Human Resources

Organisational Design and Job Architecture

Structure shapes how work flows, decisions are made and careers develop. This course covers organisational design principles and job architecture: analysing structures, spans and layers, designing roles, creating job families and levels, career paths and grading, and implementing organisational change.

5 days Classroom or live online English

Smart Horizon Certified - Global Leadership Consultants

Take the course details with you.

Download the full standard outline: why attend, methodology, objectives, audience, competencies, the daily outline and current plans.

Download course PDF

Why attend

From knowledge to real-world impact.

Unclear structures and inconsistent job titles cause duplication and frustration. You will learn to design organisations and job frameworks that support strategy.

Workplace challenges

Professional Problems This Course Is Designed to Solve

The programme explores practical approaches to the following challenges. Results depend on how the learning is applied in your organisation.

Difficulty translating subject knowledge into practical workplace decisions.
Inconsistent approaches to the activities covered in the course outline.
Lack of a structured plan for applying and reviewing new skills.

Course methodology

How you will learn.

Design case studies, spans and layers analysis, job family workshops and implementation planning.

Course objectives

What you'll take away.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Explain organisational design principles
Analyse spans, layers and structures
Design roles and accountabilities
Build job families, levels and titles
Create career paths and grading links
Plan implementation of design changes

Target audience

Who should attend.

This course is suitable for:

HR directors and managers
Organisational development consultants
Reward specialists
Senior leaders
Transformation teams

Target competencies

Capabilities you will build.

Participants will develop competencies in:

Organisational analysis
Role design
Job architecture
Career framework design
Change planning

Course outline

Your learning journey.

A focused, practical outline with time to explore, apply and reflect.

Day 1Design Principles

09:00–10:08Strategy and structure
10:08–11:00Design criteria
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Design criteria (continued)
11:45–12:53Structure types
12:53–14:00Exercise

Day 2Analysing Structures

09:00–10:08Spans and layers
10:08–11:00Duplication
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Duplication (continued)
11:45–12:53Decision rights
12:53–14:00Workshop

Day 3Role Design

09:00–10:08Accountabilities
10:08–11:00Role profiles
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Role profiles (continued)
11:45–12:53Interfaces
12:53–14:00Exercise

Day 4Job Architecture

09:00–10:08Job families
10:08–11:00Levels and titles
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Levels and titles (continued)
11:45–12:53Career paths
12:53–14:00Workshop

Day 5Implementation

09:00–10:08Transition planning
10:08–11:00Communication
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Communication (continued)
11:45–12:53Measuring results
12:53–14:00Action plan

The timings provided are estimates and may vary depending on the number of participants and the discussions taking place during the sessions. They are indicative only and do not constitute a binding commitment.

Dates & venues

Find a session that works for you.

Confirmed dates accept registration requests. Tentative dates are enquiry only.

Good to know

A few things to know.

How is the course delivered?

Our classroom programmes combine facilitated discussion, case studies, exercises and reflection. The precise format will be confirmed before enrolment.

Can you deliver this programme for our team?

Yes, you can enquire about a tailored programme. Share your goals, group size and preferred dates with our learning team.

Will I receive a certificate?

Participants who complete the programme receive a Smart Horizon UK certificate of attendance. Smart Horizon UK programmes are not externally accredited and do not award a professional qualification, licence or designation. Where a course title or outline refers to a professional certification (for example, AACE International's Certified Cost Professional), the programme supports learning and preparation only; the credential itself is awarded solely by the relevant professional body under its own application and examination requirements.

What should I confirm before booking travel?

Please confirm the session, exact venue, accessibility arrangements, fees and any visa requirements with the team before arranging travel. Tentative dates are not confirmed sessions.

Keep exploring

Your next horizon awaits.

All courses

The full course agenda and dates are available above. Use the session links in Dates & venues to choose a session. Registration and quotation forms require JavaScript; you can also contact our learning team directly.