Peopletree Group

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Business Case - Internal Justification

The cost of doing it yourself

This document provides a structured framework for evaluating the cost of building a succession management capability in-house versus engaging Peopletree Group as a managed service partner. It is designed to support internal approval conversations.

In-House Build Cost

What it costs to build this internally

Building a credible succession management and Talent Strategy Scorecard capability in-house requires dedicated roles, methodology, tools, and time. The table below estimates the Year 1 cost of assembling the equivalent capability internally.

Capability Role / Resource Required Skills Needed Estimated Year 1 Cost
Critical role framework design Senior HR Business Partner or OD Specialist (contract or permanent) Organisational design, role criticality methodology, multi-business-unit facilitation R 220,000 - R 300,000
Succession mapping and calibration Talent Management Specialist (dedicated, 6 months) Succession planning methodology, calibration facilitation, stakeholder management across geographies R 280,000 - R 380,000
Readiness assessment (50 succession candidates in high-impact positions) I/O Psychologist or Assessment Specialist (contract) Structured competency assessment, readiness calibration, career aspiration data capture at scale R 360,000 - R 480,000
Talent Profile design and build HR Analyst + Design resource (contract) Data analysis, standardised profile template, board-ready document production (200 profiles) R 120,000 - R 180,000
Board presentation design and delivery Senior consultant or executive communication agency Executive narrative, data visualisation, board-level presentation design and facilitation R 80,000 - R 140,000
Talent management technology (Year 1) HRIS module, assessment platform, or custom tooling Procurement, implementation, configuration, and training - typically 3-6 months to deploy R 150,000 - R 350,000
Total estimated in-house cost Year 1 only - excludes management time, ramp-up delay, quality risk, and ongoing overhead R 1,210,000 - R 1,830,000
Evaluation Framework

Six questions to ask any succession partner

When evaluating any succession management engagement - whether internal or external - these six questions help distinguish a credible, evidence-based approach from a process exercise.

1. How do you define "critical" in a critical role?
A credible answer goes beyond seniority. It should reference operational impact, technical scarcity, safety dependency, project continuity, and knowledge concentration - not just the org chart level.
2. How do you measure readiness - not just identify successors?
Naming a successor is easy. Measuring their readiness requires structured assessment, competency evidence, career aspiration alignment, and a calibrated rating - not just manager opinion.
3. What does the board-level output actually look like?
The output should be a Talent Strategy Scorecard - not a slide deck of names. It should show high-impact positions, high-impact people, alignment scores, readiness horizons, bench strength, and risk flags in a format a board can interrogate.
4. How do you handle multi-geography and multi-business-unit complexity?
The methodology should work across geographies without requiring system integration. A structured data export approach is more practical than a technology-first solution in a complex, distributed organisation.
5. What is the internal time commitment required?
A well-designed engagement minimises disruption. Business unit heads need no more than 2-3 hours for calibration sessions. Succession candidates complete a digital assessment and a 45-minute individual guidance session. HR admin handles data gathering.
6. What happens after the December presentation?
A one-off exercise has limited value. The engagement should establish a repeatable process - an annual review cadence, updated Talent Profiles, and a refreshed Talent Strategy Scorecard - so the data stays current and the board narrative remains credible.
Summary Comparison

In-house versus managed service

The comparison below summarises the key trade-offs between building this capability in-house and engaging Peopletree Group as a managed service partner.

Option A
Build In-House
  • Estimated Year 1 cost: R 1,210,000 - R 1,830,000
  • Requires hiring or redeploying 3-4 specialist roles
  • 6-12 month ramp-up before methodology is established
  • High risk of inconsistent quality across business units
  • Board presentation quality depends on internal design capability
  • Full internal ownership of the process long-term
  • No external dependency once capability is built
Option B
Peopletree Group - Managed Service
  • Tier 1 - Talent Catalog (200 people): R 733,800 - R 3,669/person including platform licence
  • Tier 2 - Succession Ecosystem (50 people): R 697,000 - succession nomination, readiness calibration, and December ExCo Talent Strategy Scorecard
  • Combined Phase 1: R 1,430,800 - well below the in-house equivalent
  • 200 people assessed and profiled (Tier 1) + 50 succession candidates fully mapped (Tier 2)
  • Proven methodology - no ramp-up risk, delivery starts in July 2026
  • Specialist team with experience across complex African operating environments
  • Board-ready Talent Strategy Scorecard and December 2026 ExCo presentation delivered
  • Minimal internal time commitment - 2-3 hours per function head for calibration
  • Technology platform included from day one - R 1,795/person/year annual rate
  • Year 2+ recurring: ~R 690,000/yr (technology R 359,000 + ongoing advisory)