A role profile describes what an external role must be able to do as a minimum — regardless of how the supplier names the role or grade. It makes seniority levels verifiable.
Contents. Role tasks, required skills with skill levels, level of responsibility, years of experience, certifications and delivery location.
Calibration. Suppliers map their staff to the defined roles and levels; the profile counts, not the title. That way “Senior Consultant” means the same at every supplier.
Interplay. A role profile and a seniority level together make up one line of a rate card, to which a day rate is assigned.
Versus skill profile. A skill profile lists the required skills and their levels. A role profile adds the role's purpose, level of responsibility and further requirements such as experience or certifications. In practice the terms are mostly used interchangeably; “skill profile” can also mean the profile of a specific person.
Synonyms: Skill Profile, Profile Card, Role Definition, Role Description