Sopra Steria

[psychocandy]

Did a gig on their client site for a few years with sopra steria.

Bog standard outsourcer. Nothing special. Plenty of offshore staff...

[nomadd]

Been approached about an outside determined role with the above - poss. 18 months duration - gov dept. related - fully remote (not a tech role though). Early stage of discussion but thought I'd put feelers out on here. Any recent insights on working with them? Good/bad/indifferent?
I've searched & last post I could see was 2019 but not based around experiences working with them; previous post to that was 2016...

Did a 15 month stint with them. Was a Banking, not Gov. client. Went fine. No issues.

[northernladuk]

I think it's a case that someone at SS knows this agent, & has asked for them to find someone who can provide 'x'.
If it happens then I'll be pleased, obviously, but it's still early doors as I've not yet spoken/interviewed with the hirer at SS...they're apparently reviewing my details currently.

Re; your position seems something like one of those Managed Services set-ups...LAI by any chance with milestone deliverables?

Not LAI, there are bucket loads of them to chose from but yes exactly that setup.

[SteelyDan]

I'm currently on site with a similar set up. Micro consultancy formed from agency delivering a service with contractors. 'Account Manager' provided by the consultancy but once we got running we've not seem them again.

Oh, saying that, you have an agency in there as well? Ah. might be slightly different then. I have no agency.
Oh oh.. Sopra much bigger... OK so maybe not like me at all LOL. Sorry

I've only have two gov clients. Council which was an utter nightmare and a dept which I've been at twice and loved it.
If it's 18 months, rate is OK and they leave you get on with it then you've done very well indeed. Fill you boots.

I think it's a case that someone at SS knows this agent, & has asked for them to find someone who can provide 'x'.
If it happens then I'll be pleased, obviously, but it's still early doors as I've not yet spoken/interviewed with the hirer at SS...they're apparently reviewing my details currently.

Re; your position seems something like one of those Managed Services set-ups...LAI by any chance with milestone deliverables?

[northernladuk]

6 weeks later I got another call "can you come back to the project".

Can you post your answer to that in the professional forums?

[anonymouse]

I worked for them on a Gov site a good few years ago. They built up a test team expecting to win the bid, they didn't get the contract and had to cancel all the new starters. Wanted me to sack my team, I said "you hired them, you fire them". 6 weeks later I got another call "can you come back to the project".

[CoolCat]

worked alongside them on client sites, like any similar organisation they have some good people and some not so good people, some good parts of their organisation and so not so good parts. I liked most of them.

been through the recruitment hoops with them too, took a lot of time and effort for them to think about things for a long time then just go quiet and disappear, so the whole way they treat people during that side of it leaves a lot to be desired.

good luck

[northernladuk]

Yes I was thinking more along those lines in your edit, although as yet, have no idea on day to day presence of SS, & as it's remote due to covid, I guess I won't find that out until there's an 'all clear' foghorn sounded at some point. Role expected to remain remote apparently but time will tell I'm sure if that stays that way. Lines seem to be My Ltd Co>Agent>SS>End Client...or should that be Agent>My Co>SS>Client?

I'm currently on site with a similar set up. Micro consultancy formed from agency delivering a service with contractors. 'Account Manager' provided by the consultancy but once we got running we've not seem them again.

Oh, saying that, you have an agency in there as well? Ah. might be slightly different then. I have no agency.
Oh oh.. Sopra much bigger... OK so maybe not like me at all LOL. Sorry

I've only have two gov clients. Council which was an utter nightmare and a dept which I've been at twice and loved it.
If it's 18 months, rate is OK and they leave you get on with it then you've done very well indeed. Fill you boots.

[SteelyDan]

I've not worked in Sopra, but have worked for their customers, and know a person who did a short stint with them.

Same as any large outsourcer. Depends on the people you work with and whether the customer is already peed off with the supplier.
I'd count them in the same bucket as DXC, CapGem, ATOS etc.

18 months outside? Tuck in. Plenty of places to shine (or hide).

Yep, 18 months outside would help ride any storms I think. Fingers crossed on this.

[SteelyDan]

If it's gov it's probably well covered IR35 wise. They've been doing this nearly two years now and are a lot less risk averse. The last two gov gigs I've worked on have a mix of inside and outside on site so are doing it properly where I've been.

If it you are on a gig I imagine Sopra won the work to supply a solution and will then fill it up with contractors so not much different to putting bums on seats. I'd imagine it's the gov dept you need to be looking at for working condition etc... Probably won't see Sopra week in week out.

EDIT : Oh.. do you mean paying on time, contracts provided on time and the agency type stuff? They are big enough to guess they'd be OK I'd say.

Yes I was thinking more along those lines in your edit, although as yet, have no idea on day to day presence of SS, & as it's remote due to covid, I guess I won't find that out until there's an 'all clear' foghorn sounded at some point. Role expected to remain remote apparently but time will tell I'm sure if that stays that way. Lines seem to be My Ltd Co>Agent>SS>End Client...or should that be Agent>My Co>SS>Client?

[Lance]

I've not worked in Sopra, but have worked for their customers, and know a person who did a short stint with them.

Same as any large outsourcer. Depends on the people you work with and whether the customer is already peed off with the supplier.
I'd count them in the same bucket as DXC, CapGem, ATOS etc.

18 months outside? Tuck in. Plenty of places to shine (or hide).

[northernladuk]

Been approached about an outside determined role with the above - poss. 18 months duration - gov dept. related - fully remote (not a tech role though). Early stage of discussion but thought I'd put feelers out on here. Any recent insights on working with them? Good/bad/indifferent?
I've searched & last post I could see was 2019 but not based around experiences working with them; previous post to that was 2016...

If it's gov it's probably well covered IR35 wise. They've been doing this nearly two years now and are a lot less risk averse. The last two gov gigs I've worked on have a mix of inside and outside on site so are doing it properly where I've been.

If it you are on a gig I imagine Sopra won the work to supply a solution and will then fill it up with contractors so not much different to putting bums on seats. I'd imagine it's the gov dept you need to be looking at for working condition etc... Probably won't see Sopra week in week out.

EDIT : Oh.. do you mean paying on time, contracts provided on time and the agency type stuff? They are big enough to guess they'd be OK I'd say.

[SteelyDan]

Been approached about an outside determined role with the above - poss. 18 months duration - gov dept. related - fully remote (not a tech role though). Early stage of discussion but thought I'd put feelers out on here. Any recent insights on working with them? Good/bad/indifferent?
I've searched & last post I could see was 2019 but not based around experiences working with them; previous post to that was 2016...