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The Engage framework

A structured framework for
evaluating roles.

Engage assesses roles through a set of interconnected dimensions designed to measure the real size and value of a job, not the person in it. Here is how the framework is built, and why it works.

5
Evaluation grids
2
Core dimensions
5 min
Per role, in practice
Overview The two pillars The five grids Why it works Measured unit size What engage evaluates

Evaluate the role. Not the person.

Engage is built on one core principle: a role should be graded based on what the organisation requires it to do, not on the performance, tenure, or attributes of the person currently doing it.

That means the framework focuses on the content and design of the role: the knowledge it requires, the decisions it makes, the people it manages, and the impact it has on the organisation.

The result is a grading outcome that is more consistent, more defensible, and easier to explain to leaders and employees alike.

  • Role content, not person attributesGrading reflects what the job requires, not who is in it.
  • Judgement, not guessworkStructured dimensions create consistency across very different role types.
  • Transparency over mysteryEvery judgement is visible. Nothing is hidden from the people involved.
  • Direct knowledge over paperworkPeople who understand the role participate. Job descriptions are useful, not essential.
  • Internal ownership over dependencyDesigned to be maintained internally after implementation, not to keep consultants in the room forever.
The framework at a glance

Two pillars. Five grids.

At the highest level, Engage looks at two things: the skills required for the role, and the organisational context in which the role operates. Together these create a balanced view of role size.

I

Skills required

What the role demands of the person in it

Technical skills
The depth and application of knowledge required to perform the role effectively.
Managerial skills
The extent to which the role coordinates work and makes business decisions.
Persuasive skills
The degree to which the role must influence, negotiate, or secure outcomes through others.
II

Organisational context

Where the role sits and what it controls

Control
The scale of operational responsibility, staff reporting and sites controlled.
Impact
How significant the role is within the organisation, responsibility and reporting level.
Influence (alternate)
Used for flexible or person-related assignments where projection and leadership are central.
In detail

The five grids.

Every role is read across five dimensions. Together they build a fuller, fairer picture of role size than title or job description alone.

01Skills required

Technical skills

Knowledge level and how that knowledge is applied in practice.

02Skills required

Managerial skills

Coordination of work and business decision-making authority.

03Skills required

Persuasive skills

The extent to which the role must influence others to create value.

04Organisational context

Control

The scale of operational responsibility attached to the role.

05Organisational context

Impact

How significant the role is within the organisation.

Each grid is explained dimension by dimension, with worked examples, in the Methodology Guide.

Two colleagues reviewing a role evaluation together at a laptop
Why this framework matters

Many systems focus narrowly on title or job description. Engage takes a broader, more practical view, rigorous enough to defend, simple enough to use.

Structured, but practical

Defensible outcomes, applied in real organisations without specialist dependency.

Clear, not mysterious

Each dimension has a purpose and visible logic, understood by leaders and employees, not just HR.

Balanced, not one-dimensional

Knowledge, management, persuasion, scale and influence are weighed together, not in isolation.

Additional factor

Measured unit size

Measured Unit Size is an additional factor used to refine the evaluation score for Grid 5 (Impact). It reflects the size of the business unit or organisational context in which the role sits.

This ensures that role size is interpreted in context, because the same role can carry very different weight depending on the size of the environment it operates in.

A Finance Manager in a 50-person business and a Finance Manager in a 5,000-person organisation are not the same role in terms of complexity, accountability, or impact, even if the title is identical.

Relative role weight by organisational size
Small org
Low
Mid-size
Mid
Large org
High
Enterprise
Max
Illustrative, same role title, different organisational context.
The boundary that matters most

What Engage evaluates, and what it does not.

The integrity of any job evaluation system depends on keeping role and person clearly separated. Engage is built to enforce that boundary.

Engage evaluates

  • ✓The content of the role
  • ✓The level of knowledge required
  • ✓The complexity of decisions the role makes
  • ✓The scale of control and accountability
  • ✓The influence and impact of the role
  • ✓Where the role sits in the structure
  • ✓The size of the operating environment

Engage does not evaluate

  • ✗The current employee's performance
  • ✗Personal attributes or style
  • ✗Future ambitions for the role
  • ✗Proficiency or capability of the incumbent
  • ✗Market scarcity or retention pressure
  • ✗Tenure or length of service
  • ✗What an individual should be paid
See it in action

The fastest way to understand Engage is to see it applied to your roles.

Book a working session and we will grade up to 5 of your roles live, so you can experience the logic, the process, and the outcome for yourself.

Book a demo See the process