Permanent, PAYE role
Location: North/ West Cumbria
No. of vacancies: 3
About us
Solomons Europe is a Quantity Surveying Consultancy celebrating its 25th year in business, having worked consistently with major clients in the Power, Infrastructure and Renewables sectors over the decades. We provide specialist consultancy support and integrated commercial teams to some of the biggest projects and infrastructure frameworks in the UK.
Whilst we might not quite stand shoulder to shoulder (yet!) with some of the large corporate entities in terms of size, as a proud SME comprising over 50 talented and passionate professionals, we are increasingly finding our services are in extremely high demand across the Northern Powerhouse.
We are strongly invested in our local regions and are focused not only on the achievement of commercial project success for our clients but also on the delivery of positive socioeconomic outcomes to leave lasting legacies in the communities in which we work. If you come to work with us, you will be joining a progressive, forward-thinking, ‘bit of a rebel' type organisation, that isn't afraid to put its head above the parapet and doesn't like to be the same as everyone else. We prefer to strike out independently and watch others follow our lead.
The role
Not one to rest on our laurels, we are branching out to provide our Cumbrian clients with a new service. We will be offering dynamic and agile solutions to support key client projects, comprising teams of Professional Specialists and Experts, alongside a cohort of proactive and effective Project Administrators - which is where you come in!
We are looking to welcome new talent into our professional teams, from business administration and financial backgrounds, and with a passion for providing a high level of service and support to clients. As part of your introduction to this new role, we will provide and intensive onboarding programme which will equip you with the technical expertise and ‘know how' you need to provide valuable and crucial support to our client project.
In return you will bring a passion, enthusiasm and willingness to learn and an over arching desire to bring an exceptional level of service and support to our clients.
Our onboarding programme will provide you with a fast-track skills development pathway to ensure you will flourish and excel in this new role - taking your Project Administration skills to the next level. You will be based from our Papcastle offices near Cockermouth, with some requirement for travel to client projects and offices in region. You may be involved in large or multiple clients projects, and your role will evolve and develop as you learn new skills and put them to good use in your client role.
You can expect your role to include a number of tasks and activities that you will be familiar with and well versed in, such as;
- Attending project meetings as required, note taking including recording decisions, witing up minutes and distributing actions.
- Ensuring the project plan, log, risk register and other documentation are consistently updated and tracked.
- Arranging internal and external meetings.
- Preparing and providing documentation to internal teams and key stakeholders (presentations, status reports, budget trackers, financial forecast trackers).
- Information gathering involving liaison with colleagues across operations, such as collecting and recording timesheets and site records, logging invoices, and paying payment notices.
- Monitoring project administration protocols and progress and addressing potential issues by escalating queries and concerns to the senior team.
- Developing strong working relationships with key stakeholders, to facilitate effective team working and collaboration.
- Ensuring all requests for support and information are provided in a timely manner and appropriate format.
- Other administrative duties as required by Project team
- Monitoring weekly site reports (assisting in their production as required) and arranging for their distribution.
- Maintaining accurate and up to date site and project documents in flight, and following the completion of each project.
- Maintaining project management records and systems for contract and commercial correspondence, change records and subcontractor/supplier terms, etc.
What you'll need:
- A minimum of 5 GCSEs grade C or above (or equivalent), including English/ Maths
- NVQ Level 3 Business Administration qualification or equivalent preferred
- A proven track record in an administrative role within professional practice or similar
- To have an appreciation of the need to act with integrity and can take responsibility for own actions and decisions.
- A pro active approach to problem solving
- Experience with information management systems such as SAP, Oracle, Coins (desirable but not essential)
- Proficient in the use of all MS Office packages, MS Excel and Word in particular
- Able to demonstrate effective people skills, such as: effective communication, active listening, teamwork, collaboration, conflict resolution, persuasion and influencing skills, reliability, respectfulness.
- UK Driving License with no more than 3 points, and access to your own transport.
The Benefits of working for this ‘Bit of a Rebel' business*:
- Competitive Salary - £25,000 pro rata, per annum aligned to skills and experience.
- Flex Allowance – £2750 pro rata, per annum - You are in full control of how you use this allowance and will have the freedom to choose to take it as cash or to select the benefits that matter to you and your lifestyle.
- Annual Company Bonus Scheme – The ‘All 4 One!' company-wide bonus scheme
- Design your ideal career and pathway: We are committed to supporting personal development at our company, so tell us your dream career pathway, and how it will benefit our business and we will support you 100% to make it a reality.
- Hybrid & Flexible working: We have key regional offices and MS Office suite technologies which means agile working is the norm. We believe in face-to-face collaboration and relationship building, whilst balancing your individual personal preferences with the needs of our colleagues, project teams, our clients and Solomons Europe with the effective use of remoting working and technologies in order to drive projects forward effectively and efficiently.
- Well-being Support: We offer the use of a staff holiday lodge in the lake district every year and opportunities to recharge and rebalance at our exclusive Resilience and Wellbeing Retreat close to Ullswater. 25 days of annual holiday plus usual bank holidays, and the option to buy/sell up to 5 days leave.
- Benefits that really add up! Whether it's enhanced Pension matched contributions of up to 8%, EV and Hybrid vehicle options, Employee discount schemes, Private Medical Insurance and Health Cashplan, we're constantly working to help you to get the most out of your overall benefits package.
- Enhanced Maternity, Paternity, Adoption and Shared Parental Pay - to give you greater choice and flexibility when that very special time comes.
Closing date for applications: 29th August 2023
Start date: 9th October 2023
- All benefits listed are subject to eligibility based upon, length of service, successful completion of probationary period and/or adherence to the terms and conditions of the provider. The Company accepts no responsibility for any exclusions contained therein nor for any unsuccessful claims made by the employee under the policy. The company's policies are subject to changes in legislation, market forces and the availability of approved providers. The Company reserves the right to withdraw any non-contractual benefits or policies.
Solomons Europe is an inclusive employer. No terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, or belief.
You may have experience of the following roles/sectors: Tax Administrator, Project Administrator, Project Coordinator, Business Administrator, Accounts Administrator, Legal Secretary, Cost Administrator, Finance Administrator, Project Controls, Document Controls, Construction Project Administrator.