Client

Case Study - SOW to Deliver Critical Leadership for a Complex Transformation Programme

Discover how Adecco’s Employed Consultant and SOW model helped an IT infrastructure services provider stabilise high-risk infrastructure projects, support 40+ initiatives and secure a critical transformation programme.

About the Client

The client is an IT infrastructure services provider that assists organisations in delivering complex change programmes across sustainability, IT systems, AI, and more.

The Challenge

Adecco had been engaged under an original Statement of Work in 2019 to support the client with a complex, multiyear programme of infrastructure change and transformation. As the portfolio grew, it became clear that the scope and resource requirements were expanding significantly.

The client required a highly experienced Infrastructure Delivery Manager capable of managing end-to-end project delivery within a multidisciplined environment.

The programme operated in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment, with an extensive portfolio of regulatory, legal, and payments projects that had to be delivered on time without disrupting day-to-day operations.

Key challenges included:

Complex multi-party third-party arrangements.
Dependencies across numerous teams and workstreams.
Constant demand for accurate forecasts, timely issue escalation and budget management.
Recovering projects.

The client were looking for a recruitment partner who could find a high-calibre consultant to:

Slot seamlessly into the existing structure.
Restore control to high-risk workstreams.
Re-establish effective governance and delivery frameworks.
Provide strong infrastructure design, build, project planning and stakeholder management.
Maintain best-practice documentation and reporting standards.

To deliver effectively, Adecco needed to provide not just staffing but specialist expertise, resilience, and reliability.

Our Solution

The Adecco team engaged the client’s stakeholders to understand:

Where there were delivery gaps and projects at risk.
Issues with existing projects.
The level of leadership required for the programme.

Early meetings focused on mapping technical and business requirements, clarifying expectations, and defining the blend of skills needed. This included infrastructure expertise, project management rigour and strong financial governance.

Employed Consultant

Adecco deployed an experienced Employed Consultant with proven experience as an Infrastructure Delivery Manager with a track record of managing complex IT delivery portfolios.

Responsibilities included end-to-end ownership of assigned projects, resource planning, risk and dependency management, and stakeholder coordination. They were also accountable for ensuring adherence to timelines, budget control, and benefits realisation.

Support and Growth

Adecco provided proactive oversight and support throughout the engagement, ensuring the consultant remained aligned with client needs. This included:

Access to Agile training and certifications.
Cloud learning pathways to keep skills current with the client’s technology stack.
Support from wider Adecco resources, including governance, workforce management and best practice sharing.

This model ensured the client benefited from a consultant who was both deeply embedded in the programme and continually upskilling in line with their changing requirements.

Overcoming Challenges

A defining moment came when the consultant was asked to take control of a challenging project and quickly transformed it, with the consultant’s documentation recognised as best in class and adopted as a model for other teams.

Feedback from the client emphasised how quickly trust was established and how effectively the consultant embedded themselves into the programme. They were referred to as a trusted pair of hands who could consistently deliver under pressure.

Scaling Impact

As confidence grew, the consultant’s remit expanded. Over time, they:

Contributed to the delivery of over 40 projects and programmes.
Supported critical business areas including payments, fraud and financial crime.
Played a key role in regulatory programmes, infrastructure design and build, and complex issue resolution.

The client’s confidence in Adecco’s consultant was reflected in an extended contract and award nominations, including recognition in the GCIO Frontier Award for the “Always on Ready for Tomorrow” category, an achievement shared by the wider team.

Key Results

Multiyear engagement extended to June 2026 due to strong performance and trust in Adecco’s delivery.
Full restoration of a previously troubled project, with improved documentation and stakeholder management recognised as best in practice.
Support across 40+ projects and programmes in high-pressure areas.
Award-winning consultant contribution to the client’s business.
Improved financial governance, including rollout of a tool for managing project finances more effectively.
Long-term partnership, with opportunities for future collaboration as the transformation programme continues into its next phases.

Enhance Your Recruitment with Adecco

Adecco’s Employed Consultant and SOW model provides a scalable, resilient way to embed specialist delivery leadership into complex programmes.

If you’re managing a high-stakes transformation with multiple stakeholders, regulatory pressure and a need to stabilise critical workstreams, Adecco can help – combining experienced delivery leaders with structured governance and ongoing support to keep your programme on track.

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