MSP partnership brings structure and control during large‑scale organisational change
Our client entered a period of internal transformation, triggering a global re-organisation across multiple sites in EMEA and the USA. Senior leadership set a 25% business-wide savings target, while core markets including Germany, the UK and Switzerland faced headcount reductions, business unit closures and operating model changes.
For the MSP programme, workforce demand became more difficult to predict as organisational priorities shifted. Visibility into future hiring requirements declined, while operational expectations remained unchanged. At the same time, savings-based SLAs introduced financial risk, including penalties of up to €30,000.
As uncertainty increased, hiring decisions slowed, particularly in Germany, and workforce planning became less consistent. Budget pressures also heightened retention risks, with the loss of some high-performing contingent workers and additional complexity created by site exits, VMS transitions and programme scope changes.
The client needed greater control, clearer workforce visibility and a credible path to savings without disrupting workforce continuity or supplier performance.
A structured, collaborative approach to supply chain redesign
Working closely with the client’s Global Procurement Lead, Pontoon conducted a data-led review of the supplier landscape to restore control and unlock savings. The programme included:
- Assessment of suppliers' performance, cost drivers and contractual structures across key markets
- Design of a revised supplier operating model aligned with evolving business priorities
- Review and refinement of MSAs, SLAs and KPIs, positioning savings as a measurable performance outcome
- Contract preparation and structured supplier negotiations, supported by Procurement and Legal
Supplier resistance to contract changes created early risk, with several critical suppliers initially refusing to sign revised agreements. Pontoon responded with:
- One-to-one sessions with essential suppliers to explain the commercial and strategic rationale
- A formal escalation path for high-risk suppliers
- Close alignment with functional leaders to present a unified negotiation position
Internal decision making also slowed as re-organisation progressed. Pontoon leveraged established stakeholder relationships to:
- Introduce a time-bound decision framework
- Clarify ownership and approval thresholds
- Enable faster escalation where required
Control anchored in organisational change
The programme delivered measurable outcomes:
- Supplier and spend consolidation that reduced fragmentation, unlocked volume-based pricing advantages, and improved consistency across core markets
- Enhanced supplier performance with consistent SLA adherence and no increase in escalations
- Stronger alignment with the organisation’s revised business strategy
- Reinforced long-term partnerships with priority suppliers, including a focused partnership model with a small group of strategic suppliers in key markets
- Streamlined supplier management, including standardised contracts and reduced administrative workload, with contract harmonisation underway across the supplier base
- Improved transparency across onboarding, renewals and performance tracking
- Stronger compliance with global policies
- Data-driven decision making, supported by real-time visibility into spend, performance and optimisation opportunities
- Strengthened cost control in a declining demand environment
Most importantly, the programme restored confidence during a period of sustained change. Large-scale reorganisation amplifies the need for workforce agility. This case demonstrates how a well-aligned MSP partnership, combining supplier expertise and procurement alignment, can restore control, and safeguard delivery even under the most challenging conditions.