Skills Matrix October 2017 Revision
COMPETENCY AREA
Junior QS AQSP Assistant Intermediate QS Project QS Senior QS Managing QS Executive KAM Role
CULTURAL VALUES
Solomons Europe has achieved the IIP Gold Standard, which places our company in the top 2% of employers. We
take great pride in this achievement and therefore look to support and develop like minded people in our
business. In order to do this, our grades and levels are defined not only by technical, management and business
skills, but also by attitudes and behaviours that support our values. These are the standards expected of all our
team members and are crucial in ensuring we work effectively and sustainably to build our key client portfolio and
our teams.
Client Focused RICS APC: Conduct rules, ethics and professional practice
(K&D); Client Care (K&D); Communication & negotiation (K&D); Health &
Safety (K&D); Teamworking (K)
Our business exists to serve our clients. Our focus is always to
be the best we can be in the job we are doing right now for our
clients, with an eye on the future and the professional
challenges it may bring. Being aware of client goals and
objectives is essential to delivering a high quality service.
Treating our client's money as our own is a valuable reminder of
the need to fully understand our clients and the industries they
work in, so we can contribute to reducing commercial risks and
achieving project success.

Fully understands and strives to achieve upper quartile scores
in respect of client/project Key Performance Indicators
Has a thorough knowledge of and is an effective team
member in contributing to the achievement of the client's
project/business goals and objectives through effective
commercial and contractual practices

Fully understands the skills and attributes necessary to
effectively deliver his/her role and is able to highlight areas of
improvement focus as needed

Is a fully integrated member of the client team supporting
project and team success


Being Part of the Bigger Picture RICS APC: Communication & negotiation
(D); Teamworking (K)
Understanding the bigger picture means we can be ready for future
challenges and opportunities. Sharing knowledge and learning within


COMPETENCY AREA
Junior QS AQSP Assistant Intermediate QS Project QS Senior QS Managing QS Executive KAM Role
our teams and our clients, supports both personal and business
success. Whether that be client or industry news & innovation, a nifty
excel formula, or a far reaching legal development, contributing to
others development and success means that we can all rely on each
other to help build a strong and sustainable business for all our future
career aspirations and rewards.
Being part of the bigger picture means:
Being passionate about innovation and volunteering new
ideas, developing improved tools and techniques
Being future focused and aware of Solomons Goals and
Objectives in the context of both Key Client roles and
Solomons overall Business Strategy
Being committed to ensuring personal health and well being
and active in supporting a healthy work life balance for self
and others
Acting as a brand advocate- believing Solomons is a great
place to work and being committed to ensuring the future
success of the company in order to offer opportunity for
personal development and career prospects
Helping support our teams and our company to build a strong
and sustainable business for everyone's future career
aspirations.

Striving for Excellence RICS APC: Conduct rules, ethics and professional
practice (A), Teamworking
Our people are open to change and willing to keep learning and
developing throughout their careers. Excellence means being the best
we can be - knowing our limitations in order that we can seek out new
knowledge and experiences to drive improvement. This may be in the
form of in house training, academic courses, professional
qualifications and accreditation or simply reading industry journals
and publications.
We expect our people to:
Have a 'can do' attitude and be enthusiastic about
opportunities and seek out knowledge and to put new skills
into practice
Be open to and passionate about innovation and volunteers
new ideas
Embrace continuous improvement and self-motivate
themselves to push to a higher standard
Be open and receptive to feedback and personal
development planning and targets
Regularly shares knowledge and/or skills for the benefit of
the wider team (Bloomfire)
Demonstrates optimism and drive and the ability to
champion change and support others to understand and
engage with it


COMPETENCY AREA
Junior QS AQSP Assistant Intermediate QS Project QS Senior QS Managing QS Executive KAM Role
Understands and embraces the RICS 5 core professional and
ethical standards:
o Act with integrity
o Always provide a high standard of service
o Act in a way that promotes trust in the profession
o Treat others with respect
o Take responsibility
TECHNICAL SKILLS








QS & Commercial Skills Learner
Able to develop a thorough understanding of the assigned
projects and tasks, providing effective and accurate support to
the team as required








QS & Commercial Skills Support Role
Able to provide effective support to the project team,
developing essential QS skills and knowledge within a project
team environment including project cost control,
procurement, contract administration and commercial
reporting







QS & Commercial Skills Level 1
RICS APC: Accounting Principles & Procedures(K); Data Management(K);
Sustainability(K); Communication & Negotiation(K); Health & Safety (D); Contract
Practice (K); Construction Technology (K); Procurement & Tendering (K); Project
Financial Control (K); Quantification & Costing of Construction (K)
Able to undertake all tasks appropriate to a project QS within a
project team environment including procurement, contract
administration and commercial reporting


QS & Commercial Skills Level 2
RICS APC: Communication & Negotiation(D; )Contract Practice (D); Construction
Technology (D); Procurement & Tendering (D); Project Financial Control (D);
Quantification & Costing of Construction (D)
Able to undertake all tasks appropriate to a project QS on a
standalone basis without supervision or support, producing
accurate, reliable and well presented reports and analysis



QS & Commercial Skills Level 3
RICS APC: Contract Practice (A); Construction Technology (A); Procurement &
Tendering (A); Project Financial Control (A); Quantification & Costing of Construction
(A)
Able to train and supervise others in all project QS skills




Legal & Contractual Skills Level 1
RICS APC: Conflict Avoidance (K); Contract Administration (K&D)
Able to produce contractual correspondence to a high standard
and to produce appropriate project control templates to
effectively administer the contract on behalf of the client



Legal & Contractual Skills Level 2
RICS APC: Conflict Avoidance (K)




COMPETENCY AREA
Junior QS AQSP Assistant Intermediate QS Project QS Senior QS Managing QS Executive KAM Role
Able to advise the client on contractual aspects and to research
and produce any necessary documents, letters, analysis to
demonstrate the reliability of any advice given
Legal & Contractual Skills Level 3
Able to support the client in the preparation of claim and/or
defence documentation, able to advise on dispute strategy and
able to offer the client the best possible advice on dispute
avoidance to ensure best practice and prevention approaches
are adopted from project outset





Time in Contracts Level 1
RICS APC: Procurement & Tendering (D); Project Financial Control (D); Contract
Administration (D)
Has a general awareness of programme status, delay issues,
commencement dates, key dates, sectional completion, overall
completion, take-over, testing, commissioning, performance
testing, defects liability periods, float, time at large, EOT
provisions, LD's, general damages, etc. Has a general awareness
of the programme, its critical path, key risks to completion, etc.



Time in Contracts Level 2
RICS APC: Contract Administration (A); Procurement & Tendering (A); Project Financial
Control (A); Contract Practice (A)
Able to advise on programme status, delay issues, and be able
to advise on time matters such as commencement, key dates,
sectional completion, overall completion, take-over, testing,
commissioning, performance testing, defects liability periods,
float, time at large, EOT provisions, LD's, general damages,
acceleration, etc. Understands and uses the programme when
administering contracts.




Planning & Project Management Skills Level 1
Able to effectively analyse cause and effect and programme
impact of delays to planned progress for the purposes of
producing compensation event and variation submissions, etc



Planning & Project Management Skills Level 2
Able to understand and outline programme updates to
accurately reflect project status and forecast outcomes.



SOFT SKILLS








Embodying the values of the company in practice


Client Care Skills Level 1
RICS APC: Client Care (K)
Able to develop strong relationships within the project team
and contribute fully to team project performance standards

Client Care Skills Level 2
RICS APC: Client Care (D)



COMPETENCY AREA
Junior QS AQSP Assistant Intermediate QS Project QS Senior QS Managing QS Executive KAM Role
Able to understand and ensure all client objectives at both
project and organisational level are given focus and attention
for the duration of the assignment and is recognised by client in
this regard
Client Care Skills Level 3
Be instrumental in the business becoming 'supplier of choice'
across the whole of the client organisation




Client Care Skills Level 4
Able to build long term client relationships at the most detailed
level to ensure excellent forward visibility of projects, workload
and requirements to assist the Board in the preparation of
resource plans and forward order book maintenance







Management & Mentoring Level 1
Able to manage a team to deliver project tasks and priorities
specific to role




Management & Mentoring Level 2
Able to give performance feedback, act as project mentor and
set project specific goals to meet individual and team
performance requirements in line with client project objectives




Management & Mentoring Level 3
Able to coach, manage and develop individuals to improve
technical skills and performance to meet and exceed client
expectations






BUSINESS SKILLS








Business Development Skills Level 1
RICS APC: Client Care (K); Business Planning (K)
Able to identify realistic prospects and feedback pertinent
information to the business



Business Development Skills Level 2
RICS APC: Client Care (D); Business Planning (D)
Able to develop strong client contacts and prospects for the
long term for the benefit of the business



Business Development Skills Level 3
Able to manage and resource opportunities effectively to
support business growth and stability







Business Development Skills Level 4
Able to proactively grow and develop business within a key
client portfolio in line with annual business targets set







SPECIALIST SKILLS








RICS APC: Risk Management (A); Procurement & Tendering (A);
Ability to manage and influence commercial/contractual
aspects of construction projects at strategic/board/senior
management level








COMPETENCY AREA
Junior QS AQSP Assistant Intermediate QS Project QS Senior QS Managing QS Executive KAM Role
Ability to propose, define and implement
commercial/contract management solutions at project and
organisational level







Awareness of client's business objectives and able to analyse
and advise on commercial/contractual strategy accordingly







Able to lead, manage and develop commercial /contractual
project teams and processes to instil robust processes and
good practice







*Relevant sectors are: Oil and Gas, Power and Renewables, Water and Wastewater, Petrochem, Nuclear, etc
RICS Competences: (K) Knowing (D) Doing (A) Advising