Finance & People Services - Transformation Project

This preliminary market engagement is intended to help us test our thinking, understand what good looks like in practice and learn from organisations that have taken a similar approach.

Thirteen Housing Group is exploring how to transform our Finance and People services, and the technology, delivery approach and partnerships that could enable that change.

We are not approaching this as a like-for-like system replacement.

Our starting point is the service and operating model: support can feel fragmented and process-heavy, routine activity is not always as simple as it should be, and more complex or sensitive issues do not always have the ownership (or ownership is not visible), consistency and visibility we want. Some capability gaps have also been filled in ways that add to overall complexity.

We want a more joined‑up, experience‑led model that gives colleagues and managers clarity about what to do, where to go and what is happening. It should be:

• simpler to access and use
• more consistent in how cases and processes are handled end‑to‑end
• better able to support good decisions, strong controls and better outcomes
• underpinned by modern, well‑integrated technology that reduces complexity rather than adding to it

Technology is a critical enabler, but the transformation is the goal.

What we are interested in learning about

We're keeping things open, but we expect future solutions and approaches to cover:

• Service and operating model

service‑led design for Finance and People, rather than technology‑led replacement

• one front door, triage and case management

manager and colleague self‑service with clear guardrails

workflow, approvals, knowledge and guidance in the flow of work

implementation, adoption and phased delivery approaches that reduce complexity and risk

Finance capability

We are seeking a modern, integrated Finance capability that supports strong financial management, control and insight across the organisation. This includes:

• day‑to‑day financial management, budgeting, planning and forecasting
• Purchase to Pay
• Invoice to Cash
• Record to Report
• Budgeting and Forecasting
• Treasury management
• Tax compliance and reporting
• Fixed Assets (including component accounting)
• End‑to‑end Contract Management integration between Finance, payroll and related operational systems procurement integrated with Finance to support better commercial insight, contract management, spend visibility and control across the end‑to‑end procurement lifecycle, reflecting annual third‑party spend of over £300m in goods and services HR / People capability
• employee records and lifecycle management

recruitment, onboarding and retention

• payroll and workforce data
• case management for sensitive processes such as grievances, disciplinaries and absence
• reporting and analytics

Across both

• modern, cloud‑based solutions
• simple, user‑friendly design
• strong integration across Finance, payroll, HR and other key systems
• coherent capability that reduces the need for bespoke workarounds
• responsible and well‑governed use of automation and AI

What we would like to hear from the market

• how organisations with similar needs, particularly in housing or other complex, regulated service environments, have approached this kind of transformation
• what good looks like in practice for a joined‑up Finance and People ecosystem
• the capabilities, delivery models and architecture options we should consider
• the main risks, dependencies and sequencing choices we should think about early
• what should typically sit within a core platform, and what may be better provided through complementary tools

practical lessons from implementation, adoption and operating model change

How we may engage

We may invite interested suppliers and partners with a clear track record of supporting such transformation to take part in proportionate market engagement activity, including short questionnaires, requests for written information, demonstrations, informal discussions or discovery sessions. Taking part is entirely optional and will not affect any future procurement.

Important information

This is preliminary market engagement only.

It is not a tender, call for competition or contract opportunity.

We will not award any contract at this stage.

Thirteen is not committing to any particular procurement route, solution or scope.

We may change or stop this engagement at any time.

You will take part at your own cost.

Any future procurement will be subject to a separate formal process.