Job evaluation system (JES)

Job evaluation is an assessment of the work value of a particular job relative to other jobs in the Northern Territory Public Sector (NTPS).

Read the JES information booklet PDF (234.4 KB).

For information about NTPS jobs, go to the NT Government website.

What JES is not

• Assessment of person currently doing job.
• Performance management system.
• Direct system for assigning salaries to jobs.
• Measure of your workload.
• System for determining the number of jobs in an organisation.
• System for measuring market forces, e.g. the supply and demand factors associated with jobs

JES in the NTPS

In the NTPS, different jobs fit into a number of employment streams.

Each stream has a number of different classification levels e.g. T1, T2.

JES has a point score range for each classification level.

The Mercer Job Evaluation System is a points factor system expressing the worth of a job in work value points.

These points are determined by assessing 8 sub-factors considered common to all jobs. Read the JES information booklet to find out more.

The sub-factors are grouped into the following 3 primary factors.

Expertise

These are the required inputs defined in terms of the skills, knowledge and experience needed to do the job.

Judgement

These are the processing components of the job and are defined as:

• complexity of tasks
• the framework in which the job operates
• requirement for resolving problems.

Accountability

These are the outputs from the job defined in terms of the:

• impact
• freedom
• stature
• authority.

Read the JES information booklet to find out more.

When a job is evaluated, the point scores are recorded on the job evaluation record and the total point score arrived at determines the classification level for that job.

The classification streams that are currently subject to JES are as follows:

• administrative (including executive jobs)
• professional
• technical
• executive teacher
• uniform police.

Categories of employees that are currently outside the JES include employees in the physical stream.

Physical stream jobs are subject to evaluation through established work level standards which can be found in relevant industrial awards.

JES evaluation panel

In the NTPS, all job evaluations are carried out by evaluation panels made up of:

• minimum 3 trained evaluators
• a cross-section of backgrounds
• both genders.

At least one member of the panel must be from the same classification stream as the job being evaluated.

The composition of each panel includes:

• one panel member who is from the agency where the job being evaluated exists
  • they have a sound understanding of the work environment of agency and how the job ‘fits’
• two panel members who are from different agencies
  • they are familiar with the work of the job in question
• one member from a different agency to that where the job exists, must act as chairperson.
  • the role of the chair is to conciliate when differing opinions occur with a view to reaching agreement.

Read the JES information booklet to find out more.

Job analysis questionnaires (JAQs)

The result of a job evaluation depends on the quality of the information provided to the evaluating panel through the JAQ.

If the JAQ doesn’t provide sufficient information, the panel will contact the supervisor or the work unit manager of the job being evaluated to get the information required.

The supervisor is responsible for ensuring information provided to the panel is of a high quality.

Supervisors should always discuss the JAQ and the job thoroughly with the employee preparing the questionnaire.
The person completing the JAQ needs to:

• describe the job in an impersonal manner
• select only relevant information from numerous activities that fill a normal work day, week or year.

The important thing is to highlight all significant tasks that indicate the level of the duties.

The JES doesn’t assess the incumbents of the job or their performance, but measures the standard requirements of the job.