Case Study: MSP & Supply Chain Audit

Tilbury Douglas’ previous Neutral Vendor contract was no longer working for them. The engagement was low, as was the volume of roles. They decided to appoint a sector specialist who would partner with hiring managers, build strong relationships, and drive their recruitment processes forward.

Carbon60 got straight to work on putting a specialist team in place. These sector experts were based on Tilbury Douglas’ site where they could not only become deeply embedded with our client’s organisation but could also manage the practicalities of the recruitment process, such as welcoming and guiding visiting candidates.

The pre-existing NV agreement had been concentrated around managing and delegating to the supply chain, but our new MSP agreement was much more about living and breathing Tilbury Douglas’ culture. Continuous client contact meant we could showcase our passion and sector expertise to provide a personal experience for both candidates and Tilbury Douglas.

Often, we’d overbook requirements to mitigate risk. If seven roles were needed, we’d book ten and agree to cover any additional cost, so that in the event of unreliability we’d put our relationship with Tilbury Douglas first. Our priority is finding solutions for our clients.

 This was a large, high-volume contract responsible for processing c.£15m of business for Carbon60 annually. Yet, underpinning this MSP was a straightforward, transparent agreement. It provided hiring managers with control and added value, and senior stakeholders (such as Procurement leaders and Operations Directors) gained additional insight via weekly MI on their contract workforce.

The overall outcome has been extremely positive, and we’re pleased to share the following statistics:

• 13% of roles are now being worked - previously it was only 5%
• Role fulfilment has risen from close to 0% to 88% by year 2, against a target of 60%
• Approx. £180k was saved in year 1
• We successfully mobilised a new programme during the pandemic, mitigating the complexities around IR35 and Brexit and talent supply, all under the existing MSP.

Despite our long-term relationship with Tilbury Douglas, our most recent work has broken down any remaining barriers and has allowed us to form a true partnership. We’ve exceeded a transactional relationship and have used our expertise to help transform the organisation’s talent strategy.  We’re proud to now work seamlessly with Tilbury Douglas on innovative solutions that we hope will continue to support the business's ongoing success for many years to come.