UK-based Jessica Oakley is leading SAP’s effort to build an external workforce program that is agile enough to deliver on the daily demands of the organization while also being equipped to take a holistic and strategic view on how to get work done.

Inheriting a program that had just completed a worldwide SAP Fieldglass implementation when she assumed her role in 2019, she had the “good fortune” that every external worker was already managed in the VMS — giving her visibility many aspire to. Such a strong starting position has enabled Oakley to set her sights high for the evolution of the program.

Confirming market trends, the program has seen volume increase year on year for the last three years and tracks at around 25% of the total workforce population being external.

This fall, Oakley’s team will launch the next evolution in their external workforce program: Talent on Demand. Focusing in on single external resource sourcing, selection and management, Talent on Demand will enhance the existing program with a combination of people and technology, improving user experience while also bringing more data into each element of the process.

Data-driven decisioning is a big-picture objective for Oakley, who believes it is essential to empower her customers to be able to make the best decisions for their teams and the wider organization. “In this phase, we’re bringing enhanced access to individual external talent while also laying foundations to empower the business in the future,” she says. “The next step will be to bring broader awareness of the external workforce as whole with an initial focus on skills utilization.”