Sparta Global & FCDO
FCDO partners with Sparta Global to design a scalable inclusive solution to pipeline talent for specialist digital roles.
“Sparta Global enabled us to find a team that consistently showed a strong collaborative spirit. The consultants’ excellent co-ordination and mutual support have been key drivers for meeting FCDO project requirements and we are incredibly grateful of the partnership. ”
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is at the forefront of promoting UK interests, safeguarding national security, and tackling complex global challenges worldwide. To deliver on this mission, the department is heavily utilising technology to modernise its systems – embracing everything from cloud infrastructure and secure mobile tech to AI and advanced collaboration tools. However, modernising a major government department requires a highly skilled, adaptable, and diverse workforce. By partnering with Sparta Global, FCDO was able to design a scalable inclusive solution for building a dedicated talent pipeline for specialist digital roles within the Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) and Government Digital and Data (GDaD) frameworks.
To meet the FCDO’s explicit diversity objectives, Sparta Global utilised its specialised Athena Academy to train and deploy an all-female consultant cohort. These consultants followed a bespoke upskilling pathway meticulously designed to prepare them for roles as infrastructure engineers and product owners.
The capability build process was built for both speed and compliance:
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Rigorous Screening: Candidates were evaluated not just for technical aptitude and communication skills, but also for their crucial eligibility for security clearance.
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Speed Interviewing: Top-tier profiles were fast-tracked into a speed-interview format, ensuring a rapid assessment and selection process.
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End-to-End Onboarding Support: Sparta Global managed the foundational heavy lifting, assisting with technical induction, laptop setup, and security processing.
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Day-One Integration: On their first day on-site, dedicated Account Managers accompanied the consultants to introduce them to key stakeholders, following up with regular check-ins to build long-term confidence.
The results of this pilot framework have delivered outstanding, measurable impact across the FCDO’s core workforce planning and inclusion goals:
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Breaking Down Barriers: Remarkable for social mobility, 100% of the deployed Spartan consultants came from backgrounds that typically face systemic barriers to entry in the tech sector.
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Exceeding Diversity Targets: Moving the needle on representation, 80% of the cohort identify as female or non-binary, and 80% come from ethnic minority communities.
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Substantial Social Return: The partnership generated an impressive £85,479 of social value for every single Spartan employed. This equates to a return of £2.25 for every £1 invested by the department.
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Advancing ESG Goals: Leveraging Sparta Global’s status as a certified B-Corp, the collaboration has directly supported the FCDO’s wider sustainability and governance commitments.
