Job Description Series, Part 2: Connect Mission, Vision, and Values
TJ Kastning
Most job descriptions read like an island. A list of duties, disconnected from the larger story of the company. But people don’t want to join a list, they want to join a mission.
That’s why the most effective job descriptions start with alignment to Mission, Vision, and Values (MVV).
Why It Matters
- Clarity for candidates: They see not just what they’ll do, but why it matters.
- Clarity for leaders: They can measure the role against the company’s bigger purpose.
- Culture reinforcement: Each role becomes a living proof point of the organization’s values.
Additional Articles
The Role Is Never in Isolation
Ask yourself: If this role disappeared tomorrow, what part of our mission or reputation would suffer most?
For example:
- A superintendent role isn’t just about scheduling trades, it’s about protecting safety, craftsmanship, and client trust, all of which reinforce the company’s promise.
- An accounting manager isn’t just about balancing books, it’s about safeguarding resources so the company can deliver excellence without financial surprises.
Practical Prompts to Tie MVV into the JD
- Mission: How does this role help fulfill why we exist?
- Vision: How does it move us closer to the future we’re building?
- Values: How should this role embody the way we work and relate?
Example
Company Mission: Delivering high-end homes that honor both design intent and community trust.
- Superintendent alignment: “This role ensures that every build meets design intent, safety expectations, and community standards, protecting both our client’s dream and our firm’s reputation.”
Company Value: Hungry for Humility.
- PM alignment: “This role models humility by resolving conflicts constructively and owning mistakes early, setting the tone for the entire project team.”
The Takeaway
When job descriptions skip MVV, they feel transactional. When they anchor into MVV, they become transformational, roles with a purpose.
In This Series
Job Description Series, Part 1: Why Job Descriptions Fail
Most JDs collapse into task lists and legalese, here’s why they break down before they even start.
Job Description Series, Part 2: Connect Mission, Vision, and Values
Roles only make sense when tied directly to your company’s bigger story of purpose and culture.
Job Description Series, Part 3: Define Outcomes, Not Tasks
Move from activity lists to outcome statements that clarify contribution and accountability.
Job Description Series, Part 4: Sell and Unsell the Role
Every job has rewards and challenges, show both to attract the right candidates and filter out the wrong ones.
Job Description Series, Part 5: Define What Success Looks Like
Paint a clear picture of winning at 30, 90, and 365 days so both sides know what’s expected.
Job Description Series, Part 6: Use the JD for Performance Management
Turn job descriptions into scorecards that guide reviews, coaching, and long-term growth.
Job Description Series, Part 7: Use the JD in Hard Conversations and Termination
Anchor tough decisions in clear outcomes so accountability is fair, objective, and defensible.
Job Description Series, Part 8: A Role Design Framework You Can Use
Pull it all together into a simple template you can repeat across every role in your business.
Job Description Series, Part 9: Example Job Descriptions
Move beyond writing great JDs, embed them into recruiting, onboarding, daily management, and leadership rhythms so they shape how work actually gets done.
Job Description Series, Part 10: Interview to the Job Description
Use the JD as the backbone of your interviews by assigning lanes, testing values, collecting written feedback, and analyzing results with clarity and accountability.
Job Description Series, Part 11: Onboard to the Job Description
Turn the JD into a living roadmap by aligning orientation, training, relationships, and early reviews so new hires know exactly how to succeed.
