Get Chartered – professional experience

Competence and Commitment

report guidance
Section C: interpersonal, leadership &
communication skills
Convey how you effectively communicate and work with professionals at all levels. How do you ensure your
colleagues know what you are doing and how do you gather information on issues concerning you?

Ci Managing interpersonal relationships

How does the development of professional relationships impact on your ability to do your job successfully?
Evidence of liaising with external clients, suppliers and organisations should also be considered.

Examples:
Q resolving conflicts and create, maintain and enhance productive working relationships
Q negotiating contractual arrangements with other stakeholders (client, subcontractors, suppliers etc)
Q communicating operating plans with production staff

You might write:

I promoted a project aimed at continuous improvement within a staff group...

Cii Demonstrating leadership in a professional role

You do not necessarily have to be the manager of a team of engineers in order to demonstrate leadership.
Candidates on a quality graduate training scheme (with IChemE accreditation for instance) should be eligible to
apply before the age of 30 and many will not have had experience managing their peers or leading teams.
Think of other ways you demonstrate leadership, for example working pro-actively as an individual eg initiating
projects, delegating work, training your peers, providing direction to operators or technicians.

Examples:
Q ensuring that variations from quality standards, programme and budgets are identified and that
corrective action is taken
Q agreeing objectives and work plans with teams and individuals
Q leading and supporting team and individual development
Q leading a technical review

You might write:

I provided leadership for an ‘Open Day’...
 Get Chartered – professional experience

Ciii Communicating ideas and plans by report writing and

oral presentation
You should give evidence here of presenting technical data orally and writing reports about your findings. Work
completed for a PhD, EngD or other academic research may be relevant.

Examples:
Q writing a user requirement specification (URS) for a control system
Q writing screen displays for an acid plan conversion to computer control
Q provision of technical guidelines to assist in product selection
Q presenting alternative design options to senior management

You might write:

I devised a slideshow of the implications to the plant of a new product variant, which was specifically tailored to
different senior managers’ interests...

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Get Chartered – professional experience

Competence and Commitment report –

past examples
Section Ci

–
Example 1

As well as building relationships in multidisciplinary teams I have also built relationships with
external stakeholders such as:

LY
Q Contractors for pilot plant orders
Q Suppliers of proprietary water treatment processes
Q Specialist consultants when I managed wind turbine feasibility studies

T C ON
Q Charity partners when completing a secondment with XXXX
Q The Environment Agency when working in the regulation team
When flooding occurred in Carlisle, I worked for a week with electricity supply colleagues

Y
visiting customers to advise them on electricity supply cut offs. This required me to show

NO CE
empathy and resolve conflict with customers who had been badly affected. After completing

OP
the carbon saving technologies study described in question Aiii I realised there was the potential
to develop the company’s use of heat pumps which would result in opex and carbon savings.
I needed colleagues in different areas of the business including engineering, asset strategy,
and operations to work together. I arranged and facilitated a brain storming session with
N
these parties and we put together an action plan. This resulted in several applications for the
technology being identified and the initiation of an R&D project.
RE

Following this I have become a focal point for applications of the technology, bringing teams
working on different aspects together to share experience. For example an electrical engineering
colleague working on an air pump heating system which uses heat from an electrical control
FE

room to heat other areas of a building approached me for advice. I also have met with a
geotechnical engineer to understand their capabilities for designing ground heat systems. I have
also built relationships with external suppliers of the technology.
To facilitate knowledge sharing in my discipline team I maintain and promote the use of a
RE

SharePoint site, giving team members ad-hoc training on its use.

DO

During my PhD, a colleague and I were awarded a travel scholarship of £3k each, to undertake
Example 2

work at a research centre in Germany. I suggested that we attend the centre together and
manage our funds jointly to enable us achieve savings. Due to the remote location of the
research centre, public transport was limited. We arranged to live in the same neighbourhood
and contributed towards the costs of a car and fuel for commuting and living purposes. The
financial benefits of our decision to share our funds allowed us to extend our stay, thereby
performing additional research work at a world-class facility, which was important to
successfully completing my PhD.
Get Chartered – professional experience

Section Ci

I was responsible for collecting and editing articles for inclusion in the site Environment, Health

Example 3

–
& Safety newsletter each month at a previous company. This involved liasing with staff from
different departments and varying backgrounds and providing them with my professional
advice in order to produce an outstanding article. I devised various means of communicating

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the newsletter to the whole site, via internal post to departments in order to be posted on
their noticeboards, by liasing with IT to obtain via the site email system for all staff with access
to computers and by ensuring content of newsletter are being discussed at departmental

T C ON
meetings.
I led the selection of a suitable training provider for training automation engineers. I
investigated if a recommended company was suitable for training the group I was responsible
to look after, i.e. Automation IT department. I invited the company along for an interview

Y
and asked a rep from the group, an automation engineer along to the interview session. We

NO CE
asked for examples of reports they have produced and also provided them information on

OP
what we wanted and asked if they could meet our needs. The company has now agreed to
use them based on our recommendations, even though they were not on our approved list of
suppliers. A 4 day training course on work equipment safety and CE Marking was aranged. 13
Automation Engineers attended the course and I also attended in order to be able to assess

N
whether other engineers will benefit from a similar course.
I was responsible for interviewing 3 contracting companies in order to find the most suitable
RE
contractor for carrying out the project on refurbishing the multi-storey car park. Other
members of the interview panel were: the project manager, procurement specialist and civil
engineer. The right company that achieved the refurbishment project was carefully selected,
based on the scoring system used.
FE

I supported and worked with the engineering department to lead them through the compliance
with the relevant statutory and corporate legislation. This has proven difficult at times and
excellent working relations need to be maintained for positive results to be achieved. I worked
RE

on an engineering remediation project, in order to help improve in areas of non or minimal

compliance.
DO

I have regular contact with site senior production, engineering and quality management. For
Example 4

example, when drafting validation documentation for a process improvement to an existing

production area, I kept our site Qualified Person (who must sign off on every batch produced
to show it has been manufactured within the licence and with GMP controls) at every stage of
the process in order that her requirements for risk assessment, testing and documenting of the
changes were incorporated at the early stages.
The differing priorities of regulatory and R&D departments vs. engineering and production
mean that the simplest way to achieve regulatory objectives is rarely the most effective way
for the factory. I have proposed and discussed product licence changes and applications
with senior regulatory advisers to engage them with updating our regulated methods of
manufacture in a way that provides business benefit and flexibility rather than in a way that
dictates every step and variable of the process, resulting in an improved document for use in
licence updates for a key acid reflux product.
I have coached members of my team to improve their effectiveness. One of my production
operators had a high level of process and organisational understanding and ambition, however
was perceived very poorly both within the team and at management level due to his sickness
record. I talked him through the company’s development process and coached him in how
he could improve people’s perception of his performance and commitment. As a result, his
absence record improved considerably and he volunteered to take on more responsibility.
The team still saw him in poor light, however, and complained that he was leaving them a
disproportionate amount of the manufacturing tasks due to his involvement in planning,
scheduling and documentation reviews. I discussed his role and activities with several of the
team informally and once they all had an understanding of their importance, and the fact that
none of the others in the team had yet shown any drive to gain that level of knowledge, the
remaining team members were much more supportive. The team member was seconded to
a Crew Leader role on my recommendation, and after some further training was promoted to
Technician level.

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Get Chartered – professional experience

Competence and Commitment report –

past examples
Section Cii

–
Example 1

I noticed there was a lack of knowledge sharing between younger engineers in my company and
some people were missing out on help to become chartered.

LY
My idea was to set up a “Developing Engineers Forum” to tackle these problems. I got several
like minded people together and we set three aims for the group. To promote focus on
professional and career development, increase members’ networks of contacts and promote
engineering across the company and further afield.

T C ON
The forum has been a big success with our own SharePoint site to share announcements and
discussions. I lead a working group who hold regular events which include Developing Engineer
presentations on projects and experiences, site visits and social events.
The most challenging event was a chartership workshop. I sought approval and funding to

Y
hold the event and arranged for representatives from 6 engineering institutions – ICE, IChemE,

NO CE
IET, IMechE, CIWEM and IWO and a representative from the Engineering Council to attend.

OP
Attendees could find out which institution was right for them and learn more about the benefits
of being a member, professional qualifications, CPD and becoming a mentor. It was a big success
with over 80 people attending.
N
I have given technical advice to more junior members of my team and have supervised the work
of a graduate engineer on the project described in question Aiii.
RE

I have undertaken a range of activities with school children including careers fairs and mock
interviews and I am registered as a Science and Engineering Ambassador with STEMNET which
provides opportunities to encourage young people to choose careers in science, technology,
engineering and maths. I acted as a mentor for a team of school children over a 10 week design
FE

project giving them technical advice and encouragement.

As a process engineer with an EPC contractor, I supervised the development work undertaken
Example 2

RE

by a vacation student on bespoke software for costing subsea field developments. The project
which lasted for three months was financed by a major oil company. Specifically, I provided
DO

technical guidance to the student on engineering and process functionality and approved all
changes to the software before publication.
During my PhD, I regularly led weekly undergraduate problem solving lectures and laboratory
sessions (for modules including, but not limited to, fluid mechanics, process engineering
fundamentals and applied science modules). I was responsible for a class of up to 30 students.
As part of my responsibilities, I formulated chemical engineering class problems, developed
mark schemes and asssessed student coursework.
Get Chartered – professional experience

Section Cii

a) I am a specialist EHS Advisor/Safety Engineer position, which is different from other EHS

Example 3

–
Advisors. I support Capital Projects and the site Engineering Technical Services (ETS) group
by providing them specialist EHS advice and lead the EHS aspects of each project. I lead/chair
all HAZOPs for all new projects and alterations to existing projects, and provide EHS expertise

LY
support at the HAZOP meetings. I advice project managers on the EHS requirements needed
for completing their projects safety throughout the project lifecycle, starting from the design
phase. Example of project was a new micronisation process plant.

T C ON
b) I am responsible for leading incident investigations, for example, following a site incident on
a fluid bed dryer, an Health and Safety Executive (HSE) action was to identify all safety critical
systems on site and carry out a review on them.
c) I led a study where all the site’s critical safety systems were identified and assessed using a

Y
quick method (risk graph), which led to identifying 16 systems needing further assessment.

NO CE
I led the work, which has involved input from production engineers, an automation engineer

OP
and other relevant staff. Further assessment using the Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA)
method was carried out by myself and other relevant staff. An example of one of the systems
was the nitrogen detection system in a production area. An initial analysis lead to a Safety

N
Integrity Level (SIL) of 2 when senior managers were the initial team that determined the SIL
using the risk graph method, but when a production engineer was used, the SIL reduced to 1
using the risk graph method and then 0 using the LOPA method. This piece of work has helped
RE
to establish the safety integrity of our safety critical equipment on site.
d) I coordinated activities in order to prepare for a process safety audit for our Engineering
department by an external company. The company was asked to fill a questionnaire. A team
FE

of 4 (the engineering group director, a technical director, the EHS manager and myself) met
to discuss the questionnaire and filled out the relevant areas. We then had a teleconference
with the external auditors and I provided them with our responses. I accompanied the auditors
around site on the 4 day audit to support and provide them with relevant information and staff.
RE

Some of the regulations they audited were: pressure systems, work equipment, hazardous
areas (DSEAR) and lifting equipment.
DO

e) I led an investigation for an overpressurisation incident. I arranged with project team

members to help with investigating the incident during a chemical process. I pulled together
an investigation team promptly, organised a mini HAZOP where key actions where established
in order to prevent future occurrences of the incident. Actions have now been put in place to
prevent future occurrences.
Get Chartered – professional experience

Section Cii

I have managed groups of contractors during installation works, including reviewing and

Example 4

–
feeding back to them both directly and via their own company management on their
performance. I have coached site supervisors in the expectations of both myself and my
company where their own leadership and direction to their own team has been lacking - such

LY
as when engineers and fitters have required constant input and supervision from myself
or my colleagues rather than the supplier’s own team. I have also liaised with managing
directors of suppliers and installation contractors to feed back where targets have been

T C ON
achieved, or discuss preventative actions required from major incidents such as safety system
transgressions.
I have led weekly progress reviews during design and build phases, and daily reviews during
installation phases, with contractors and production teams to ensure work is effectively co-

Y
ordinated around operational requirements.

NO CE
I have had line management responsibility for production teams (including operators,

OP
manufacturing technicians, and process technicians) including objective setting, performance
reviews, absence management, and disciplinaries.
I represented my department during a review of our site’s performance review process. This

N
included roll-out of the new requirements and responsibilities in order for the operator teams
to compile their own evidence of good performance, thereby improving ownership of the KPIs
RE
and objectives that they had been set. I took forward recommendations from my colleagues
to the reviews, representing their views even when they did not match my own. I completed
several case study evaluations of “good” and “bad” employees under old and new systems to
show my colleagues how the new system could have a positive impact on their teams and also
FE

how it could more obviously show weaknesses of certain individuals, allowing more targeted
development.
I have assessed applicants for both production operator/technician roles and the company’s
RE

formal graduate programme through CV review, formal interview and assessment centres.
DO

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Get Chartered – professional experience

Competence and Commitment report –

past examples
Section Ciii

–
Example 1

For the majority of my projects I produce a Process Investigation Report. This describes the
processes currently installed onsite, the current performance, the new standards the works must
meet, details the options for improvement, design criteria and calculations used. This document

LY
is used by the key stakeholders to decide which option will go forward. It is also used by other
disciplines for design information and acts as a record of process decisions made. I also often
present on process decisions made at design meetings and project reviews.

T C ON
I have contributed to the Solution Scope Book on several projects. This is the specification
the design team hands over to construction partners who carry out the detailed design and
construction. In this document I have written process descriptions, control philosophies,
commissioning plans and testing procedures.

Y
The design calculations I complete must be presented in a way which can be checked and

NO CE
understood, therefore I produce them on company standard Excel spreadsheets. I have also

OP
developed standard calculation templates which are used by others.
Whilst working on the 2009 water industry Price Review I contributed to meetings where the
strategy for the company’s investment plan was set. For a series of management meetings I was
N
responsible for recording the minutes to ensure all actions were correctly assigned and an audit
trail was in place.
RE

For the project described in question Aiv I used specialist biological modelling software to design
the aeration control system for an activated sludge plant. I presented this work at a user’s group
meeting attended by representatives from other water companies and engineering consultants
as an example of best practise.
FE

I am experienced in giving oral presentations having presented regularly at team meetings,

company knowledge sharing seminars, to university students at careers events, and I am also a
volunteer speaker for the charity WaterAid.
RE

To satisfy the requirements for the award of a PhD, I wrote and orally defended a 300-page
Example 2

DO

research thesis to a committee of world-class researchers and obtained an award for the best
chemical engineering thesis at my university in the 2006 academic year. Subsequently, I have
written articles for four reputable international journals and delivered oral presentations at three
international conferences and contributed to three others.
As a process engineer with an EPC contractor, I wrote several technical reports for the approval
of external clients and company management. As part of my PhD, I gave quaterly progress
presentations to a consortium of project sponsors, which included major energy companies. My
role as a project technologist at an oil refinery has required me to lead project kick-off meetings
involving discipline engineers to explain the background to and deliverables for design work and
write scouting reports to obtain support from project stakeholders.
Get Chartered – professional experience

Section Ciii

I wrote a site Standard Operation procedure (SOP) for carrying out a work equipment risk

Example 3

–
assessment at design and purchase phases. I am responsible for coordinating that assessments
are carried out in all areas on site. I trained my EHS colleagues on the new procedure and I am
responsible for training mechanical engineers, automation engineers and process engineers in

LY
carrying out the assessment when required, as they are the experts responsible for those work
equipment. Other EHS staff are now able to train out the procedure to other departments on
site. Majority of the work equipment on site have now been risk assessed and prevents the risk

T C ON
of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecution.
I trained staff in various departments on the accident investigation team on the procedure. I
developed the procedure, training materials and presentation from the corporate tool, which
was very difficult to navigate. The accident investigation team are now well equipped to

Y
carry out accident investigations appropriately and to enable accidents to be dealt with by

NO CE
introducing corrective actions to prevent future occurences and to prevent HSE notices.

OP
I wrote a procedure (SOP) for carrying out hazardous area assessments in conjunction with the
site Electrical Engineer, to comply with DSEAR 2002 regulations and to ensure that site areas
where production activities take place are protection from explosions.

N
I sometimes visit manufacturer sites to carry out EHS assessments after a line or equipment has
been built, prior to Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) to ensure it has been built to comply with the
RE
companys’ corporate EHS standards and EHS regulatory requirements.
I am currently developing a new project risk assessment procedure to provide project
managers and project engineers with a clearer procedure to enable every phase of a project,
from conceptual design through to commissioning considers EHS implications adequately.
FE

I led the project on identifying and reviewing all critical safety systems on site, which involved
senior managers on site. I wrote a summary of what had been done and explained further
work required. I then presented the findings to senior managers and those staff that helped
RE

out with further reviews. I also produced reports on the findings, which ensured the safety of
critical safety systems and if there is need for extra safety measures, such as, more frequent
DO

maintenance on a system is needed to ensure it is safe to use.

I regularly have to create clear well-defined scope documents and URS documents to allow
Example 4

control of project scope and cost when reviewing with the production teams. In creating
the URS document for the process rationalisation works described elsewhere, I had to be
sufficiently detailed in key process sections to ensure that the alterations that would be made
would match our requirements exactly, without making the document overly complicated.
I have regularly presented project proposals, status updates and production KPI performance
to senior management (including director level).
I am part of a team reviewing the process and documentation in use for managing engineering
projects on our site to ensure that they are more user-friendly and fit for purpose. Specifically,
I have redrafted the template used for initial proposal and scope definition of engineering
projects and developed a checklist for key signoff documentation for completion prior to
project handover.
I have created flowsheets and flowcharts of production processes, at various levels of
complexity. This includes very detailed process flows for use by my project teams in
specification compilation, root cause investigation, FMEA studies, and operator training
packages; and simple block diagrams such as those for use in regulatory submissions, where
only the most critical parameters and aspects are identified in order to give maximum capability
for future process development.
While managing a packaging area, I updated and adapted the Excel-based production line
efficiency reporting system in order to give an improved template for to the line teams to
detail their daily and weekly downtime losses and trends. I had to adapt and rewrite several
macros that had become corrupted due to additional cells and calculations being added to the
spreadsheets over time. I also created a new sheet which automatically produced a simplified
set of graphs to give detail to the teams of which minor stops were increasing in frequency
over the week. I later adapted the system to provide some basic downtime reporting tools for
the processing area to use, and trained key persons in completing the data and updating their
improvement plans accordingly.
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