As a managed service provider, we deliver structured managed service programmes that bring your contingent workforce under one accountable MSP model. We oversee supplier networks, contractor engagement, compliance and reporting, giving you clear visibility and control over contractor spend.
Overview
If you are managing contractors across multiple recruitment suppliers, visibility can quickly reduce and risk increases. Inconsistent rates, fragmented processes and limited reporting make it difficult to maintain control over contingent workforce spend.
A managed service programme introduces a single governance framework for your non-permanent workforce. As your MSP provider, we centralise supplier management, contractor engagement, compliance and consolidated invoicing, giving you structured oversight across your contingent workforce.
Whether you are consolidating agency relationships or formalising your contingent workforce management strategy, an MSP gives you measurable control and accountability.
CHOOSING AN MSP
As contractor numbers grow, tracking costs becomes more complex. Different agencies, rate cards and processes make it difficult to see the full picture. Bringing everything under one managed model gives you clearer financial control and consistent reporting.
Working with multiple recruitment partners is common. Without coordination, standards and performance measures can vary. A structured programme creates consistency across your supplier network while maintaining access to specialist expertise.
Contractor engagement carries responsibility. If onboarding and compliance standards differ between teams, risk increases. A central framework ensures contractor processes follow clear, agreed standards.
When workforce information sits in separate systems or spreadsheets, planning becomes reactive. A managed service provider introduces structured reporting so decisions are based on accurate, shared data.
Many organisations add contractors over time without redesigning how they manage them. As hiring scales, gaps in cost control and governance appear. MSP formalises how your contractor workforce is managed and measured.
WHY CHOOSE US
We start by reviewing how your contractor hiring works today. That includes supplier usage, volumes and spend. From there, we agree what good looks like, including reporting, governance and performance standards.
We introduce a single structure for your recruitment partners. Rate cards, service levels and expectations are defined clearly, so everyone is working to the same standards.
We put clear processes in place for approvals, onboarding, extensions and offboarding. This means contractor engagement follows the same approach across teams.
We centralise how compliance is monitored and documented. Responsibilities are clear, and contractor engagement follows agreed standards rather than ad hoc decisions.
We provide regular reporting across spend, supplier performance and workforce numbers. As demand changes, the model adjusts with it, so your MSP continues to support your wider workforce plans.
Case studies
"Hitting 40 hires in 18 months across infrastructure and engineering was an ambitious target, and we needed an agency that could deliver against it without us having to manage the process closely. Digital Waffle did exactly that. The shortlists were focused and we didn't waste time on candidates who weren't right. Every role landed on schedule, and the people they brought in are already contributing to the programmes they're supporting."
"Zak has been a real help in building out our talent pool at Commify. His ability to source candidates across diverse roles has been genuinely impressive. His professionalism and commitment to our recruitment needs have made a real difference to the quality of people we've been able to hire."
"Digital Waffle handled our hiring across data and engineering for the last year, supporting a big period of transformation. They listened to what we needed and brought us qualified candidates for each role, twenty in total. The team they've helped us build is now delivering real results across our digital projects. They got the brief and they got it right."
"We've been hiring across marketing, digital and the wider team for the last 18 months, and Digital Waffle have been our go-to partner throughout. They've placed 82 people for us, from juniors right through to director level, perm and freelance. It's a lot of moving parts for one agency to handle well, and they've kept on top of it the whole way through. We'll be using them again."
"We brought Digital Waffle in to run our hiring through the development hub launch, and they've placed over 50 specialists for us across product, development, design and QA in the two years since. The quality has been consistent throughout, which matters across a stretch that long. They've become the team we go to when we need to hire."
"We needed to grow headcount by 50% in 6 months, including hard-to-fill tech roles, which wasn't something we were going to do on our own. Digital Waffle filled the gap properly. They got us the people we needed at the pace we needed them, and at significantly less cost than building out our own recruitment function. We hit the target on schedule."
"Digital Waffle were a real help when we were building out our engineering team. It was a fast-moving period, with a lot happening across our website and apps, and they quickly understood the kind of people we needed. They supported us with both perm and contract hires, kept things moving and made the whole process feel straightforward. Really easy team to work with."
"We brought Digital Waffle in on a retained basis to help us scale at Gnosis. Over twelve months they delivered 28 roles, sourcing the right candidates for each one across functions that aren't always easy to recruit for in this space. They showed a deep understanding of our requirements from the start. Happy to recommend them to anyone hiring at scale."
WHO WE SUPPORT
Need more structure around your contingent workforce? Our managed service programme supports businesses that require clearer supplier coordination, compliance oversight and control over contractor spend.
Our disciplines
Need contractor support across more than one function? Alongside running structured workforce programmes, we deliver specialist recruitment across key disciplines to ensure your project and temporary resource is aligned across the organisation.
FAQs
A managed service programme, or MSP, is a recruitment outsourcing model used to manage contingent labour such as contractors and temporary staff. It centralises supplier coordination, contractor engagement, compliance and reporting under one structured framework. We deliver MSP solutions by overseeing supplier networks and introducing clear governance across your contractor workforce.
A managed service provider is responsible for managing how a contingent workforce is sourced, engaged and governed. This typically includes supplier management, rate control, contractor onboarding and offboarding, compliance oversight and consolidated reporting. In our MSP model, we act as the central point of accountability across these areas.
The benefits of a managed service programme include improved visibility of contractor spend, stronger compliance control and more consistent supplier performance. By introducing structured governance and reporting, an MSP provides clearer oversight and reduces fragmented contractor management.
An MSP supports compliance by standardising contractor engagement processes and centralising oversight. This includes defined onboarding standards, documentation control and consistent supplier governance. By formalising how contractors are managed, organisations reduce regulatory risk and maintain alignment with UK compliance requirements.
An MSP manages contingent labour, including contractors and temporary staff. Recruitment process outsourcing, or RPO, manages permanent hiring and talent acquisition strategy. MSP focuses on supplier governance and contractor spend, while RPO focuses on end-to-end recruitment for permanent roles.
Yes. A managed service programme does not automatically replace existing recruitment agencies. Instead, suppliers are coordinated under a structured framework with defined standards and reporting. This improves accountability while maintaining access to specialist recruitment expertise.
The cost of an MSP depends on contractor volume, supplier complexity and reporting requirements. Pricing is typically structured as a management fee linked to contingent workforce spend. A clear commercial model is agreed upfront to ensure transparency and predictable cost control.
Get in touch
Exploring a managed service programme to streamline supplier management and workforce hiring?
Share a few details about your requirements and our team will be in touch to discuss how an MSP model could support your organisation.
Prefer to talk? Call us on 0121 517 0357.
