Have you started the process of choosing an MSP (Managed Services Provider)? Congrats! In the journey of adopting a new MSP, you're not just gaining a service – you're gaining a dedicated implementation team and an on-site Program Management Office (PMO) committed to being the heartbeat of your talent operations. Let's dive into the roles that make this partnership transformative.
Your new MSP will provide a dedicated implementation team as well as an on-site PMO team to serve as the central point of contact for you and your organization. To support day-to-day operations, your PMO team will include various roles, including an experienced Strategic Account Director, Program Manager, and Resource Manager. Everyone in these roles will typically have a strong operations background and will help guide you into your new partnership.
Before finalizing the PMO structure and the team assigned to the client, your MSP will typically conduct a comprehensive operational and program review. This review aims to validate the proposed plan's effectiveness in achieving your program objectives. As part of the initial implementation phase, the MSP will carefully analyze the needs of the client's hiring managers and contingent workers to determine if additional resources are necessary. This analysis is crucial in ensuring that your talent supply chain requirements are met once the initial implementation is completed.
The criteria used to determine which clients require an onsite PMO team usually includes,
- The volume of your hiring needs.
- The level of intricacy involved in delivering the different components of the program.
- The amount and level of Service Level Agreement (SLA) requirements.
The MSP will consult with their clients when exploring the need to expand on-site support to additional locations, this will help assess the right size and physical locations of the PMO Team.
The PMO Team will:
- Deliver outstanding client service with prompt and continuous communication.
- Oversee the entire process of requisition, conducting interviews, and ensuring successful fulfillment of positions.
- Provide a consistent stream of exceptional services and highly qualified candidates.
- Ensure precise and streamlined invoicing, comprehensive reporting, and data-driven analysis.
- Confirm compliance to all program requirements.
- Implement ongoing process improvement initiatives.
- Partner with the Supplier Management Team to enable and enhance supplier alignment and quality.
- Monitor and oversee all activities related to Managed Services, including providing guidance on talent acquisition, ensuring successful fulfillment of positions, and implementing ongoing training initiatives and more.
There are several roles that make up this PMO team that will take you from implementation to finalizing your role as a client.
The Roles That Typically Make Up an Implementation and Program Team
Vice President of Managed Services Operations
Large accounts will often be overseen and executively sponsored by a Vice President of Managed Services Operations or someone else within a VP role. Their role is to regularly meet with both the PMO Team and client to stay current with operations and performance, typically during a quarterly business review (QBR). These meetings allow for ongoing strategizing and collaboration with the client. The VP will also have the overall responsibility for Managed Services operations, supplier management, and post “Go Live” business development and program evolution along with having contractual decision-making authority and being the point of any issue escalation and resource allocation.
Senior Director of Client Services
The Senior Director of Client Services will typically serve as the primary relationship and operations leader and will also select and manage the dedicated PMO Team for the client. Their focus is usually on operational excellence, and ensuring that their team delivers the highest service to the client while focusing on quality, speed and compliance. As a result, they will work to ensure that key performance indicators (KPIs) are exceeded through the development of team action plans, identify and implement improvement opportunities, increase client and supplier satisfaction, improve supplier management, and attain cost savings.
This role will typically include additional responsibilities such as,
- Building strong stakeholder relationships and being the central point of contact.
- Overseeing all operations to monitor service delivery quality and key success factors.
- Identify and institute strategic initiatives, ongoing innovations, and program improvements.
- Driving cost saving initiatives and efficiencies.
- Developing client-specific program roadmaps and maturity models.
- Overseeing program management at all client locations.
- Conducting QBRs that include improvement plans and report analytics.
- Liaise with Supplier Management Team to confirm the suppliers are aligned with client needs, as well as regularly reviewed and enhanced.
Program Manager (Typically Onsite)
The Program Manager oversees multiple client locations (if applicable) or departments, and will monitor, track, and assist with all Managed Services activities. This role oversees identifying initiatives to enhance the program, and reviewing reports, analyzing data, and making program changes and/or recommendations. The Program Manager will also work closely with the Supplier Management Team and provide feedback on supplier performance and assist in delivering solutions for supplier optimization. They also assist in screening all incoming resumes and forwarding acceptable candidates to hiring managers. Sometimes, they may also be responsible for assisting suppliers in scheduling interviews and processing pre-screening candidate information.
Additional responsibilities include,
- Overseeing weekly reporting and monthly audits to help ensure contract compliance and KPI alignment.
- Providing ongoing training for new managers and staffing suppliers to enable program compliance and success.
- Interacting with client managers to validate job requests and set proper expectations.
- Overseeing on-boarding and off-boarding, new hire orientation and new hire paperwork.
- Overseeing timekeeping, and timely submittal/approval of time worked in the selected VMS.
Resource Manager
The Resource Manager will monitor, track and assist with all Managed Services activities as well, which includes developing and building relationships with client sponsors and hiring managers along with providing ongoing training for new managers and staffing suppliers to enable program compliance and success. There are several groups that the Resource Manager will typically interact with, including client managers to validate job requests and set proper expectations as well as suppliers (as needed) to fill positions with the most qualified candidates. They will usually assist with screening all incoming resumes and forwarding acceptable candidates to hiring managers and assist suppliers with interview scheduling and pre-screen candidates. They will also help Program Managers with monitoring and supervising on-boarding and off-boarding, new hire orientation and new hire paperwork in order to guarantee compliance. The Resource Manager will also create and regularly report on activities tracked within the selected VMS for the client.
Strategic Account Director
The Strategic Account Director provides dedicated strategic oversight and partnership above and beyond the dedicated operational program management. This resource will become a client expert, understand the client's business drivers and plans, and work to align their organization’s services to the client’s goals and objectives. Their primary responsibilities are program management, client retention and program expansion. The Strategic Account Director is responsible for building extensive relationships with both the client sponsors and business owners.
Supplier Management
The Supplier Management Team is specialized in managing suppliers participating in the MSP, and serves as the clients’ central point of contact for supplier related issues. Specific responsibilities include working in conjunction with the supplier's Service Delivery Team, and the client in order to select, manage and monitor suppliers. They measure supplier performance to confirm quality on a quarterly basis, manage suppliers’ issues or concerns, oversee supplier payments, and negotiate with the supplier community while ensuring contract compliance. Additionally, they play a crucial role in fostering continuous communication and providing suppliers with up-to-date information and policy updates. This ensures that suppliers have a clear understanding of expectations and actively participate in supplier forums, promoting full engagement in the supply chain. This part of the team is essential for fostering successful supplier relationships and participation throughout the life of the program.
During the implementation process and beyond, the Business Services Organization (BSO) and various corporate departments including human resources, legal, safety operations, the information technology department, and help desk support will provide additional assistance and support.
In conclusion, adopting a Managed Services Provider (MSP) is a significant step toward enhancing your organization’s operations and overall business success. As you transition into this partnership, the key players in the on-site Program Management Office (PMO) will play pivotal roles in ensuring a seamless and transformative experience from implementation and beyond.
As you navigate this transformative journey, rest assured that your MSP is not just a service provider – they are dedicated partners invested in your success. Together, you and your MSP will not only meet but exceed your program objectives, making this collaboration a truly transformative and rewarding experience.
