Job Architecture (Job Framework)
What is Job Architecture? Job Leveling Framework Explained
Job architecture is a structured system that defines every role in an organisation by level, function, and scope. It's the backbone of consistent compensation, clear career paths, and defensible pay decisions.
A typical framework maps each role to a level (IC1 through IC6 for individual contributors, M1 through M4 for managers) and defines what each level means in terms of impact, decision-making, complexity, and experience.
Without a job architecture, compensation becomes ad hoc. Two people doing the same work might be at different levels. Pay gaps emerge based on negotiation rather than contribution. Pay equity audits become impossible.
Building a job architecture is one of the highest-leverage things a growing company can do. It's the foundation for pay bands, comp ratios, career ladders, and pay transparency.