Fiducia TogetherJob description and person specification
What the job is, and what the person needs. The basis of a defensible hire.
Please note: This page explains what a term means. It is general information, not legal, financial, tax or investment advice, and it does not know anything about your business. Before you sign, file or commit to anything, check it with an accountant, a solicitor, or the official guidance we link to.
What it means
A job description sets out duties and responsibilities. A person specification sets out the skills, experience and attributes required, usually split into essential and desirable.
Why it matters
They make selection objective and defensible, they anchor performance management, and they are what a tribunal looks at when a selection decision is challenged.
What it looks like in practice
Keep essential criteria genuinely essential. Every unnecessary requirement narrows the field and risks indirect discrimination — a degree requirement for a role that does not need one is the standard example.
What to watch out for
Descriptions that have not been reviewed in years and no longer describe the job. They undermine both recruitment and any later capability process.
Where to get proper advice
ACAS templates, free.
Where to read more
Last reviewed 2026-08-28 by Fiducia Together · Next review due 2027-08-28
Please note: This page explains what a term means. It is general information, not legal, financial, tax or investment advice, and it does not know anything about your business. Before you sign, file or commit to anything, check it with an accountant, a solicitor, or the official guidance we link to.