Ovations Talent Sourcing: Partnering for smarter, faster and more certain hiring

Companies are increasingly hiring according to demand.

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Organisations are operating in a climate shaped by economic pressure, regulatory complexity and transformation demands over the past few years. Economic uncertainty, changing leadership priorities and increased regulatory pressure have forced organisations to rethink how they access skills. Ovations Talent Sourcing has experienced these shifts first-hand and adapted its approach to ensure clients continue to achieve delivery certainty in an evolving market.

Vanessa Brandt, Ovations’ Talent Sourcing Lead, says: “Over the past two years, we’ve seen significant changes in the market, especially within financial services. Demand for contingent resourcing surged, followed by a dip driven by budget constraints and early contract terminations. These cycles are not new – but how you respond to them makes all the difference.”

While permanent hiring still plays a role, many organisations are increasingly hiring according to demand, driven by projects, transformation initiatives and regulatory requirements.

“A lot of hiring today is purely demand-driven. When there are shifts in leadership or strategy, we immediately see changes in project priorities – and that directly influences the type of skills clients need,” says Brandt.

Contingent resourcing offers organisations the flexibility to scale quickly, access scarce skills and reduce long-term risk, particularly in highly regulated environments where agility is critical.

At Ovations, talent sourcing is not transactional. “We operate as a strategic partner and an extension of our clients’ teams,” she says.

“From a client perspective, we engage very closely upfront. It’s a partnership-driven approach to fully understand role requirements, priorities, timelines and commercial parameters.”

This early engagement is underpinned by market insight, enabling Ovations to align expectations from the outset, whether around availability, rates or time-to-hire. This prevents delays, reduces risk and improves conversion.

Rather than submitting high volumes of CVs, Ovations delivers targeted, high-quality shortlists: “For us, it’s not about CV volume. The focus is on quality candidates who are aligned, prepared and able to add value from day one,” explains Brandt.

“Our involvement does not stop once a candidate is placed. Ovations manages the entire sourcing life cycle, including candidate engagement, interview co-ordination, feedback loops, onboarding, renewals and retention,” she says.

“We stay very close to our clients and contractors post-placement – supporting onboarding, managing renewals and ensuring continuity of delivery. It’s about long-term partnerships, not once-off placements.”

This proactive approach protects client outcomes, ensures delivery stability and enhances the overall candidate experience.

One of Ovations’ strongest differentiators is access to talent that is not actively on the market.

Brandt says: “We’ve built long-standing relationships with contractors over time. Many of the resources we place are not actively job-seeking. We know them, we stay in touch with them and we understand where they can add the most value.”

Supported by a growing database of nearly 25 000 candidates and a robust ATS, Ovations’ team maintains real-time insight into candidate availability, preferences and market movement, allowing it to respond quickly when demand arises.

In today’s environment, speed is critical, but not at the expense of governance or quality. Ovations consistently delivers both.

“In one instance, we onboarded seven senior resources within a week – a process that would normally take three to four weeks. That was possible because we understood the client, their processes and their urgency.”

This ability to move quickly while maintaining rigour is what positions Ovations as a trusted delivery partner.

Many organisations find that sourcing talent internally is increasingly complex and resource-intensive. Internal teams are often required to navigate large volumes of unsuitable applications, extended screening cycles, and limited access to scarce or passive talent. In addition, managing contractual, compliance and onboarding requirements – particularly for contingent resources – adds further operational and risk burden.

As a specialist talent sourcing partner, Ovations takes ownership of the end-to-end sourcing process and the associated risk.

Brandt explains: “When clients work with us, we take on the bulk of the sourcing effort and the associated risk. We already have pre-screened talent, established relationships and the contractual framework in place.”

Scarce skills, budget constraints and long onboarding timelines remain ongoing challenges. Ovations addresses these through transparency, strong relationships and continuous communication.

“Keeping candidates informed makes a huge difference. Regular updates and honest feedback reduce drop-offs and keep the process moving smoothly, even when timelines are extended,” says Brandt.

The value of partnering with Ovations Talent Sourcing lies in certainty, insight and partnership.

“By operating as an extension of our clients’ teams, we deliver consistent outcomes and long-term talent value rather than transactional recruitment. In short, Ovations helps clients hire smarter, faster and with greater confidence,” she concludes.

In a market defined by change, Ovations Talent Sourcing remains focused on what matters most: protecting client outcomes, delivering quality talent and building partnerships that stand the test of time.

Organisations reviewing workforce strategy can engage Ovations for market insight and specialist talent access. Reach out to Ovations on info@ovationsgroup.com for more information.