Case Study: How a global pharmaceutical site reduced cost, risk and fragmentation through an Employed Consultant Model
The challenge
A leading global pharmaceutical company in Cork was experiencing rapid growth, driven by increased project demand across key operational and support functions.
To keep pace, the site had become increasingly dependent on external contractors. While this approach provided speed and flexibility, it also introduced mounting challenges:
- Rising cost driven by a growing network of third‑party suppliers
- Operational complexity caused by multiple agencies, contracts and rate structures
- Increased delivery risk as responsibility for performance and continuity became fragmented
When growth exposes the limits of traditional contractor models
At leadership level, concern was not about access to talent, it was about control, visibility and accountability.
The organisation faced a familiar set of questions:
- Who owns delivery performance when talent is supplied by multiple vendors?
- How do we control cost without compromising speed?
- How do we reduce risk in a highly regulated environment?
- And how do we do this without increasing headcount?
The answer wasn’t to add another supplier or renegotiate rate cards.
It required a different workforce model altogether.
The ECM approach
Rather than replacing people, the organisation focused on simplifying the operating model.
Working in partnership with LSC, the site transitioned from a fragmented contractor environment to a single Employed Consultant Model (ECM).
Key principles guided the transition:
- Reduce supplier complexity
- Retain critical knowledge already on site
- Establish clear ownership for performance and delivery
- Create cost transparency and governance
- Maintain agility without adding headcount
A critical success factor was protecting business continuity.
Existing consultants previously engaged through six separate agencies, were transferred into the ECM programme via a structured TUPE process.
This ensured:
- Minimal disruption to live programmes
- Retention of critical skills and site knowledge
- Clear communication and assurance to consultants
- Full legal and compliance alignment
The result was stability without re‑hiring, and a dramatically simplified supplier landscape.
Embedding accountability where senior leaders needed it most
A defining element of the ECM programme was the embedding of an LSC HR Services Delivery Manager on site.
This role transformed how the workforce was governed.
Rather than delivery risk sitting informally with line managers or being diluted across suppliers, LSC assumed clear responsibility for:
- Performance management
- Engagement and retention
- Issue escalation and resolution
- Alignment with site priorities and delivery timelines
This structured ownership contributed to 96% consultant retention, ensuring continuity, engagement and sustained delivery performance.
For site leaders, this removed noise and operational drag, replacing it with assured oversight and a single point of accountability.
Better outcomes, not just better control
ECM was not introduced as a cost‑cutting exercise. Its impact, however, was felt across multiple dimensions:
- Cost control through supplier consolidation, including a reduction in purchase orders from 55 down to 13
- Reduced complexity with one workforce partner and one operating framework
- Improved delivery consistency through retained, performance‑managed teams
- Reduced leadership burden, allowing managers to focus on outcomes, not turnover
- Lower risk exposure in a regulated environment
All while maintaining speed and flexibility — and without increasing internal headcount.
Why this mattered to senior stakeholders
For procurement, ECM delivered commercial clarity and governance. For site leadership, it restored delivery confidence. For executives, it significantly reduced operational and reputational risk.
Most importantly, the organisation moved from managing resourcing problems to building a sustainable delivery capability.
The takeaway
For organisations under pressure to deliver more, faster, and with less risk, ECM provides a compelling alternative to traditional contingent workforce approaches.