Shared Services

A no risk opportunity for Colleges to make extensive savings while improving performance and emphasising identity.

Colleges have already experienced opportunities to bid for development funding from AoC, through the Efficiency Innovation Fund (EIF). Protocol National has been prominent within this initiative, working with groups of Colleges and enabling them to bid successfully and then to establish Shared Service platforms which will yield and sustain savings. Our understanding of the sector leads to an appreciation of how Shared Services can have the most positive effects through enhanced performance, including the establishment and sharing of best practice.

Protocol National can co-ordinate bids and introduce a sequenced set of activities moving from feasibility to implementation and evaluation. At all stages, costs are covered for all parties by the successful draw down of external funding. Once Shared Services are implemented, significant savings accrue.

Wider approaches to Shared Services have looked beyond simple resource gains and have re-calibrated expectations to include Strategic Benefits, Efficiency, Enhanced Quality, Revenue and Identity.

Protocol National is a leading adviser and delivery agency for a number of Colleges and Consortia across the full range of Shared Services. Protocol National’s expertise in this field is supported by the exceptional professionalism and administrative competence which have characterised Protocol National over the years and consolidated its position as the leading provider of services and solutions to the College sector.

Our range of proposed Shared Service vehicles includes:

• Protocol National managing an external bid and producing compliance with the terms of a successful bid;
• Protocol National helping to establish a Central Business Vehicle, a joint venture, which would focus on procurement, and be owned by the Colleges;
• An Outsource Model, whereby Protocol National takes contractual responsibility for defined areas of procurement and service delivery;
• A Lead College Model, with inter-College collaboration organised by Protocol National and identifying how Colleges would allocate resources to functions and manage them. Examples would be Finance, HR;
• A more Casual Model, with Protocol National brokering collaboration/shared Services on one-off initiatives;
• A Revenue Model, with Protocol National advising on the establishment of Shared Service areas offering products to the full-cost market, including international activities.