Process Owner vs. Job Descriptions

[andy1ouok]

Hello everyone,
I am new to this, so here it goes.
We are currently ISO 13485 certified, but redoing the system due to several Quality Managers in the past year. My boss wants to replace the job descriptions with process owners titles. What are your takes on this? As I have never seen this done.

 

[SteelMaiden]

Re: Process Owner vs Job Descriptions

That's like replacing apples with artichokes

A process owner is someone who is responsible (and has the authority to follow through) for a process. A job description is a list of things a person has to do in a job function.

 

[andy1ouok]

Re: Process Owner vs Job Descriptions

Thanks Steelmaiden,
I understand that,but my boss does not. I will try and pass that definition along to them.

 

[SteelMaiden]

Re: Process Owner vs Job Descriptions

Good luck. The only thing that I can think of to help is the fact that not every employee is a process owner. I guess the best thing to do is agree on what your definition of a job description is, and work from there.

 

[JRKH]

Re: Process Owner vs Job Descriptions

Steel has it pretty well nailed.
A Job description helps to define process steps, and competancies required by whoever does the task. What Job descriptions do not do is say "so-and-so" is reponsible for this.

The Process owner is saying "Who" is responsible for the job description(s).

Perhaps that is what is being proposed. That the Job descriptions be organized under whomever has responsibility for them. Could that be what your boss is looking for?

Peace
James

 

[qualitytrec]

Re: Process Owner vs Job Descriptions

I would say it a little different. A job description defines the processes and responsibilities of a given position or function while a process owner only defines which employee is responsible for the given process (and that employee is likely responsible for many others as well). Everywhere I have worked you need to define both ways and tie them together.
I think to define the process owner and not the job description is more like defining the grape and excluding the cluster. Who ever manages HR is going to have a lot of sheets for each person if you track responsibility through employee files.:truce:

fwiw,
Mark

 

[andy1ouok]

Re: Process Owner vs Job Descriptions

Thanks JRKH
But what they are wanting to do is do away with Job description. I think we are setting ourselves up for an audit finding.

 

[AndyN]

Re: Process Owner vs Job Descriptions

Hello everyone,
I am new to this, so here it goes.
We are currently ISO 13485 certified, but redoing the system due to several Quality Managers in the past year. My boss wants to replace the job descriptions with process owners titles. What are your takes on this? As I have never seen this done.

I like the idea of "process owner"....but as Steel makes an excellent point not everyone is a process owner (this is a management task, let's face it) so what to do about the others....?

 

[John Martinez]

Re: Process Owner vs Job Descriptions

I like the idea of "process owner"....but as Steel makes an excellent point not everyone is a process owner (this is a management task, let's face it) so what to do about the others....?

I agree with Andy N and SeelMaiden.

Consider the following:
I like to explain "process owner" in this manner: Like a home, no one will take care of a process like an owner (ok, renters, I know there are exceptions). A home and process needs maintenance and repair. Who knows the process better and therefore can review documentation for adequacy (maintenance) and do an effective root cause analysis (repair) better than the process owner? No one, not even the quality manager.

 

[ErikaP - 2010]

We are a rather small company with 5ish employees and have applied this approach:

We have made an organization chart which states all ROLES and departments within the company. Each process is owned by a role.

This gives us 2 documents:
1. An organization chart where each role within the organization is mapped towards one or several employees.
2. Role descriptions stating which SOPs the role are responisble for (if any) and other duties that fall within the responsibility/authority of that role. The role description also include the skills needed from a person possesing that role.

I guess our role description can be seen as a combination of a job descripton and a process owner list.