Job Description Template: Free Template & Examples

By Mohammad Barzegar, Director, TQN Personnel · Reviewed by Mohammad Sakhvidi · Updated October 2026 · 8 min read

A job description template is a written outline of a role that sets out the purpose, duties, requirements and conditions before you advertise or interview. It must contain four things: the job title and reporting line, the main duties, the essential requirements and the pay basis. Treat the version below as a starting point and adapt it to your award, site and the way you hire employees.

Job description template: what to include

A clear structure makes the document usable for advertising, interviews and performance reviews. Use the sections below in this order.

Section	What to write	Why it matters
Position details	Job title, department, site, reporting line, employment type, and the award and classification.	It sets pay, leave and the right entitlements from the start.
Purpose of the role	One or two sentences on why the job exists and what it achieves for the business.	It helps candidates and managers see the point of the work.
Key duties	Six to eight main tasks, written as actions you can observe and measure.	They form the basis of interview questions and reviews.
Inherent requirements	The essential physical, mental and technical requirements, plus licences and tickets.	It supports lawful selection and reasonable adjustments.
Skills and experience	Essential and desirable skills, kept separate and tied to the duties.	It avoids ruling out good candidates for non-essential reasons.
Hours, pay and conditions	Ordinary hours, roster pattern, pay basis, super and any allowances.	It prevents confusion at the offer stage.

Job description template you can copy

Copy the text below, replace each [placeholder] and delete any line that does not apply. This is a starting point, not legal advice.

Before you publish, run through this short list.

• Check the award, classification and pay rate against the Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide, and note the date the rate applies from.
• Confirm that every inherent requirement is genuinely essential, and that a reasonable adjustment could not remove the barrier.
• Ask a manager who does the job to read the duties and tell you what is missing or out of date.
• Remove any wording about age, gender, family status or other personal traits that has no link to the duties.
• Add the safety responsibilities, including the site induction, reporting hazards and following procedures on every shift.
• Note that reference checks and police checks need the candidate's written consent and are used only where relevant.
• Save a dated copy, so you can show what was advertised if a question comes up later.

Job description template examples for different roles

Adjust the duties and requirements to the role. These short examples show how the same layout changes.

Site labourer

• Duties: load and unload materials, clean the work area daily, assist tradespeople and follow the site safety plan.
• Requirements: current white card, ability to lift and carry as required, and reliable attendance from the first shift.
• Conditions: confirm the award, the classification and any allowances in the pay guide before you advertise.
• Check: ask to see the white card on the first day before the worker enters an operational construction zone.

Casual cleaner

• Duties: clean offices, amenities and common areas to a checklist, restock supplies and report damage or hazards.
• Requirements: ability to follow chemical labels and safety data sheets, and to work alone or after hours.
• Conditions: casuals receive at least a 25% loading under most awards, and the Casual Employment Information Statement.
• Check: explain that casuals can ask to convert after 6 months, or 12 months with a small business employer.

Plant operator

• Duties: complete pre-start checks, operate the machine safely, record hours and defects, and follow traffic management plans.
• Requirements: the relevant high-risk work licence or ticket for the machine, plus site induction.
• Conditions: confirm overtime, penalty rates and allowances from the award, rather than assuming them.
• Check: verify the licence class and expiry before the first shift.

Office or admin role

• Duties: process timesheets, answer calls, maintain employee records and prepare documents for managers.
• Requirements: accuracy, confidentiality and experience with payroll, rostering or HR systems.
• Conditions: full-time means 38 ordinary hours a week plus reasonable additional hours, with overtime rules from the award.
• Check: store employee records securely and keep time and wage records for 7 years.

Legal must-haves and things to leave out of a job description template

A good document supports lawful selection. If you are unsure whether a line belongs, ask a lawyer.

Include

• State the employment type, award, classification and pay basis, and make sure the rate is at least the award or national minimum.
• List inherent requirements and say that reasonable adjustments will be considered, so candidates with a disability can apply.
• Refer to safety duties and the site induction, since employers must manage risks under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW).
• Say that super of 12% of ordinary time earnings is paid in addition to wages for 2026-27.
• Note that reference and police checks need the candidate's written consent and are assessed for relevance.
• Add a review date, so the document stays accurate as duties change.

Leave out

• Do not include age limits, preferred gender, marital status, family plans, religion, race or union membership.
• Do not list physical demands that are not genuinely part of the role, because they can screen out candidates unfairly.
• Do not include terms that reduce NES or award entitlements, such as unpaid training time or a flat rate that hides the casual loading.
• Do not describe a worker as a contractor to save cost when the real relationship is employment.
• Do not promise guaranteed hours, bonuses or permanency that the contract does not provide.
• Do not copy a competitor's text, since it may not match your award or duties.

Common mistakes to avoid with a job description template

• Writing a long wish list of skills, then finding that no one applies or that you screen out capable people.
• Leaving out the award and classification, which makes it harder to set pay correctly and compare offers.
• Describing duties in vague phrases, such as general labouring, with no tasks or standards to measure.
• Copying an old description without a review, so duties, licences and rates no longer match the job.
• Mixing essential and desirable requirements, which blurs the inherent requirements in an interview or dispute.
• Treating the description as a contract, when the signed contract and the award carry the legal terms.

Job description template FAQ

What should a job description include?

It should include the title, reporting line, purpose, main duties, inherent requirements, licences, hours, location, award, classification and pay basis. Keep essential and desirable skills separate, and review the document at least once a year.

Is a job description a legal document?

Not on its own. The contract, the award or agreement and the NES set the legal terms. A good description supports the contract and shows the duties and inherent requirements, but it cannot remove entitlements.

How long should a job description be?

Aim for one to two pages. Focus on the duties and requirements a candidate needs to decide whether to apply, and move policies and long procedures into the contract or handbook.

Can a job description change after hiring?

Duties can change if the change is reasonable and within the contract and award. Talk to the employee, put significant changes in writing and seek legal advice before changing pay, hours or classification.

Next step: finish your job description template

Fill in the template, check it against the award and ask a lawyer to review it if it will form part of a contract. This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice, so check the Fair Work Ombudsman, the ATO or an employment lawyer for your situation. Return to how to hire employees, or talk to our team about screened workers. See also interview questions, police check NSW, white card NSW, probation period, employment contract template and workforce planning.

Related guides

• How to hire employees
• Police check NSW
• Interview questions
• White card NSW
• Probation period
• Employment contract template
• Workforce planning