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How to Role Change or Redefine a Position
Organizations are dynamic in nature and change and evolve continuously. Management has the ability to change job duties and responsibilities at any time to meet legitimate organizational needs. As a result of the State Compensation Plan's broad roles and expanded pay bands, changes in duties and responsibilities or the restructuring of the organization do not always warrant a change in role title and/or pay band. Additionally, exceptional performance of an employee does not warrant a change in role title and/or pay band. However, when a position's duties and responsibilities change significantly and appear to be for an indefinite period, University managers have an obligation to their employees to submit a request to UHR Compensation Management for a position review. Examples of significant changes may include a change in reporting relationship; the addition/change or removal of a primary responsibility; and a substantial change in the percentage of time spent in a primary duty. Management should direct all questions regarding whether the changes in the duties and responsibilities are significant to UHR Compensation Management.

If there are significant changes in the duties and responsibilities assigned a position, management may initiate a formal review of the position by submitting a role change. A role change is a management-initiated, non-competitive movement to a different role in a higher, lower or the same pay band for classified staff and university staff positions only. There are three types of role changes:
  1. An upward role change is movement to a different role in a higher pay band. It may result in a 0-10% increase in the employee's salary as subject to management's discretion.
  2. A lateral role change is movement to a different role in the same pay band. It may result in a 0-10% increase in the employee's salary as subject to management's discretion. The increase associated with a lateral role change counts towards the fiscal year 10% cap for In-Band-Adjustments (IBA's).
  3. A downward role change is movement to a different role in a lower pay band. It does not result in a salary change unless the employee's salary exceeds the maximum pay for the new pay band. If pay is above the maximum, salary is frozen for 6-months and then reduced to maximum of the new pay band. A downward role change does not result in a salary increase under any circumstance.
To request an upward, downward or lateral role change, a department must submit a completed Position Action Form (PAF), Employee Work Profile (EWP, Parts I and II) and Organization Chart (see Sample Organization Chart). An organization chart must include the position under review, its supervisor(s), subordinate(s) and all other positions (faculty, staff and students) within its organizational unit (department, division, center, section, institute, etc).

Position Review Process

Once a formal request for a role change is received by UHR Compensation Management, the request is logged into a classification database and assigned a tracking number. A confirmation e-mail is sent to the department contact indicated on the PAF as a formal acknowledgement of receipt. For information on timelines for review of submitted paperwork, see Processing Priority and Time Guidelines.
The formal review includes a job analysis of three primary classification factors: (1) complexity, (2) results, and (3) accountability. Complexity of work describes the difficulty of tasks; scope and range of assignments; knowledge, skills and abilities; and nature of contacts. Results are the impact of actions; effect of services; and consequences of error. Accountability describes leadership; judgment and decision-making; and independence of action.
Additionally, the incumbent in the position under review must be minimally qualified for the transaction to be completed.
Requests are compared by these factors to role descriptions and comparable positions within the University and Commonwealth. In many cases, clarification of a request and/or additional information may be necessary to complete the review. On the basis of this analysis, UHR Compensation Management will determine the appropriate role title and pay band. Once a determination has been made, UHR Compensation Management notifies management of its findings.

Note: Managers and/or supervisors should communicate with an employee that his/her position is under review. However, management and/or supervisors should not make commitments to employees regarding changes in their role title and/or pay band prior to completion of the formal review.

Updating the Employee Work Profile

The State Compensation Plan requires that a current EWP be included with the annual performance review. During the performance cycle, management may need to update an EWP. This is necessary to recognize changes in duties and responsibilities that do not warrant a change in the role title or pay band. For the purpose of updating the EWP, management may initiate a formal review of the position by submitting a redefinition. Redefinitions are reviewed in the same manner as role changes.
To request a redefinition, a department must submit a completed Position Action Form (PAF), Employee Work Profile (EWP, Parts I and II) and Organization Chart (see Sample Organization Chart). An organization chart must include the position under review, its supervisor(s), subordinate(s) and all other positions (faculty, staff and students) within its organizational unit (department, division, center, section, institute, etc).

Note: In some cases, management may want to recognize a change in duties and responsibilities through the State Compensation Plan's Pay Practices (i.e., temporary pay, in-band-adjustments, rewards and recognition). Updating Administrative General Faculty (AGF) and Proffesional General Faculty (PGF) Positions

It may be necessary for management to recognize changes in duties and responsibilities of an AGF or PGF position. Management may initiate a formal review of the position by submitting a redefinition. A PAF, Position Justification and Position Description and Organization Chart should be forwarded to the Office of the Vice President and Provost for initial review. The Office of the Vice President and Provost will route forms to UHR Compensation Management for additional review and final processing.

Required Paperwork and Where to Send

Role Changes and Redefinitions for Staff: Forward completed PAF, Employee Work Profile (EWP, Parts I and II) and Organization Chart to:
Messenger Mail Address:


UHR Compensation Management
914 Emmet Street
P.O. Box 400127
U.S. Mail Address:

University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4127

Redefinitions for AGF and PGF: Forward PAF, Position Justification and Position Description and Organization Chart to the Office of the Vice President and Provost.
Messenger Mail Address:

Office of the Vice President and Provost
P.O. Box 400308, Booker House
U.S. Mail Address:

University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4308