How Denova helped a procurement team flex capacity and strengthen delivery resilience

The client needed ongoing administration and support for its Source-to-Pay platform. This included responding to daily enquiries, resolving issues and leading improvements to how the platform was used.

Alongside this, it needed colleagues to help establish and support its supplier relationship management function.

Demand within that function varied significantly. Quarter-end brought concentrated peaks, creating a need for additional support for a relatively short period.

The client also required specialist input into projects, including additional platform modules, process transformation and an assessment of opportunities for AI in procurement.

Some roles carried a further requirement: resilience. Their importance to the business meant that an absence or departure could create a significant dependency on the knowledge held by one person.

The client needed an arrangement that could accommodate these different demands over time.

That established support could be supplemented when demand increased. Around quarter-end, the client could add a modest amount of extra capacity for approximately two weeks to help complete the additional work.

This allowed the level of support to reflect the client’s operating cycle, with increased capacity focused on the periods when it was needed.

The shadow buddy arrangement added another dimension. For roles requiring greater resilience, Denova assigned a backup colleague to learn the work and prepare to take on agreed responsibilities if the primary colleague became unavailable.

Together, these arrangements supported flexibility, continuity and a proportionate approach to headcount.

Denova colleagues became involved in both the daily operation and continuing development of the client’s Source-to-Pay environment.

Their responsibilities included handling enquiries, finding solutions to operational issues and leading improvement initiatives. This ongoing involvement helped them build knowledge that remained relevant as the client introduced further changes.

Other colleagues were embedded to help build and support supplier relationship management, with additional capacity brought in around its quarterly demand peaks.

Across the engagement, Denova’s contribution extended across operational support, supplier relationship management and project work.

Continuing involvement allowed colleagues to accumulate knowledge of the client’s platform, processes and requirements. That context could then inform their contribution to improvements and additional initiatives.

The client also developed a practical way to manage recurring peaks: maintain its ongoing level of support and add extra capacity for the short period around quarter-end.

As the relationship approached two years, its value reflected this combination of accumulated knowledge, adaptable capacity and preparation for continuity in important roles.

Provided ongoing administration and support for the client’s platform.

Responded to operational questions and worked on solutions to users’ day-to-day requirements.

Led improvements alongside continuing system support responsibilities.

Helped build and support the client’s supplier relationship management function.

Provided additional support for approximately two weeks around quarterly demand peaks, helping the team complete the increased workload.

Supported the launch of further modules within the client’s Source-to-Pay environment.

Assessed opportunities for applying AI within procurement to inform potential future initiatives.

Contributed to projects improving procurement processes and ways of working.

Assigned backup colleagues to learn selected roles and prepare for potential cover requirements.

The client’s requirements included a steady operational workload, short periods of increased demand and projects that introduced new responsibilities.

Denova’s model provided ways to respond to each of these needs within a continuing relationship.

The client could shape support around its priorities and quarterly operating rhythm. Denova contributed colleagues who accumulated knowledge over time, additional capacity when demand increased and prepared backup support for selected roles.

Approaching two years into the engagement, this combination has supported a broad relationship across Source-to-Pay operations, supplier relationship management and transformation.

It demonstrates how an embedded team can provide lasting value while adapting to the practical demands of the business.