Charlotte Ward

UK civil servant Charlotte Ward began her contingent workforce management career a decade ago. With a background in commercial agreements and procurement, Ward embraced the challenge. “I really enjoyed the recruitment market, getting to understand it and the nuances between contingent labor and professional services workers,” she says.

Today, Ward leads the public sector resourcing agreement, the largest single supplier agreement across Crown Commercial Services. The program serves over 140 government departments, arm’s-length bodies — a specific category of central government public bodies — and wider public sector bodies.  During the UK government’s response to Covid-19 and its work to exit the European Union, the program supported a large number of initiatives, seeing its headcount almost double. The program covers nonclinical roles, mainly in areas including digital, commercial, HR and policy.

Ward is particularly proud of the social value program she and her team have developed in the last 12 months. “We’re the first contingent labor program to implement guaranteed interview schemes for veterans and disabled candidates,” she explains. The program is shortlisted for Best Initiative to Deliver Social Value Through Procurement at the 2024 Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Awards. “It’s a real credit to my team, who have really driven the passion for social value and for giving support to underrepresented candidates,” Ward says.

Up next for Ward and her team is the implementation of a new workforce solutions agreement, which will see the introduction of new service lines to the program along with a new tech stack and other enhancements.