Human Resources Mission, Vision, and Strategic Goals For You

Job Family Structure

The Purdue job family structure lays the foundation for clarity in staff roles, career paths and compensation potential. It provides a structural base designed to create consistency across the University system and provides staff employees with a better understanding of career opportunities.

The job family structure is made up of the following components:

Job Family: An organizational function composed of distinct-yet-related disciplines or departments (e.g., Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, etc.).
Sub Family: Sub groups within a job family that describe more specific skills within each discipline (e.g. in the Safety job family there are Sub Families of Campus Safety, Environmental Safety, Fire and Police).
Career Stream: Represent career types within the University, characterized by unique responsibilities; created to offer alternatives for career progression for Individual Contributors
Career Level: Represents the “placement” within the University structure and recognizes incremental changes in job scope, complexity and responsibilities
Job: Jobs are the building blocks for a career framework, and have titles that are industry and market relevant, fitting within the culture and structure of the University

There are 13 Job Families within the Purdue job family structure (see below).  

  • Academic and Student Affairs 
  • Administration 
  • Athletics and Recreation 
  • Communications and Engagement 
  • Facilities 
  • Finance 
  • Health Services 
  • Human Resources 
  • Information Technology 
  • Learning Support 
  • Legal and Compliance 
  • Research 
  • Safety 

Job families are further broken down into sub families that recognize a distinct branch or discipline of knowledge within the job family.

Academic and Student Affairs 
  • Academic Administration 
  • Admissions 
  • Financial Aid 
  • Library Services 
  • Registrar 
  • Residential Life 
  • Student Activities 
  • Student Advising 
Administration 
  • Administrative Operations 
  • Assessment and Analysis 
  • Operations Support 
  • Program Administration 
Athletics and Recreation 
  • Athletic Administration and Operations 
  • Recreation 
  • Team Sports
Communications & Engagement 
  • Creative Arts and Visual Design 
  • Diversity and Inclusion 
  • Event Planning 
  • Extension 
  • Fundraising / Advancement 
  • General Communications 
  • Marketing and Public Relations 
  • Partnerships
Facilities 
  • Building and Facilities 
  • Campus Planning 
  • Dining Services 
  • Farm Operations 
  • Grounds 
  • Maintenance & Utilities 
  • Power Plant 
  • Transportation
Finance 
  • Accounting 
  • Business Management 
  • Financial Analysis 
  • Payroll and Tax 
  • Procurement 
  • Treasury
Health Services 
  • Clinical 
  • Pharmacy 
  • Psychology and Social Services 
  • Veterinary Services
Human Resources 
  • Benefits 
  • Compensation 
  • HR Business Partners 
  • Organization / Talent Development 
  • Talent Acquisition
Information Technology 
  • Data Management 
  • IT Administration 
  • IT Business Analysis 
  • IT Engineering and Development 
  • IT Program / Project Management 
  • IT Security 
  • IT Support 
  • Network and Telecommunications 
  • Systems Administration 
Learning Support 
  • Continuing Education 
  • Early Childhood Instruction 
  • Instruction 
  • Instructional Design and Technology 
Legal and Compliance 
  • Audit 
  • Compliance 
  • Contract / Grant Administration 
  • Legal 
  • Risk Management
Research 
  • Research Operations 
  • Researchers 
Safety 
  • Campus Safety 
  • Environmental Safety 
  • Fire 
  • Police 

There are five career streams within the Purdue job family structure: 
 

Executive Provides strategic vision and direction across multiple functions. Goal achievement is thorough direct and indirect reports’ performance
Management Majority of time is spent overseeing their area of responsibility, planning, prioritizing and/or directing the responsibilities of employees
Professional Individual contributors with responsibility in a professional or technical discipline. Majority of time is spent overseeing the design, implementation or delivery of processes/programs. Uses specialized skills normally acquired through advanced education
Administrative and Operational Support Individual contributors who provide institutional-related support or service (administrative or clerical). Or roles operating in a “hands on” environment in support of daily business activities (e.g., custodial and other service roles). The majority of time is spent in delivery of support services or activities, typically under supervision
Police, Fire and Skilled Trades Individual contributors who focus on protecting university employees, students, the general public and university property. Or who focus on technical or operational tasks to support ongoing business operations. Includes skilled technicians in a “hands on” environment that are often highly specialized (e.g., trades)

In recognition of differences in scope, complexity and responsibilities of staff jobs within the University, each career stream has up to six career levels. Jobs start at level 1 and depending on the career stream can go up to a level 6. The  Career Stream Level Guide provides career stream and level definitions. The guide is helpful when creating a new position, recruiting for a current job or simply wanting to understand level descriptions.

Career Stream Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 6
Management Supervisor (M1) Manager (M2) Senior Manager (M3) Assistant Director (M4) Director (M5) Senior Director (M6)
Professional Associate (P1) Base Title (P2) Senior (P3) Lead (P4) Principal (P5) Senior Principal (P6)
Administrative and Operational Support Associate (S1) Base Title (S2) Senior (S3) Lead (S4) NA NA
Police, Fire and Skilled Trades Associate (SK1) Base Title (SK2) Senior (SK3) Lead (SK4) NA NA