Opus People Solutions is a dynamic, innovative and different temporary and permanent recruitment service providing high quality, cost effective recruitment solutions.
Our team, experienced in both public and private sector recruitment, are able to offer creative and tailored solutions via a model that allows us the freedom to work with the best interests of our clients in mind. We understand that temporary resourcing spend is a significant burden on local authorities and provide an opportunity for councils to reduce spend on temporary recruitment and gain an annual dividend.
Our focus is on quality and we are continually striving to improve and develop to stay at the front of the recruitment field, bringing a cost effective solution into the local authority market. Our heritage in public and not for profit sectors gives us a deep insight into how these organisations work and, being local government owned, all profits are retained within the public sector, which sets us apart in the market.
Joint Venture Case Study
Opus People Solutions’ first joint venture between Cambridgeshire County Council and Northamptonshire County Council was established in January 2017 to meet the councils’ recruitment needs.
Historically, Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC) and Northamptonshire County Council (NCC) spent a combined total of circa £25m per annum on agency staff. This was a result of high agency fees, non-negotiable salaries and candidates who didn’t have the relevant experience to work in the public sector.
The councils set out three primary objectives to deliver:
- To achieve greater influence over the quality and pay of agency workers
- To achieve financial savings by reducing agency costs
- To achieve a continued supply of agency workers
The councils’ procurement team took up the challenge to deliver the primary objectives outlined and discovered Opus People Solutions.
The joint venture was established to recruit temporary and interim workers on behalf of the two councils.
The councils receive the value of Opus’ methodology, systems and experience, whilst enabling a greater influence and control over agency fees and workers’ pay.
As part of the governance arrangements put in place, each council in the partnership has a seat on the board of Directors. This allows an input in to business strategy, complete transparency of all financial and operational performance and an avenue for the councils to influence decision making.
- Since we went live within each council, we have increased the number of candidates placed directly, rather than via external recruitment agencies.
- In less than 3 years Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire County Councils realised savings of circa £2m through the joint venture.
- Reduced their spend by c£5m over the same period
- Due to its success Milton Keynes Council joined the JV in 2018.
Overall Opus People Solutions has returned over £1m of dividend to its shareholders.
Opus can be easily and engaged via the EELGA market place as a Managed Service Provider or for individual pieces of temporary and permanent recruitment.
Could your organisation benefit from Opus People Solutions’ expertise? Express Interest in contracting Opus People Solutions’ through their profile on the East of England Marketplace.
The East of England Local Government Marketplace helps local authorities in the region buy a range of services from both the East of England LGA and our member local authorities without the need for procurement. Marketplace Partners offer extensive public sector experience with proven track records in their fields.
The Marketplace enables East of England LGA members:
- To review and buy services more easily from the Association
- To advertise their traded services or trading companies to one another
Marketplace Partners need either to work directly for an EELGA Member or to be 100% owned by one. There is no fee for a Partner to be featured on the site – commission fees are only payable for any subsequent transactions made through the Marketplace.