Delivering digital transformation to government

Just like most of the world, the recruitment market in the public sector looks very different now to how it looked at the start of the year. With organisations feeling the impact of Covid-19, many have reduced permanent headcount in a bid to cut costs during this prolonged period of uncertainty. In the public sector, this is coupled with the need to invest in digital transformation in order to respond to the pandemic and meet the growing demand for fast and efficient digital experiences.

By scaling down permanent teams, some organisations have been left with a skills gap that they are now trying to rectify. But how can these skills gaps be filled without increasing permanent headcount?

One option is to hire contractors with the relevant skills on a fixed-term basis for the duration of a project or part of a project. However, this brings with it a number of challenges. Hiring contractors increases the liabilities around determining a contractor’s IR35 status. There is an increased number of contractors on the market at the moment, leading to increases in applicants for each role and a longer time to hire. Time also needs to be factored in for the team of contractors to get to know each other and up to speed with working together effectively. Perhaps a better option is to employ a whole Scrum team on an outcomes basis via a statement of work.

Engaging a Scrum team to deliver a set of outcomes brings a number of benefits including:

Flexibility – you have the flexibility of scaling up or down the size of the team throughout the lifecycle of the project without having to commit to additional headcount.

Reduced delivery costs – the team can be made up of offshore, nearshore and onshore team members to suit the budget.

Quicker recruitment process – the time to engage and deploy a Scrum team can be significantly reduced compared to permanent or contract recruitment.

Deliver value quickly – when engaging a team with members who have previously worked together they can hit the ground running and start delivering value quicker than hiring contractors.

No IR35 concerns – engaging a team on an outcomes basis means there are no IR35 considerations for the hiring organisation.

Consistency of knowledge – the same team members can be utilised at various stages in the project lifecycle ensuring that any knowledge built up about the company and project is retained.

Transparency – team transparency provides the opportunity to inspect and adapt to the work being developed.

How can Jumar help?

As technology resourcing specialists Jumar has experience of recruiting Scrum teams and delivering successfully in partnership with clients across the government and the wider public sector, all throughout the UK.

Jumar's in-house agile development team has the latest certifications including SAFe, PMI Agile Practitioner, and Scrum Alliance Certified ScrumMaster and Certified Scrum Developer amongst others.

Jumar’s extensive network has experience of working to the GDS service manual principles to deliver successful outcomes. Within the GDS service manual are a set of GDS standards that are followed to make sure teams create great public services for clients.

Jumar understands that engaging a Scrum team on an outcomes basis is only a temporary fix. Working closely with clients, Jumar develops an understanding of technical requirements as well as the culture of the organisation. Jumar’s Talent Acquisition team will continuingly engage with candidates who have relevant skills and a close cultural fit ready to deploy on a permanent basis.

A key part of the process is knowledge and skills transfer. Jumar is committed to making sure that all teams and individuals supplied, provide an ongoing skills and knowledge transfer to the clients inhouse teams. Ultimately this will mean an increase in productivity and efficiency for the client, moving forward.

With over 20 years’ experience in supporting clients across government and the wider public sector, Jumar can help you find the best resourcing option for your needs including the ability to quickly set-up a scrum team.   If you would like to discuss this and other potential resourcing options to best meet your criteria, contact us.