How to describe your job in English (B1 intermediate): role, duties and current project

To describe your job in English, give three things: your role and company (“I work full-time as a programme manager for Harbour Learning.”), your regular duties in the present simple (“I mainly coordinate trainers and client schedules.”) and your current project in the present continuous (“At the moment, I’m preparing a three-day technician course in Hamburg.”). This B1 (intermediate) topic is for people who can introduce themselves but now need to explain what they actually do. Ten minutes a day is enough.

Who this is for

Professionals who can say their job title but get stuck when someone asks, “So what does your role involve?”
Anyone writing a few lines about themselves for a company website, an intranet page, a conference programme or a professional profile.
People in international teams who regularly explain what they are working on in meetings and calls.
Too early: if “I’m an engineer.” and “I work in sales.” still take effort, start with a first introduction at work.
Too easy: if you already describe your role and projects comfortably, move on to a project update that separates finished and pending work, or to arranging meetings at B2.

Open the sample pages

Word cards

work with

cooperate with a person or group

Maya works with two service engineers on urgent hospital installations.

be responsible for

have the duty to manage an activity or result

Owen is responsible for checking every distributor order before dispatch.

consist of

be formed from particular activities or parts

Maya’s role consists of planning visits, solving delays and reporting results.

be in charge of

lead or control an activity, team or area

Owen is in charge of the customer demonstration this afternoon.

specialize in

focus professionally on one particular area

The consultancy specializes in safety systems for small manufacturers.

work as

have a particular job or professional role

Owen works as an account manager for a logistics company.

work in

be employed in a sector, department or field

Maya works in customer operations at the Berlin office.

deal with

handle a person, subject, request or problem

The support desk deals with delivery queries from international clients.

mainly

mostly; used after be but before most other main verbs

Maya is mainly responsible for scheduling, and she mainly deals with urgent changes.

Conversation

Sara Who should I contact about the new wind-farm simulation?

Owen Contact Daniel. He specializes in safe equipment handovers, and he’s developing that simulation this month.

Sara And who deals with bookings and access needs?

Owen Priya does. She works in customer services and is currently organizing the Hamburg course.

Language pattern

Daniel normally delivers two courses a month.

present simple for a regular or repeated action

Our sales team normally reviews the pipeline on Monday.

He is developing a new simulation this month.

present continuous for a temporary current project

Maya is supporting the Hamburg office this month.

More clients are requesting virtual practice these days.

present continuous for a changing trend

More suppliers are providing live tracking these days.

Priya understands the booking system.

present simple with a state verb such as know, understand or need

Owen knows why the client needs an earlier start.

The company provides technical courses.

present simple for a general fact

The platform stores attendance data securely.

They are preparing a course at the moment.

present continuous for activity happening around now

The trainers are testing the new scenario at the moment.

More practice

Read a team profile

Harbour Learning designs short technical courses for renewable-energy firms. Maya works full-time as its programme manager and is mainly responsible for coordinating trainers and client schedules. Daniel is a freelance trainer who specializes in safe equipment handovers. He normally delivers two courses a month, but this month he is developing a new simulation for a wind-farm client. Priya works in customer services and deals with bookings, access needs and follow-up feedback. The team is currently preparing a three-day course for forty technicians in Hamburg.

Write your company-website profile

I work full-time as a programme manager for Harbour Learning. I mainly coordinate trainers and client schedules, and I work with our customer-service team. My role consists of planning courses and solving delivery problems. At the moment, I’m preparing a three-day technician course in Hamburg.

Explain your work and respond with interest

Maya and Owen review a working life task.

Maya I normally coordinate client schedules, but this month I’m preparing a course for forty technicians.

Owen That sounds interesting! What are the main scheduling challenges?

Maya Two trainers are travelling, and the client needs an earlier start.

Owen Is that right? I work with travelling trainers, too. It would be good to compare plans.

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A clear job description in four sentences

Most short work profiles follow one pattern: role and company, main duties, what the job consists of, and current work. In the 45-word model below, the first three sentences stay true next year; the last one describes this month and changes when the course is over.

“I work full-time as a programme manager for Harbour Learning.” (role)
“I mainly coordinate trainers and client schedules, and I work with our customer-service team.” (main duties)
“My role consists of planning courses and solving delivery problems.” (scope)
“At the moment, I’m preparing a three-day technician course in Hamburg.” (now)

Work phrases: the small word carries the meaning

“Work as” takes a job, “work in” a department or field, “work for” an employer. “Responsible for” is an ongoing duty; “in charge of” means you lead something, often one event or team. “Deal with” is for queries and problems that come to you.

“Mainly” shows which part of the job takes most of your time, unlike “usually”, which says how often. Put it after “be” and before other main verbs: “I mainly coordinate trainers.”, not “I coordinate mainly trainers.”

“Owen works as an account manager for a logistics company.”
“Maya works in customer operations at the Berlin office.”
“Owen is responsible for checking every distributor order before dispatch.”
“The support desk deals with delivery queries from international clients.”
“Maya is mainly responsible for scheduling, and she mainly deals with urgent changes.”

Routine or current project?

Use the present simple for what you normally do, company facts and state verbs such as know and need. Use the present continuous for temporary projects, things happening around now and changing trends: this month, at the moment, these days.

Many languages use one present tense for both, so “I’m working as …” about a permanent job is a common slip. In English it sounds temporary.

Reading check: in “Daniel normally delivers two courses a month, but this month he is developing a new simulation for a wind-farm client.”, which half is temporary? The second, so the verb changes.

“Daniel normally delivers two courses a month.” (routine)
“He is developing a new simulation this month.” (temporary project)
“More clients are requesting virtual practice these days.” (trend)
“Priya understands the booking system.” (state verb, not “is understanding”)

Talking about your work: answer and show interest

In conversation, give your routine, add what is different now and let the other person react. Here one colleague explains her current project; the other shows interest. Useful follow-ups: “What does that involve?” and “Who are you working with on that?”

Maya I normally coordinate client schedules, but this month I’m preparing a course for forty technicians.

Owen That sounds interesting! What are the main scheduling challenges?

Maya Two trainers are travelling, and the client needs an earlier start.

Owen Is that right? I work with travelling trainers, too. It would be good to compare plans.

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Common mistakes

These rarely block understanding, but they make a profile less precise:

“I’m responsible of the budget.” Use “for”: “responsible for the budget”.
“This month I prepare a course.” A temporary project needs “I’m preparing”.
“I’m knowing the system.” State verbs stay simple: “I know the system.”
“I work as manager.” A job after “as” needs “a/an”: “I work as a manager.”

A 10-minute daily practice routine

Use your own job, out loud, every day.

3 minutes: write four sentences (45–60 words): role and company, “mainly” plus two duties, “My role consists of …”, “At the moment, I’m …”.
2 minutes: record it; check that routine verbs are simple and this month’s work is continuous.
2 minutes: describe two colleagues with “works in”, “deals with” or “specializes in”.
3 minutes: repeat the conversation line by line, then answer “What are the main challenges?” about your project.
Weekly opinion question: “Which part of your job takes most of your time, and is that changing?”

What comes next

Next, report on that project: what is finished, what is pending and what comes next. At B2, arrange and confirm meetings.

Frequently asked questions

How do I describe my job responsibilities in English?

Use a fixed phrase plus a concrete example: “I’m responsible for checking every order before dispatch.” or “I mainly deal with delivery queries.” After “responsible for”, use a noun or an -ing verb. Two or three clear duties beat a long list.

What is the difference between “responsible for” and “in charge of”?

“Responsible for” is a task you must complete and answer for: “I’m responsible for the monthly report.” “In charge of” means you lead something, often a team or an event: “I’m in charge of the customer demonstration this afternoon.”

Do you say “work in”, “work at” or “work for” a company?

“Work for” names your employer: “I work for a logistics company.” “Work at” suits a place: “I work at the Berlin office.” “Work in” goes with a department or field: “I work in finance.” “Work as” goes with a job: “I work as an account manager.”