Overview
Tulane is implementing a comprehensive Job Architecture to strengthen our workforce infrastructure and support our move to Oracle Cloud. The framework standardizes how jobs are organized and titled across the university to enable clear career pathways, better alignment with market practices, and consistent job data for our systems. This launch applies to staff positions only, not faculty.
How the Framework is Organized
- Job Families: Groupings of related functions (e.g., Finance, IT, Research Administration, etc.)
- Career Streams: Operational, Business, Technical, Professional, Management
- Career Levels: Clear progression within each stream (e.g., I, II, III; Senior, Lead, etc.)
What’s Changing
- Standardized job titles across all departments.
- Specific, descriptive titles to align with market benchmarks.
- Consistent use of level indicators.
What's Not Changing
- Your current pay is not reduced due to this initiative.
- Your day-to-day responsibilities are not changing in this phase.
- Your reporting structure is not changing as part of this framework rollout.
Implementation begins January 2026
FAQs and Resources
What is Job Architecture?
Job Architecture is a standardized framework that organizes jobs into clearly defined families, levels, and career streams. It provides consistent job titles, descriptions, and classifications across the university to support workforce planning, talent development, and pay consistency.
Why is the university implementing a Job Architecture?
As a leading R1 university, we are committed to academic and operational excellence. This initiative supports our Oracle Cloud implementation, which requires clean and consistent data across all systems. Beyond this technical need, Job Architecture will:
- Establish transparency and consistency in job titling and leveling
- Enable clearer career pathways for staff
- Align our structures with market benchmarks and industry best practices
- Support strategic talent acquisition, retention, and development
What are the main components of the Job Architecture?
The framework includes:
- Job Families: e.g., Finance, Academic Support, Research Administration
- Career Streams: e.g., Professional, Managerial, Technical, Administrative Support
- Career Levels: e.g., Analyst I, II, III; Manager I, II, etc.
- Standard Job Descriptions: outlining core responsibilities and required qualifications
What are the benefits of Job Architecture?
The framework provides:
- Clear career progression pathways and development opportunities
- Consistent job leveling and role expectations
- Standardized job titles and descriptions
- More efficient talent acquisition and management processes
- A stronger foundation for workforce planning and succession management
- Better integration with HR systems and processes
Will my job title change?
Some job titles may change to align with the new standardized framework. The goal is to create clear, consistent, and aligned titles across the university. While your title may differ from your current one, your pay, responsibilities, and recognition of experience will remain unchanged.
How will this affect my current responsibilities?
Your day-to-day responsibilities will not change. This initiative focuses on standardizing how roles are classified and described—not altering the work you perform.
Can I use a business title?
Yes. Departments may use approved business titles for day-to-day communications. These can appear in email signatures, marketing materials, and organizational charts. In Oracle Cloud, business titles may display in profile and hierarchy views, while official job titles will continue to be used for compensation, market benchmarking, and reporting.
Business titles must:
- Be approved by department leadership and HR
- Align with professional and industry standards
- Be clear and accurate about responsibilities and job scope
- Avoid implying a higher level of authority
How will this benefit employees?
- Clearer job expectations and descriptions
- More defined career advancement pathways
- Greater pay consistency and fairness
- Enhanced transparency in hiring and promotion
- Improved ability to compete for top talent
Who is involved in developing and rolling out the Job Architecture?
The initiative is led by the Office of Human Resources in collaboration with:
- University leadership
- Department heads and business officers
- Advisory groups (including faculty and staff representatives)
- External compensation consultants with higher education expertise
What is the timeline for implementation?
- May–September 2025: HR finalizes the job framework
- October 2025: Division leader engagement sessions and departmental review of role mappings
- Spring 2026 (projected): Final implementation of job architecture and titles
How can I provide feedback or ask questions?
Employees are encouraged to:
- Share input with their supervisor or HR business partner
- Use the Job Architecture feedback form on the HR intranet site
How does this align with our institution’s mission and strategic goals?
Job Architecture supports our R1 mission by strengthening institutional infrastructure. It:
- Enhances operational effectiveness
- Builds capacity for academic and research excellence
- Fosters a more transparent workplace
