Outsized launches independent consulting squads in ANZ

Independent talent platform Outsized has launched Outsized Teams, a new pre-built consulting squad model for financial services clients in Australia and New Zealand that uses only independent experts with both consulting and operator backgrounds.

The model targets transformation and implementation projects in the AUD $200,000 to AUD $2 million range. Outsized positions it between traditional consulting engagements and individual contractor hiring.

Financial services firms face a shortage of specialist skills across technology, risk, operations and transformation. Many are experimenting with blended workforce models that mix permanent employees with flexible external talent.

Outsized said its new Teams offering addresses work that sits between classic consulting projects and contractor-led delivery. The company said this work is often too complex for individual contractors but too urgent or cost-sensitive for large consulting firms.

"The challenge our clients face isn't finding consulting expertise - it's finding people who've actually done the work, not just advised on it," said Sara Kahlau, ANZ Lead at Outsized. "When you're implementing a finance transformation or scaling a payments platform, you need someone who's built the business case at Deloitte AND led the transformation as CFO or Head of Payments. That combination has been nearly impossible to access at speed and at reasonable cost - until now."

Pre-built squads

Outsized Teams consists of pre-assembled squads of independent consultants. These individuals have worked at major strategy and professional services firms such as McKinsey, BCG, Deloitte and Accenture. They also have experience as senior operators in banks, insurers and fintech companies.

Each Teams engagement has a dedicated Outsized Capability Lead. This role oversees scoping, delivery structure, quality and accountability for the duration of the project.

Under the model, Outsized says it can mobilise squads within one to three weeks. It says the structure offers consulting-style delivery with practitioners who have run functions inside financial institutions.

Outsized said the service typically sits at a lower price point than traditional consulting firms. The company said it aims at outcome-based work within set scopes, rather than open-ended advisory engagements.

"We're not competing with McKinsey or Deloitte. We complement them," Kahlau explained. "Our clients use us for fixed-scope implementation work, specialist projects, and urgent initiatives that don't fit the big brand model due to timeline, budget, or scope. We handle the work that's too small for a full consulting engagement but too important to piece together yourself."

Shift in sourcing

The launch reflects broader changes in how financial institutions source skills. Australian banks, insurers and fintechs are running multiple change programmes at once in areas such as digital modernisation, regulatory compliance, payments upgrades and cost reduction.

At the same time, firms operate under budget constraints and a nationwide shortage of experienced staff in finance, risk, technology and transformation roles. Many are reassessing traditional hiring methods and looking at more flexible staffing models.

Outsized said Teams addresses what it sees as a structural shift away from rigid hiring and towards capability-based resourcing. The focus is on project teams assembled from vetted independent professionals rather than permanent headcount growth.

The company has built a network of more than 60,000 independent professionals across Australia, New Zealand, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. Many have 15 to 20 or more years of combined consulting and industry experience, according to Outsized.

These professionals span areas such as strategy, operations, risk, technology, marketing and organisational change. The Teams squads draw from this pool based on project scope and timelines.

Six focus areas

Outsized is initially focusing Teams on six capability areas. These are Strategy & Transformation, Operational Excellence, Risk & Remediation, Digital & Technology, Marketing & Customer Experience, and People & Organisational Transformation.

Projects in these areas often require both design and execution. Outsized said it builds squads that include people who have set strategy as consultants and then delivered the same types of changes inside financial institutions.

The company said this mix aims to cut the gap between advisory work and on-the-ground implementation. It said Clients can use Teams for projects that have clear outcomes and defined timeframes.

Outsized operates as a curated community for independent talent focused on financial services and consulting clients. It uses a combination of AI-based matching and human vetting when assembling teams from its network.

In Australia, the firm works with local financial institutions on workforce strategies that rely less on permanent growth and more on flexible access to specialist skills. It said this supports cost management and compliance while maintaining delivery on change programmes.

"There's a structural shift happening in how firms access expertise," said Kahlau. "Clients want outcome-based delivery, transparent pricing and teams who can hit the ground running. Teams meets that need by combining the rigour of consulting with the pragmatism of people who've had to execute under real-world constraints."