Is this job at the top of the organisation?
Does it involve making long term policy decisions within wide limits of discretion, which establish criteria for internal planning?
For example, do such decisions involve answering some or all of these questions:-
What business are we in?
Should we remain in this business?
What markets are we in?
Where should the business be located?
What finance should we use?

F Band

Policy/Boardroom

Does this job involve decisions on long-term programmes, plans or budgets for an integrated business unit or major corporate function?
Are such programmes, plans or budgets guided by policy and strategic decisions made in F Band?
Does the job require the incumbent to set business objectives and operational strategy for the business unit or major corporate function?

E Band

Long term Programming

Does this job involve making decisions to interpret the programme determined above and produce operational plans to achieve the intended programme result?
Does the job involve translating the plan into action making best use of the people, plant, finance and facilities available?
Does the job involve specialist decision-making at an advanced or professional level of expertise, e.g. Financial, scientific or legal, or where the decisions are probabilistic?
Does the job involve establishing or changing rules or procedures?

D Band

Interpretative/ Probabilistic

Does the job involve deciding which process is required, according to established trade, occupational or scientific principles?
Does the job require that an incumbent have a thorough understanding of the theory and/or systems behind the process used in the job before the job can be done successfully?
Does the job require an in-depth knowledge of complex occupational or organisational procedures?

C Band

Process/System

Does the job consist of one or more operations within the business or trade process?
Does the job entail deciding how best to carry out the operations within the process which has been selected, i.e. regarding equipment, sequence, timing, etc.?
Are there aspects to this job which involve occurrences or situations which cannot be foreseen which means that the job cannot be completely ‘procedurised’ and that the incumbent must have experience in the job before it can be done successfully?

B Band

Operative/Sub-system

Is the job completely defined, involving only decisions on how or what sequence the elements of a test or operation are carried out?
Is the job defined by the very nature of the tool to be used in the process or procedure in the work place?
Can the job be completely ‘procedurised’ with all possible occurrences foreseen and catered for example ‘If this happens then do this’  and ‘if the other thing happens call the supervisor'?

A Band

Defined