So, you’re looking to grow your headcount?

Maybe you’re looking to hire a team of specialist job roles? For example, your company is being impacted by new regulatory changes, and you’re in need of an expert team of finance and actuarial experts, but nailing down these niche skill set is starting to feel like searching for a needle in a haystack?

Perhaps you’re going through a huge transformation programme, and you need to scale your project and change teams pretty quickly?

Or maybe you’ve recently seen a rapid spike in the growth of your business or have undergone a merger or acquisition and need to rapidly integrate new teams into your existing business structure?

Whatever your challenge, if your People team are stretched already with BAU and need a helping hand or an extension of their team that comes with a large network of resources that’s yours to use flexibly, then a Project RPO could be the key you’re looking for to unlock the start of a more streamlined recruitment process.

In this blog we’ll walk you through the ins and outs of a Project RPO. We’ll get stuck into what it is, the main benefits, how this solution can help get you set up for the future and how you can get started.

Let’s go!

What is a Project RPO?

First things first, what exactly is a Project RPO?

Well, a Project RPO is a flexible recruitment solution that offers many of the benefits of outsourcing all your recruitment to a resourcing partner, but without the long-term commitment.

This is a solution that can take the form of a “one off” engagement, working as an extension of your in-house talent acquisition team to source, screen and deliver the right candidates or teams as and when you need them. Basically, acting as a helping hand, saving time for you to navigate your people strategies and day to day BAU.

Benefits of a Project RPO

It’s sounding pretty good right? Let’s dive into exactly what some of the benefits are that you get when working with a recruitment partner via a Project RPO:

Flexibility & Scalability

With this model you can deploy talent quickly and scale rapidly to meet peaks in hiring demand or as your services evolve in line with your strategic goals. You’ll also get a dedicated team always at the end of the phone if you’ve got any questions or ever want to make any changes.

Improved Quality of Hire

By using the services of a recruitment partner via a Project RPO, you’re getting access to an incredible network of talent. Using the RPOs candidate attraction process and assessment tools, you’ll have access to the best active and passive talent available. We’re talking psychometric testing and technical assessments – really getting into the details to ensure the perfect candidate fit.

Employer Brand Amplification

With a Project RPO your employer brand will be actively promoted to help you stand out in a competitive market. Your Project RPO partner will amplify your company values and brand and use marketing expertise to put together a proposition that ensures candidates see you as a desirable place to work.

Enhanced Candidate Experience

Your delivery team will take the reins to provide an enhanced candidate experience. When you’re up to your ears in admin, sometimes those key candidate touch points can slip through the cracks but with a Project RPO solution, you’ll get a personalised experience for each candidate throughout the entire recruitment process – ultimately helping to keep them engaged.

Reporting & Talent Intelligence

You’ll have access to enhanced reporting capabilities and talent intelligence platforms, empowering you to make data-drive recruitment decisions. This could be for anything from the best location to open a new office, what salaries competitors are offering to where your chosen talent demographic is based.

Reduce Costs

By streamlining the recruitment process, a Project RPO will provide you with huge cost savings. Thanks to direct sourcing and a more targeted approach to your recruitment, you’ll have more control over your budget than you would with a traditional recruitment model.

Time Saving

As well as the rapid deployment of talent, don’t forget that one of the main benefits of this model is the huge savings in time your talent acquisition team will receive. With a Project RPO you’ll be getting an extension to your team to help share the load and take some admin tasks off your desk. Imagine having someone else to sift through applications and find candidates for you PLUS getting into the nitty gritty like dealing with video interviews and all that logistical admin you’d rather not do.

Support Future Workforce Planning

A Project RPO can help enhance and shape the future of your talent acquisition strategy. Taking what you’ve learnt at the start of the project, you can use this knowledge to facilitate future workforce planning and even support your planned DE&I initiatives, remote working strategies or career pathways.

What can a Project RPO be used for?

So, there’s obviously lots of benefits. But are you wondering whether it’s the right solution for you? Here’s just a few examples of how you could use a Project RPO to smash your business goals:

Deliver project-based recruitment campaigns

Maybe you’re launching a new product or service or going through transformation and need a project team to get this off the ground? Enter: The Project RPO.

Support spikes in recruitment activity or the needs of a specific department

Do you experience seasonal fluxes of business activity and need some extra hands-on deck? Whatever reason you have a spike in hiring for, a Project RPO can help.

Support diversity and inclusion programmes

A Project RPO can be used in a variety of ways to support your DE&I initiatives. Maybe you’re pushing your early careers programme or want to make sure you’re attracting the next generation of talent? This solution can really help you break through the noise.

How to get started with a Project RPO

If you’ve got to the end of this blog and a Project RPO is sounding like the answer to your prayers and you just want to get started, we’d recommend thinking about 3 key things:

1. Determine your hiring needs and goals. Have a think about how quickly you need this talent hired. Do you want to outsource everything or just need a few extra hands on deck? Laying out your requirements early on will help you make informed decisions when it comes to selecting a partner.
2. Decide which metrics you want to track. Are you wanting to dramatically reduce time to hire? More focused on the quality of the candidates? Or maybe you’re keen to tap into the market intelligence extras you’ll get from a Project RPO partner.
3. Choose your provider. Do your research into the providers out there, making sure they have experience in your field and industry, and can even offer the sort of technology you’re looking to take advantage of.

Are you ready to get started?

If you’d like to get the ball rolling with a Project RPO solution of your own, get in touch with our team today and let’s have a chat about your requirements and how we can help you reach your goals.

In case you missed it, we recently launched a Spotlight Report focussing in on the world of Product Owners.

And with this role surging in popularity, can we take this to mean there is a growing demand for more Agile skill sets in general?

In this blog we get stuck into why our data is demonstrating a broader openness to Agile methodologies and job functions across the UK, as well as highlighting how Scotland in particular is becoming a hotspot for this talent pool.

Are you ready to take advantage of this surging demand? Let’s find out…

The rising demand for Agile skill sets

We’re now seeing that a lot of these skills are required for Product Owners (which we discussed in this blog), a job function that’s had undeniable growth. To put this into perspective, LinkedIn has reported a 2% nationwide increase in headcount for Product Owners, and as a role it’s now ranking in the Top 5 in VacancySoft’s 2024 Financial Services Review – a 30% year-on-year increase. Plus, Sanderson’s own data has shown that our hiring volume for Product Owners has gone up by a whopping 50%! This is clearly a hot market right now.

But it’s not just product focused roles that are surging. In Scotland (especially in tech hubs like Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen) we have found that Agile roles in general are picking up pace, particularly across the development, software engineering and testing space.

A distinct trend here is also how the candidates themselves are seeing the value of agile skills for their own self-development. We’re talking to candidates who want to be able to move seamlessly into different roles, “hit the ground running” and be an effective conduit between different business units and teams thanks to amassing an arsenal of agile skills.

Which industries are leading the way?

The Banking industry is leading the charge here with a 60% surge in demand for Agile roles like Product Owner, followed closely behind by the Information and Media industry where demand has risen by 52% and a 36% rise in demand in the Insurance sector.

This can be seen as a clear reflection of highly regulated industries showing a significant shift from favouring traditional project management skills and attributes to looking for more agile focused and diverse skill sets as they hope to become more efficient and capable in their future business operations.

Where is this agile talent based?

So, looking across the UK market, are there any hotspots for this Agile talent, and in particular Product Owners?

In a nutshell, yes.

London has a significant chunk boasting 33% of the total talent pool. A huge proportion as this is followed up by Manchester with 5%, then Edinburgh with 4%, Glasgow and Bristol with 3%, and Cardiff having just 2% of the total talent pool.

Changing trends in agile talent location

But while London does have the largest share of this agile talent, is there better hiring opportunity elsewhere in the UK?

We think so!

Other UK hubs, and especially in Scotland, are worth exploring for agile talent thanks to the high competition you’ll face in the capital making hiring extremely costly, not to mention the fight for talent amongst your competitors.

But which hubs in particular?

Data from LinkedIn Talent Insights identifies Northern hotspots such as Edinburgh and Leeds as the strongest opportunity markets for this talent pool.

While London has high demand for agile talent, both Edinburgh and Leeds are currently only experiencing medium to low demand. These cities have also experienced a recent growth in their agile talent populations by at least 4%, whereas our data has shown that growth in London is starting to stagnate. This means lots of candidates for you to choose from and little competition from other companies – good news for businesses wanting to expand their agile capabilities with their pick of the talent!

Combine this with the fact that there’s been an obvious push for growing agile skills across the Scottish digital and tech sectors shown by meet ups like Agile Scotland and Product Tank Edinburgh, we believe that Scotland isn’t just “adopting” agile as a fad, but have fully embraced it for now and the future – a positive sign for hiring for these skills here in 2025 and beyond.

Looking to find out more?

If you’re interested in ramping up the agile skillsets in your team, and want to dive a little deeper into these trends to make sure your offer stands out in the crowd, then why not check out our full Report which is chockers full of market-leading salary data and industry trends. Just fill out the short form below.

If you have any further questions on this topic, want to find out more about agile skillsets and their prevalence in the Scottish market, or are looking for a bit of help in expanding your team then please do get in touch with me on [email protected]

The UK is facing a significant digital skills gap, with implications for economic competitiveness and national security. This gap is particularly acute in sectors requiring high levels of security clearance, such as Government & Defence.

However, could a ‘Skills First’ agenda offer a new approach to workforce development, by focusing on aptitude and potential rather than traditional credentials?

In this blog I explore why the digital skills shortage is a concern, the particular challenges faced by UK government, as well as why a ‘Skills First’ agenda can help.

The Digital Skills Challenge in the UK

The UK is facing a growing digital skills crisis that extends beyond economic productivity, it’s becoming a matter of national security. As digital transformation accelerates, the shortage of skilled professionals in data, cybersecurity, software engineering, and AI is leaving critical industries like Defence vulnerable.

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) outlines a vision for a digitally enabled force, but without the talent to support it, this vision is at risk. The UK lags behind global leaders in STEM education, and the requirement for UK nationals with security clearance further narrows the talent pool. The clearance process itself, taking up to 52 weeks, creates a bottleneck that reduces agility and responsiveness.

This deficit impacts operational effectiveness. Projects stall, legacy systems persist, and innovation is stifled. The Defence sector struggles to compete with Big Tech for talent, and without a coordinated national strategy, the gap will only widen.

To address this, I believe that digital skills must be treated as critical infrastructure. Investment in education, training, and inclusive hiring practices is essential to reduce the impact on our national security.

What is the ‘Skills First’ Agenda and Why It Matters

The “Skills First” agenda is a transformative approach to workforce development that prioritises capability over credentials. Instead of focusing solely on degrees or past job titles, it emphasises what individuals can do, their aptitude, potential, and transferable skills.

This model is particularly relevant in sectors like Defence and Government, where traditional hiring practices often exclude capable candidates. The “recruit, train, deploy” model and “skills accelerators” offer scalable solutions. They identify talent from diverse backgrounds, provide targeted training, and deploy individuals into roles where they can make an immediate impact. This is a topic I’ve recently discussed on a podcast with WYWM, you can check this out here!

By adopting a skills-first mindset, organisations can tap into underutilised talent pools, including career changers, veterans, and individuals from underrepresented communities. It also supports agility, enabling faster onboarding and adaptability in rapidly evolving digital environments.

The UK has an opportunity to lead in this space. By embedding skills-first principles into procurement, education, and workforce planning, we can build a more inclusive, resilient, and future-ready digital workforce.

SMEs vs. Primes – Who Can Solve the Skills Crisis in Defence?

Both large firms (primes) and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) play critical roles in Defence, but they face different challenges when it comes to digital skills.

Primes have the scale, frameworks, and bid teams to win contracts, but they struggle with agility. They can’t afford large benches of unassigned staff, often rely on offshore delivery, and face challenges in rapidly reallocating skilled workers.

SMEs, on the other hand, are nimble and often possess deep technical expertise. But they lack the scale and financial resilience to navigate long procurement cycles. They’re frequently dependent on primes for access to contracts and struggle to invest in skills development at scale.

I believe the solution lies in collaboration. By fostering ecosystems that combine the strengths of both, and by reforming procurement to support innovation and inclusion, the Defence sector can build a more resilient and capable digital workforce.

Skills development must be a shared responsibility, embedded in contracts and supported by government policy.

Making Defence Tech Cool – Attracting the Next Generation

Defence faces unique challenges: long procurement cycles, legacy systems, and an ageing workforce. The Strategic Defence Review outlines ambitious digital goals, but without the right talent, these are at risk. The sector must address cultural and structural barriers to attract and retain digital professionals.

To compete with Big Tech for digital talent, the Defence sector must transform its image. While Defence offers purpose-driven work and cutting-edge technology, it often fails to communicate this effectively to younger generations.

Branding matters. Big Tech is seen as innovative, flexible, and exciting. Defence must adopt similar messaging, highlighting its mission, impact, and opportunities for growth. Outreach programs targeting schools, universities, and underrepresented communities are essential.

Initiatives like STEM engagement, early careers programs, and partnerships with tech hubs can help build awareness and interest. Showcasing real-world applications of Defence tech like AI, cyber, autonomous systems, can inspire the next generation.

Making Defence tech “cool” isn’t about gimmicks. It’s about telling a compelling story, creating inclusive pathways, and offering meaningful careers.

Central Government and the Skills First Opportunity

But the digital skills challenge isn’t limited to Defence. Central Government departments face similar issues like rigid hiring practices, pay disparities, and a lack of digital fluency.

The civil service often struggles to compete with the private sector for talent. Roles are narrowly defined, and hiring processes are slow. This limits the ability to respond to emerging challenges and deliver digital transformation.

A “Skills First” approach can help here as well. By focusing on aptitude and potential, government departments can access a broader talent pool. Training programs, secondments, and cross-sector partnerships can accelerate capability building.

The Government Digital Service (GDS) has made progress, but I think more is needed. A unified strategy that aligns Defence and Civil Service efforts can create shared talent pipelines and improve interoperability.

Digital transformation in government isn’t just about technology, it’s about people. Embracing skills-first principles is key to building a modern, responsive, and inclusive public sector.

Conclusion

The digital skills crisis really is a strategic risk for the UK. To address this crisis the UK Government & Defence sector needs a coordinated, long-term strategy with collaboration between government, industry, and education.

But by adopting a ‘Skills First’ approach and investing in inclusive, long-term solutions, I believe the UK can build a resilient digital workforce capable of leading our industry through this transformation and that supports both national security and the public service.

The time to act is now.

Would you like to discuss this more? I’m always keen to chat with anyone who has queries on the digital skills gap or how they can ensure their organisation can use talent to remain resilient against these challenges. So please do reach out on [email protected]

Sanderson Government & Defence‘s Managing Director Nick Walrond recently had the pleasure of joining WithYouWithMe on a podcast exploring why in today’s fast-moving economy, it’s not who has the biggest brand or the deepest pockets that wins — it’s who can mobilise the right skills, at the right time, to drive real outcomes – and how a skills-based RTD (Recruit Train Deploy) Model can help make this happen.

Nick chats about how in the government and defence sector specifically, a technical skills accelerator is vital to help organisations build their capability faster, increase speed to proficiency, and de-risk workforce decisions.

When needing a security clearance significantly reduces the availability of skilled talent, government clients can benefit from the principals of an RTD model by accessing talent that has the technical understanding required, but also with the potential to accelerate this – unlocking hidden potential to help them reach their goals.

Nick also dives into why looking at skills-based hiring over qualifications and experience can create a powerful advantage for businesses, and even help to remove unconscious bias from their recruitment processes. A subject that’s particularly important as we need to find a way to engage with people of all ages and at all differing stages of careers as our working population ages and so getting more people into organisations to build capability faster should be celebrated.

If you’re looking to future-proof your team then have a listen to the full podcast via the link below and make skills your greatest competitive edge!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5gDxTuTJ5fG7oqQXEifS14

We recently launched our Product Owner Spotlight Report which took a deep-dive into the world of Product Owners to provide you with insight into everything from candidate location through to salary data.

But when it comes to career progression and benefits, what is it exactly that really makes this candidate pool tick?

In this blog we’ll walk you through the necessary skills you should look for in a Product Owner, the typical career path these candidates take as well as the work styles this talent pool utilises so you can make sure your offer remains competitive in the market.

Let’s get tucked in…

What skills should Product Owners have?

For candidates to succeed in the Product Owner role (and to stand out in the market), they need to be pragmatic, possess strong communication skills and ideally be well versed in agile methodologies and prioritisation techniques. They may also have obtained relevant certifications such as CSPO and PSPO.

This is important because the fundamental aspect of Product Ownership is being the conduit between business units and teams. Whether that is between UX and Software engineering or business stakeholders and technology functions, they are the central point of engagement. These are candidates who have chosen to move from development teams to Product Ownership and so will often have excellent soft skills and enjoy stakeholder management responsibilities.

What does a career path look like for a Product Owner?

So, what does a typical Product Owner career path look like?

Generally speaking, there seems to be two core starting points for a Product Owner to take the first steps in their career:

• Business Analyst
• Software Development

As they gain experience, they often undertake increased strategic responsibility and can evolve into a Senior Product Owner role, this typical means working more closely with senior stakeholders or owning multiple products.

In our experience, it’s at this point that many candidates want to continue to progress up the ladder, and so we begin to see them move into Product Management roles and Senior Product Management roles which have far broader scope and allows the candidate to be more strategic in nature. In these roles there will be more of focus on shaping and influencing the Product roadmap but also what that means for the wider business as well as technical or product strategies.

After this, the career path can evolve, but we find the job title can be subjective to the scale and size of the organisation, product or software engineering teams and the business teams in the organisation.

But is the opportunity to widen their scope of work and skill sets all that’s important to these candidates?

How to make your offer stand out

In our experience, while opportunities to work on exciting projects or products and getting stuck into cutting-edge tech stacks are still important to candidates, now more than ever we’re seeing these candidates care more about the nature of the work they’re doing, and the type of company they’re working for.

We’ve seen high-quality professionals prioritising important social or ethically impactful Products within domains such HealthTech, FinTech, MedTech and even tending to shy away from potentially controversial industries like gambling or tobacco.

It’s also interesting to note the working style Product Owners are tending to favour. According to our data from 400+ job boards in this market, we’re seeing 6.8% of these roles advertised as fully remote, 26.8% as hybrid and 66.4% as fully in the office. From conversations with candidates and clients alike, there seems to be a real preference towards Hybrid approach.

In our experience, almost all of the high-quality Product specialists we’ve placed in the last 18 months from junior to CPO level, have a preference for some time on site. Due to the sheer nature of the role, they are the middle person between various people and teams. These sought after candidates find they can perform their role better with some face time and a human touch, so make sure that’s an option for them.

Looking to find out more?

If you want to tap into the Product Owner, we’d love to hear from you. Our data is showing a 2% nationwide increase in Product Owner headcount PLUS Sanderson hiring volume for this role has gone up by a whopping 50%, so now is more important than ever to get a solid grasp on this market so you’re ready to make your next move.

Please do reach out to Khalid Razouki on [email protected] to carry on the conversation, and why not dive a little deeper into the Product Owner market by downloading a copy of the full report in the short form below.

From Military to Civilian: Navigating Your Next Career Move

Transitioning from military service to civilian life is a journey filled with both challenges and opportunities. For many service leavers, the biggest question is: What’s next?

The good news? Your military experience has equipped you with leadership, discipline, and problem-solving skills that are highly valued in the civilian workforce.

Where do ex-military personnel Thrive?

Transitioning from the British Armed Forces to civilian life is a major life change, but it’s also a chance to build a new, rewarding career. Here’s how your military experience can translate into high-demand roles across the UK job market: Think about what you currently do, and the transferable skills you have in your locker for civilian life.

Public Sector

Your background in service, discipline, and leadership is highly valued in:

• Civil Service roles (e.g. Ministry of Defence, Home Office, Border Force)
• Local government and council operations
• Emergency planning and national security
• Police and prison services (many forces have veteran recruitment schemes)

The UK Civil Service offers a Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative, helping ex-forces personnel find meaningful roles.

IT & Cybersecurity

With cyber threats on the rise, your military training in communications and security is a strong foundation for:

• Cybersecurity analyst
• IT support technician
• Network engineer
• Digital forensics and threat intelligence

Look into certifications like CompTIA, CISSP, or BCS qualifications, and explore support from organisations like TechVets.

Skilled Trades & Engineering

If you worked with vehicles, aircraft, or infrastructure, you’re well-suited for:

• Construction and civil engineering
• Electrical and mechanical trades
• Utilities and energy (e.g. National Grid, SSE)
• Rail and transport engineering

Many employers offer ex-military training programmes and apprenticeships to help you transition smoothly.

Logistics & Supply Chain

Your experience managing operations, transport, and supplies is ideal for:

• Warehouse and distribution management
• Fleet and transport coordination
• Procurement and inventory control
• Operations management in retail or manufacturing

Major UK employers like Amazon, DHL, and Tesco actively recruit veterans for logistics roles.

Healthcare & Emergency Services

If you served as a medic or in a support role, consider:

• NHS roles (e.g. paramedic, nurse, healthcare assistant)
• Private healthcare and care homes
• Mental health support and counselling
• Emergency services (ambulance, fire, coastguard)

The Step into Health programme connects veterans with NHS careers across the UK.

Entrepreneurship

Many UK veterans start their own businesses, using their leadership and resilience to succeed in:

• Consulting and coaching
• Trades and services (e.g. plumbing, landscaping, security)
• E-commerce and tech startups
• Franchise ownership

Support is available through X-Forces Enterprise (XFE), The Prince’s Trust, and Start Up Loans for Veterans.

Tips for a Smooth Transition

• Translate Your Experience – Use civilian-friendly language on your CV.
• Upskill –Use your learning credits to gain certifications or degrees in your resettlement period and think ahead if you are looking to leave in the next couple of years. Give yourself time to learn.
• Network – Connect with military-friendly employers and mentors. Sanderson Government & Defence can support with this. Security Cleared Career Events, Career Transition Programmes.
• Get Support –Sanderson Government & Defence can help you find your next career; we are here to support military leavers, and continue to attend events and community workshops to help you transition smoothly. Give the Recruitment team at Sanderson a call discuss employers requirements, and what you might need to obtain that next career move.

Final Thought

Your service has already proven your value. Now it’s time to channel that experience into a new mission, one that brings purpose, growth, and opportunity.

If you’re a service leaver navigating your transition into civilian life, or someone who supports veterans on this journey, I’d love to connect and hear your story.

For employers looking to diversify their talent pool with highly skilled, disciplined, and mission-driven individuals, we have exceptional candidates actively seeking their next opportunity. Let’s work together to match great talent with great organisations.

Get in touch

If you would like to discuss this topic further please do not hesitate to get in contact with me directly.

Michelle Wright – Head of Sales – [email protected]

If you’ve arrived on this blog, then it’s likely your business operations involve managing a contingent workforce.

And that means you’re aware of how many moving parts this entails and that you probably have a never-ending list of administrative tasks piling up on your desk.

If you saw our recent blog on how an MSP (Managed Service Programme) can take the pain points away when you’re managing your contingent workers, then you’re undoubtedly ready and waiting to get started with an MSP of your own.

But where do you start?

In this blog we’ll walk you through a simple five step process of everything you need to consider to start the journey of making managing your contingent workforce a breeze. (And if you get to the end and find you might actually need a bit of help auditing your contingent workforce – just get in touch).

Let’s go!

Step 1: Audit Your Contingent Workforce Needs

Volume of Contingent Workers

First things first, it’s important to begin by getting a clear picture of what your contingent workforce population currently looks like. Understanding not only how many contingent workers you have, but also what their worker status is, how much you’re spending on contingent workers, and their tenure will help to identify your current requirements.

You can use this information to map out how this might change in the future based on your business needs and ensure that you’re picking an MSP partner with the financial stability to manage your contingent worker spend.

Diversity of Skills and Roles

During your initial audit, you should also consider the range of skills and the types of roles you’re hiring for.

Do you need a variety of different skills or are you focusing in on once niche skill set? Do you need these roles to be based across multiple locations or are they all centralised?

Mapping out these requirements and handing them over to an MSP partner will help to streamline the process and avoid you having to keep multiple plates spinning.

Flexibility and Scalability Needs

During this step you should also have a think about your future business plans. Do you anticipate any fluctuations in demand? Maybe you’re looking to expand one of your business lines and you need people on the ground to make it happen?

By utilising an MSP you’ll be supported in strategic workforce planning and be far better set up to rapidly scale your business by getting feet on the ground, where you need them.

Step 2: Define Your Goals & Priorities

Key Objectives

So now you know where you’re currently at with your contingent workforce, it’s time to take a look at where you want to go and lay out on paper exactly what you want to achieve with an MSP.

This might be cost savings, ensuring compliance with necessary regulations, getting better access to quality talent or maybe even reducing the administrative burden on you and your teams.

Current Pain Points

During this step you should also assess what challenges you’re currently facing while managing your contingent workforce.

Maybe there’s a lack of visibility across the business on what’s going on with the contingent worker population, maybe you’ve got concerns about IR35 or maybe it’s just that you’re finding it difficult managing multiple talent suppliers and the quality of people you’re currently getting isn’t quite what you’re after.

Desired Level of Control

You should also try and decide exactly how much direct control you want over your contingent workers versus how much you’re comfortable completely outsourcing.

MSPs can vary in how they manage vendor relationships so make sure you know exactly what you’re after at the outset. Would an automated and ‘technology first’ approach work for you and your business, or do you think your hiring managers would prefer an MSP partner who can be onsite when deploying new workers to offer more hands-on support?

Step 3: Research MSP Models & Service Options

Choose the Right MSP Model

Next up its time to do your research and scope out what sort of MSP might be the best fit for you. Consider the needs that you defined in Step 2, and with these in mind determine which MSP model might be the best fit. (You can remind yourself on the differences between a master, neutral or hybrid MSP model in this blog).

Consider Statement of Work (SOW) Management

Do you use SOW contracts for your project-based work? If you do it’s worth making note of this during your research phase as you might benefit from an MSP that integrates both contingent labour and SOW management.

With an MSP this could be a day one service or even part of a continuous improvement programme, so make sure you know if it’s relevant to your work.

Ability to Influence the Solution

Now you’ve nailed Step 2 and decided what level of control you require, take the research phase as an opportunity to assess what level of influence you need over your MSP provider. If you want this to be a little more customisable, keep a look out for MSP partners who can tailor their solutions to your specific industry, workforce needs and the location you want the talent to be based.

Step 4: Calculate ROI and Budget Considerations

Estimate Potential Savings

If you’re looking to get started with an MSP of your own, then you’re probably already aware of the potential cost savings that this can bring you and your business. With benefits such as competitive supplier negotiations, rate card management, direct sourcing discounts and even just more streamlined processes, MSPs can deliver you a huge range of possible savings.

During this step, have a go at evaluating the potential financial impact you could get from an MSP to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck as you get started.

Budget for Implementation Costs

You should also take the time to consider any upfront costs your business will have to make when initially implementing your MSP. This might be anything from new technology that will need to be integrated, supplier transition costs or even factoring in the cost of training.

Compare MSP Costs to In-House Management

Finally, it would be worth factoring in the costs of managing your contingent workers in-house versus the fees associated with an MSP. Having this laid out will help you demonstrate the cost saving benefits to the stakeholders in your business.

Step 5: Evaluate Potential MSP Providers

Industry Expertise

And now we get to the fifth and final step in getting started with an MSP. When you’re looking to get started with rolling out an MSP it’s important that you do your research on potential providers. It’s recommended to look for MSPs with experience in your industry (or similar industry) as this will ensure they have specialist knowledge and can tap into relevant networks for you.

We’d recommend looking for suppliers who are happy to introduce you to current clients and invite you to meet their teams so you can take any references you need and meet the people who will be delivering your service.

Service Level Support

When comparing potential MSP providers, one of the aspects you should evaluate is the level of support you’ll be offered, particularly during implementation and for ongoing account management.

Do you have the option of on-site support if you need it? What sort of resources are available to you for troubleshooting? These are important things to get answers to out the outset to avoid any last-minute panic down the line.

Plan Your RFP Process

Last but my no means least, make sure you set yourself up for success in the RFP (Request For Proposal) process by planning out what questions you need to ask.

During this stage, you need to be able to adequately ascertain whether the MSP providers you’re considering have not only the size, financial stability and experience to meet your needs, but also that they align with your company values and that you can feel confident they’ll represent and communicate your employer brand effectively.

Top Tip – Why not ask the providers you’re considering if they’ll share their RFP templates with you so you can get more of an idea of the key questions you need to be asking?

Ready to get started?

A Managed Service Programme (MSP) can help you to ditch the admin and deliver real business value from your contingent workforce.

Now you know what steps you need to take to get started, why not get stuck into figuring out which MSP model is right for you? We’re on hand to help guide you on which MSP model might work for you and your business, as well as what each of their benefits are.

Our mission is to deliver a best-in-class MSP service, and we use our unique combination of brilliant people, effective processes, innovative technologies and seamless collaboration to deliver this. As part of this mission, we’ve put together our Ultimate Guide to MSPs to set you up for success – and all you need to do is fill in the short form below.

Have any more questions? Please do reach out to Elizabeth Hawkins for a chat about how you can get started with managing your contingent workforce today on [email protected]

We recently launched our Q1 2025 Technology & Digital Insights Report which delves into the latest trends we’re seeing of businesses shifting their priorities and now looking to invest in more specialist skill sets such as data engineering and cloud technologies.

With the ever-increasing need to keep up with data security requirements, enable scalability and stay on top of emerging methodologies, businesses need people who can work across specialised platforms.

And one of the specialist skills sets we’ve seen emerge, with significant growth across the UK, is Python Engineering.

Why is demand for Python Engineering surging?

As a beginner-friendly language, Python is a popular choice among aspiring developers and is widely taught across academia, meaning there are more candidates with skills in this area entering the talent pool.

Also, its dominance in data analytics and modelling has made Python the backbone of programming libraries for data science, machine learning, and AI. As a result, many AI and machine learning products are now built using Python. This coupled with a strong community of developers and researchers has further contributed to its widespread adoption.

In my opinion, another reason why Python has very quickly become one of the busiest markets is because it really is everywhere. The software isn’t limited to traditional development thanks to its vast libraries.

Why is Python a good option for businesses?

Python is an attractive option for businesses due to its flexibility, ease of learning and cost-effectiveness, offering a free alternative to licensed languages like Java and .NET.

This is particularly the case for start-ups looking to invest in skills without unnecessary added costs.

Also, a bonus for data science and engineering companies is that Python’s prevalence means professionals they hire are likely already well-versed in the language, so they can hit the ground running.

I think Python can also be a good option for businesses because, thanks to it being an open-source platform, it can run on everything and can easily be integrated with other languages and systems your business may already be using.

The popularity of Python

According to our data, we’ve seen an increasing business demand for Python engineering as a skill.  In fact, Python is being featured in 71% of job posts compared to Java Engineers which is now only featuring in 49% of roles.

Also, when it comes to the candidates and talent pool, a recent study by Stack Overflow saw Python listed as the third most popular programming language and the first most popular programming language out of those candidates that are learning to code. A clear indicator that Python is set to continue in popularity as different generations enter the talent pool.

Python Developer profiles

If you’d like to dive a little deeper into the role of Python Engineers and get data into experience and gender breakdowns as well as talent pool location data, you can get it all at your fingertips by downloading our latest Technology & Digital Insights Report for Q1 2025.

This report is also jam packed with data on the latest trends across the whole Technology & Digital recruitment market, including the latest stats to see how your salaries are stacking up.

See how your salaries are comparing to others in your region and set your business up for success by downloading the full report today.

Have any more questions?

Don’t hesitate to reach out to me on [email protected]

In case you missed it, we recently launched our Financial Services Hiring Trends Report which focuses on Digital, Technology, Change and Transformation hiring in the Financial Services sector. The Report delves into how hiring in 2024 compared to the previous year, how hiring demand was split across the UK and what the job market looked like across the financial services sector.

But what exactly were the most in demand and most hired roles in this sector, and what does this tell us about trends we can predict for the rest of the year?

Most Hired Roles

Software Engineer and Developer

Our data showed us that Software Engineer and Developer roles soared above Business Analysts as the most in demand roles for 2024. This is likely thanks to the significant investment We have seen this trend in action already during Q1 of 2025 by placing 42% more Developer roles than we have Business Analysts.

Business Analyst

The demand for Business Analysts has traditionally always been high in the financial sector thanks to companies looking to optimise their processes, improve efficiencies and integrate the latest technologies, and this was yet again the case in 2024.

Data Analyst

The role of Data Analysts remained essential as many financial services organisations searched for candidates who can turn huge amounts of data into actionable insights. As, data underpins the business strategies of many financial organisations moving forwards, this continued surge in demand is expected.

Data Engineer

As data-driven decision-making continued to take hold of businesses, there was a continued necessity for clean and well-structured data, especially among those companies in the financial services sector who are hoping to leverage AI tools. We therefore saw a huge growth in the demand for Data Engineers both on a permanent and interim basis in addition to a desire to grow their own data talent through innovative capability development models.

Hiring Predictions for 2025

In terms of hiring demand, I believe we can head into the rest of 2025 with a cautious optimism. Throughout the first few months of the year, we saw resourcing requirements for permanent hiring improve by 6% during Q1 of 2025 compared to Q4 2024 and contingent talent demand improve by 2%. Already a lot of our clients are expressing an interest in hiring in greater numbers this year, and a particular theme we are seeing is hiring for Artificial Intelligence skill sets. Many of our clients have indicated they are considering how this will impact their ways of working and how they can transform to successfully leverage any benefits AI may offer in a compliant and ethical manner.

I believe there will continue to be a strong demand for talent in the financial services space, particularly for data roles.

However, I do predict that employer preferences will start to shift away from a skill sets focus, and more towards the capability of candidates.

The word ‘Curiosity’ is coming up more and more frequently in discussions with Financial Services technology clients in relation to the type of person they would like to hire; be that permanent or non-permanent.  In a world where technological advancements are fast evolving, our clients want to hire adaptable talent with a hunger to learn and to have a keen interest in ‘Why’ and ‘What Value’ the products they are building will deliver to the end user; be that the end customer or colleagues.

Increasingly during our briefings for individuals and teams, our clients are looking for a baseline technical skillset but the adaptability of the candidate to grow.  This means that we not only need to select candidates for their skillset and background, but also for behavioural characteristics like aptitude and agility.

We are already advancing in this direction through our Sanderson Projects service and also our exclusive permanent campaigns whereby cognitive behavioural testing and behavioural interviewing are embedded into the selection process.

This approach will provide clients with an approach that promotes cultural fit and alignment to company values, and retention and satisfaction within their workforce into the future.

In addition to hiring for capability at the experienced end of the market, we are also seeing a ‘grow your own’ approach to talent for the future.  This is due to the rise in organisations identifying their future talent shortages and focusing on how they can prepare for this via capability development programmes in order to hire more junior, diverse and talented individuals, develop them in role and ensure they have the skills their teams need both now and into the future.

Next steps

Are you ready to find out more?

As we start Q2 and look to the summer, now is the time to start thinking about enhancing operational efficiencies, addressing your skills gaps and supporting the reskilling of your existing workforce with the right blend of permanent employees, contractors and consultancies.

Arm yourself with data including exact talent pool numbers, tenue statistics, gender breakdowns and regional hot spots for the roles discussed above by downloading a copy of our Financial Services Hiring Trends Annual Report via the short form below.

Have any further questions or considering how your business can get ahead of these predictions? Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me on [email protected]

If your business operations involve managing a contingent workforce, you’ll be aware of how many moving parts this entails.

Whether it’s managing contractors and temporary employees, or consultants deployed under Statement of Work (SoW) agreements, there’s a lot to consider and it can create a lot of pain points for busy hiring managers.

You might find yourself buried in administrative tasks, dealing with clunky hiring processes that need a refresh, budget concerns if you’re not sure where all the costs are coming from, or even up come up against a brick wall when you need to bring in the right people to achieve your goals but don’t know where to turn.

This is where a Managed Service Programme (or MSP) comes in.

In this blog we’ll get stuck into the three most common pain points that might arise when managing your contingent workforce and how working with an MSP partner can help to take them away.

Let’s get started…

Attraction, Selection and Screening Candidates

So, you’re looking to hire contingent workers for a new project, but which route should you take (contractor / temp / consultant) and how do you find the time to attract and select the best talent when you have so many other demands on your time? With an MSP in place, your MSP partner will take the reins so you can sit back and focus on the day to day of running your business.

They will optimise processes to make it easy to gain approval for new hires and have access to the latest market intelligence to help your resource planning and budgeting. The MSP partner can either source directly or tap into a wide range of suppliers to create a pre-screened talent pool for you and take away the admin for scheduling interviews and managing offers, which saves you time and helps you engage with the best talent in the most cost-effective manner. An MSP also means consistent points of contact for both hiring managers, candidates and suppliers, ensuring consistent engagement whilst enabling you to concentrate on other priorities – a win win!

‘A common piece of feedback I receive from Programme Leaders is that they often opt for more expensive consultancy resource because the approval and selection process is so much easier. MSP solutions optimise processes to enable hiring managers to realise cost savings by hiring contractors and reduce the time to deploy and admin overheads’, Tom Moss, Head of Client Solutions.

Onboarding Contingent Employees

Once the interviews are completed and your candidates are selected, it’s time to onboard your people and, the need to ensure robust compliance can create a lot of bottle necks.

You ultimately want to mitigate risk in as smooth a process as possible and an MSP can provide that for both you as an employer, and your candidates. Your MSP partner will support your hiring managers with compliance documentation and process standardisation which will reduce your back and forth with suppliers – and they can even be on site to assist on the day.

And say goodbye to arranging laptops and IT set ups in time for a candidates start date, the MSP does all of this for you so you can get back to business.

“You took personal attention in lots of aspects of onboarding to help achieve great outcomes without compromising any of the important rigour, and the result is that our resource is in the building in time for a critical start date. I’m massively thankful for your help.” Feedback from hiring manager at Insurance client.

Offboarding your Contingent Workforce

Now the project is complete, and your temporary contracts are coming to an end, it’s time for offboarding. A time-consuming process with lots of boxes to tick and admin to complete, this can become a dreaded task for overworked hiring managers, particularly if the decision whether to extend or offboard comes at the last minute.

An MSP can take all this stress away for you. Your MSP partner will manage the full contract process, whether that’s an extension or a termination. The enhanced visibility and reporting provided by an MSP means this process can start 6-8 weeks before the end date, with regular check-ins to support your decision making. They’ll even sort the nitty gritty like the returning of tech and the closing down of IT accounts.

Looking to take your own contingent hiring pain points away?

If you’re looking to deliver real business value from your contingent workforce and are ready to ditch the admin and hit the ground running, getting started with an MSP could be the way to go. Why not download our Ultimate Guide on how you can get started today?

Answering all your questions from what types of MSP are available to you, a full brief of the benefits through to how exactly you can get started, this Guide will set you up for success – and all you need to do is fill in the short form below.

Have any more questions? Please do reach out to Tom Moss for a chat about how you can take away the pain points when managing your contingent workforce today on [email protected]