Job architecture is a framework an organization uses to organize and describe its jobs and show how different roles relate to one another. It typically establishes consistent job titles, job families, levels, responsibilities, skills, qualifications, and career pathways across an organization. A job architecture can help an employer answer questions such as: What work does this job involve? What skills are required? How does one job differ from another? What level of responsibility does it carry? What opportunities are available for an employee to move to another role or advance to a higher level?

Job architecture commonly supports:

• Career pathways and internal mobility
• Compensation and pay structures
• Job descriptions and titles
• Recruitment and hiring
• Skills identification and development
• Performance management
• Workforce planning

Traditionally, job architectures were built primarily around jobs, titles, organizational levels, and responsibilities. As organizations adopt skills-based approaches, some are redesigning job architectures to connect jobs more directly with the skills and capabilities needed to perform the work. This can help employers identify transferable skills, make career pathways clearer, and connect employees with learning and advancement opportunities.

Job architecture is related to, but different from, job structure. Job architecture describes how jobs, levels, skills, and career pathways are organized across an organization. Job structure may also refer to employment arrangements such as full-time or part-time work, permanent or temporary employment, or employee versus contractor status.