Any PAQ containing 20-30 tasks is actually more like a part of an operational manual, which serves a different purpose. If you include task details in a PAQ or job description you will need to change it when the task details changes.
A useful process for refining and writing PAQs or job description responsibilities into fewer points and ('responsibilities' rather than 'individual tasks'), is to group the many individual tasks into main responsibility areas.
Appropriate PAQ or Job Description:
Job Description: Ivy University
Title: Sales and Marketing Associate
Reports to: Sales and Marketing Director, Newtown.
Job Summary:
To plan and carry out direct marketing and sales activities, to maintain and develop sales, and major accounts; in accordance with agreed business plans.
Essential Functions:
• Maintain and develop a computerized customer and prospect database.
• Plan and carry out direct marketing activities (principally direct mail) to agreed budgets, sales volumes, products and timescales.
• Develop ideas and create offers for marketing to major accounts by market region and products.
• Respond to and follow up sales inquiries by mail, telephone, and personal visits.
• Maintain and develop existing and new customers through individual account support.
• Serve as a liaison with internal order-processing staff.
• Monitor and report on activities with relevant marketing information.
• Carry out market research, competitor and customer surveys.
• Recommend and purchase equipment and software for marketing and sales department
Example of Too Many or Inappropriate Essential Functions:
• Manage the movement of products/equipment/materials in and/or out of the country in accordance with organizational policy and procedure, and to comply with relevant local, country and international law and process.
• Manage the necessary documentation and online forms for the efficient, cost-effective and lawful
execution of all import/export activities.
• Maintain and share with colleagues as appropriate, personal knowledge of all relevant import/export law and procedures; tariffs and duties; licenses and restrictions.
• Manage financial and currency processes and transactions in accordance with policy and law, and to
optimize cost-effectiveness of activities.
• Communicate with export and import and related authorities, and customers and suppliers, in all relevant territories and countries, as necessary to ensure efficient, positive and lawful relations, support and activities.
• Anticipate research and report on future changes in import/export laws and in relevant local territory
practices, and ensure such knowledge is factored into the planning of the department's own strategy,
resources and procedures.
• Plan and implement import/export strategy and activities consistent with overall aims and requirements of the organization.
• Manage all staff reporting to the position so as to effectively recruit, train, evaluate, motivate, delegate and monitor their activities.
• Liaise with other departments in order to establish and maintain effective and relevant export/import activities and support in relation to the organization's sales, purchasing, materials management, production and overall operating functions.
• Adhere to local and externally relevant health and safety laws and policies.
• Use personal judgment and initiative to develop effective and constructive solutions to challenges and
obstacles in import/export activity and procedures.
• Monitor, record, analyses and report on activities, trends, results and recommendations relating to
import/export activities.
• Manage/liaise with stock control, warehousing and distribution activities influenced by or reliant upon
import/export activities.
• Manage and maintain effective and lawful insurance provisions relating to import/export activities.
• Maintain personal ability in, and appropriate use of, all relevant ICT (Information & Communications
Technology) and other systems within the import/export function.
• Prepare and submit relevant administration in a timely and accurate manner, for example: shipping schedules; letters of credit; ECGD documents; credit control mechanisms; licenses; declarations; packing, routing, transport and safety documentation.
• Investigate, plan and implement strategically effective and relevant transport methods, which meet
optimally the needs of the organization and its suppliers and customers.
• Plan and manage overseas sales through distributors and other relevant sales outlets.
• Plan and manage the effective and necessary conversion of weights, sizes, values, and quality standards interpretations between importing and exporting systems and territories.
• Manage language and communications translation issues and activities as necessary to enable effective relations, distribution and integration of imported/exported material, product, equipment within the supply chain of importer and exporter, (for example handling instructions, operating manuals, product training, etc).
• Negotiate contracts for sales/purchases and manage renew, review contracts as required to enable
effective trading, operations and customer/supplier relations.
