your team.
• Keep the verbs. Each responsibility starts with an action and ends with an outcome, which is what makes it easy to read.
• Add what is missing: pay range, location, hours and how to apply.

1. Administrative Assistant

Summary. You will keep the office running day to day, so that managers can spend their time on their own work and visitors and callers have a good first impression.

• Manage calendars, book meetings and travel, and confirm details in advance.
• Answer calls and emails, and route them to the right person the same day.
• Prepare documents, reports and meeting notes, and file them where the team can find them.
• Order supplies and keep the office stocked within budget.

You need: Strong written communication, comfort with office software, and the ability to juggle several requests politely.

2. Sales Representative

Summary. You will find new customers and turn interest into signed deals, working to a monthly target with the support of a sales manager.

• Contact prospects by phone, email and video call and understand what they need.
• Run product demonstrations and prepare quotes.
• Keep every conversation up to date in the CRM, so the team can see the pipeline.
• Meet a monthly target and report progress each week.

You need: A track record in sales or a customer-facing role, clear spoken communication, and resilience when a deal falls through. State the pay split between base salary and commission.

3. Project Manager

Summary. You will plan and deliver projects on time and within budget, and make sure everyone involved knows what is expected of them.

• Define scope, schedule and budget with the sponsor before work starts.
• Break the project into tasks, assign owners and track progress each week.
• Identify risks early and agree how to deal with them.
• Report status to stakeholders in plain language and escalate problems promptly.

You need: Experience delivering projects with several people involved, comfort with a project tracking tool, and the ability to give honest news calmly. A formal certification can be listed as a plus, but experience should come first.

4. Graphic Designer

Summary. You will create the visual material that represents our brand, from social media graphics to documents and web banners.

• Turn written briefs into layouts, and present options with a short explanation.
• Keep work consistent with the brand style guide, and improve the guide as it grows.
• Prepare files in the right sizes and formats for print and digital use.
• Manage revisions and meet agreed deadlines.

You need: A portfolio showing finished work, fluency in design software such as Figma or Adobe tools, and an eye for typography and layout. Ask for a portfolio instead of years of experience.

5. Data Analyst

Summary. You will turn raw data into clear answers, so that teams across the business can make decisions with evidence.

• Write queries to pull and clean data from our databases.
• Build dashboards that update automatically and are easy for non-specialists to read.
• Answer questions from other teams and explain the findings, including their limits.
• Check the accuracy of data sources and flag problems at the source.

You need: Working SQL, experience with a spreadsheet or business intelligence tool, and the ability to explain numbers to people who do not work with them every day.

6. Accountant

Summary. You will keep our financial records accurate and up to date, and help the finance team close each month on schedule.

• Record transactions and reconcile bank and supplier accounts monthly.
• Prepare month-end journals and support the preparation of management accounts.
• Process and check invoices and expense claims against policy.
• Assist external accountants and auditors with the information they request.

You need: A relevant accounting qualification or equivalent experience, familiarity with accounting software, and careful attention to detail. List any qualification your jurisdiction actually requires for the work.

7. HR Coordinator

Summary. You will support the full employee lifecycle, from the first interview to the last day, and keep people processes running smoothly.

• Schedule interviews, send offers and prepare onboarding for new starters.
• Maintain employee records and keep them accurate and confidential.
• Answer employee questions about policies, leave and benefits, or direct them to the right person.
• Help prepare job descriptions, postings and reports on hiring and turnover.

You need: Discretion with sensitive information, organised working habits, and good communication. Experience in an HR or administration role is helpful.

8. Content Writer

Summary. You will write clear, accurate articles that answer the questions our readers search for, and help our site earn a steady audience.

• Research a topic, interview sources where needed, and write drafts to the agreed length and deadline.
• Follow our style guide and make a draft easy to scan with headings and short paragraphs.
• Check facts and cite sources for every claim that needs one.
• Review traffic and reader feedback, and update older articles when they go out of date.

You need: Published writing samples, strong grammar, and the ability to learn a new subject quickly. Experience with search optimisation is a plus.

9. Operations Manager

Summary. You will make sure the business delivers what it promises, by improving processes, managing suppliers and leading the day-to-day operations team.

• Manage a team of [number] people, set weekly priorities and hold regular one-to-ones.
• Review processes, find where work is delayed or repeated, and make improvements.
• Manage supplier relationships and negotiate terms.
• Track key measures such as delivery time, cost and customer complaints, and report on them monthly.

You need: Experience leading a team, comfort with budgets and data, and a practical approach to solving problems.

10. Warehouse Associate

Summary. You will receive, store and ship goods accurately and safely, so that customer orders go out on time.

• Unload deliveries, check them against paperwork and report any damage or shortage.
• Pick, pack and label orders accurately using a scanner.
• Keep your work area clean and follow all health and safety rules.
• Operate equipment such as pallet jacks, after training and in line with safety rules.

You need: The ability to lift [state the weight honestly] and stand for long periods, attention to detail and a safety-first attitude. No previous experience is needed if you provide training, and saying so widens your pool of applicants. State the shift pattern and pay clearly.

What these examples have in common

• The summary says why the job exists. It is written about the purpose, not the company.
• Responsibilities are specific. Each has a verb and something you could check.
• Requirements are short. They describe what a person must be able to do, not a long wish list.
• They leave room to add pay. Under the rules in a growing number of places, you will need to. Our guide to pay transparency in job descriptions explains what to include.

Frequently asked questions

Can I copy these examples word for word?

You can, but it is better not to. Every workplace is different, and a posting that describes your real team will attract better applicants than a generic one.

How specific should the requirements be?

Specific enough to separate people who can do the job from those who cannot, and no more. Ask for a skill or a portfolio rather than a number of years when you can.

Do I need a different job description for every level of seniority?

Yes. A junior and a senior version of the same role differ in scope, independence and who they manage, and candidates read those differences closely.