Overview
This article helps you set up and manage job functions in Access Volcanic. Job functions categorise the type of work involved in each job role, such as Management, Administration, or Accounting. They work alongside disciplines to create a comprehensive taxonomy for your recruitment content. Job functions power search filters on your job pages, support ATS integrations, and help candidates find relevant opportunities more easily.
Key benefits
Create clear job categorisation that helps candidates find relevant opportunities.
Power search filters on your job page to improve user navigation.
Support ATS and third-party integrations with consistent job taxonomies.
Generate structured data for reporting and analytics across your platform.
Enable parent and child relationships to create hierarchical job organisation.
Provide API endpoints for custom integrations and automated job posting systems.
Before you start
Before creating and managing job functions, make sure you have:
Admin access to your Access Volcanic platform.
A clear understanding of your job categorisation needs and structure.
Knowledge of any ATS integration requirements that depend on specific job function naming.
Awareness of which job functions you want to appear as public search filters.
📌 Note: Job functions must be assigned to jobs to appear in search filters, and search filter logic is managed separately in Job Search Settings.
Accessing job functions
You can access job function management through your Admin Area.
Log in to your Admin Area as an admin.
Navigate to Settings in the main menu.
Under Reference Data, select Job Functions.
From this area, you can create new job functions, edit existing ones, set up parent and child relationships, and manage your overall job taxonomy structure.
📌 Note: If you don't see the Job Functions option, contact Support to enable this feature for your website.
Creating job functions
You can create job functions individually or in bulk depending on your needs.
Creating individual job functions
Use this method when you want to add descriptions or set up specific parent relationships.
Click New.
Enter the job function name.
Add a description if needed (optional).
Select a Parent job function if creating a hierarchy (optional).
Click Submit to save.
Creating multiple job functions
Use the bulk create option to add several job functions at once.
Click Bulk Create.
Enter your list of job function names.
Select a Parent job function if all entries should be children (optional).
Click Submit to create all entries.
🤓 Tip: Use consistent naming conventions that match your ATS system requirements and create clear filter labels that candidates will understand on your job search page.
Managing existing job functions
You can edit or remove job functions through the Admin Area interface.
Editing job functions
Click Edit beside the function you want to modify.
Update the name, parent relationship, or description as needed.
Click Submit to save your changes.
⚠️ Important: Renaming job functions may affect existing job search filters and integration mappings.
Deleting job functions
Click Delete beside the function you want to remove.
Confirm the deletion when prompted.
⚠️ Important: Job functions must be unassigned from active jobs and integrations before deletion is possible.
Linking job functions to jobs
Job functions must be assigned to jobs to power search filters and appear in your website taxonomy.
Manual assignment in Admin Area
Navigate to Jobs in your Admin Area.
Open the job you want to update.
Locate the Job Functions field.
Select the appropriate job function from the dropdown.
Click Save to apply the changes.
Assignment via integrations
Many ATS and job posting systems can automatically assign job functions when creating jobs through API integrations. The job function must exist in your Access Volcanic system and the integration must pass the correct job function identifier.
📌 Note: Job functions appear as search filters only when at least one published job is assigned to them.
Using job functions with integrations
Job functions support various ATS integrations and API connections for automated job posting and management.
Finding job function IDs
Each job function has a unique identifier required for API integrations.
Navigate to Settings in the main menu.
Under Reference Data, select Job Functions.
Click Edit on the job function you need.
Review the page URL for the ID number.
Example:
/admin/job_functions/1234/editmeans the Job Function ID is 1234.
API payload formatting
When sending job functions via API, use these formats:
Single job function:
"job_functions": "12345"
Multiple job functions:
"job_functions": "12345,18543,43454,23232"
⚠️ Important: Use comma-separated IDs with no spaces, brackets, or extra characters. Incorrect formatting may result in jobs being created without job function assignments.
Common integration examples
Job functions work with systems like Broadbean, LogicMelon, and custom API feeds. Each system may have specific requirements for field mapping and data formatting.
Configuring search filters
Job functions can appear as filters on your job search page to help candidates find relevant opportunities.
Navigate to Job Search Settings in your Admin Area.
Select which job functions should appear as public filters.
Set the display order for filter interactions.
Configure the behaviour settings for multiple filter selections.
Test the search functionality on your live website.
📌 Note: Filter configuration and search behaviour are managed separately from job function creation in Job Search Settings.
Best practices
Use clear, industry-standard naming that candidates recognise and understand.
Create logical hierarchies using parent and child relationships for better organisation.
Test integration mappings with sample jobs before deploying to production systems.
Coordinate job function names with your ATS system to ensure seamless integration.
Monitor search filter usage patterns to identify popular categories and optimise structure.
Review and clean up unused job functions regularly to maintain a tidy taxonomy.
Document your job function structure for team members who manage job postings.
📌 Note: Job search logic and filter configuration are handled separately in Job Search Settings, not in job function management.
FAQs
Q1: Can I delete a job function that's currently in use?
Answer: Job functions must be unassigned before they can be deleted. Remove all job assignments and integration usage first, then delete the function if needed.
Q2: Why isn't my job function appearing as a search filter?
Answer: Job functions only appear as search filters when at least one published job is assigned to them. Assign the function to a live job and check your Job Search Settings configuration.
Q3: How do I create parent and child job function relationships?
Answer: When creating or editing a job function, use the Parent field to select an existing function. This creates a hierarchical structure where the new function becomes a child of the selected parent.
Q4: What happens if my ATS integration sends incorrect job function data?
Answer: If the API payload contains incorrectly formatted job function IDs or names that don't match your system, jobs may be created without any job function assigned. Check your integration mapping and ensure exact name or ID matching.
Q5: Can I assign multiple job functions to a single job?
Answer: Yes, both manual assignment and API integrations support multiple job functions per job. Use comma-separated IDs in API payloads or select multiple options in the Admin Area where supported.
Q6: How do job functions differ from disciplines?
Answer: Job functions categorise the type of work involved in a role (such as Management or Administration), while disciplines (industry categories like Finance, Marketing, or Engineering) typically represent industry sectors or specialisations. Both work together to create comprehensive job categorisation.
Q7: What should I do if my integration stopped mapping job functions correctly?
Answer: Check that your job function IDs haven't changed, verify the API payload formatting is correct, and confirm your integration supports job function mapping. Contact Support with example payloads and expected IDs if issues persist.
Q8: Can I bulk edit or update existing job functions?
Answer: Individual job functions must be edited one at a time through the Admin Area. For large-scale changes, contact Support to discuss bulk update options or consider recreating functions if needed.
Q9: Do job functions affect SEO or search engine indexing?
Answer: Job functions can influence how search engines categorise and index your job content, particularly when they appear in page URLs or structured data. Well-organised job functions may help improve search visibility for relevant job categories.
Q10: How do I troubleshoot job function integration issues?
Answer: Verify correct job function IDs are being used, check API payload formatting matches requirements, confirm your integration supports job function mapping, and manually test assignment in the Admin Area. Provide specific examples and payloads when contacting Support for assistance.