As director of contingent workforce and search firm management at MUFG Union Bank, Sandra Buhler manages the majority of the company’s contingent labor. MUFG has an MSP in place as well as a direct sourcing team. Buhler describes the program as a hybrid program, with 40% of the business coming from direct sourcing.

Throughout her career, she has built vendor management systems from the ground up and even helped built the current program in place at MUFG.

Buhler is proud of the direct sourcing program, despite having faced difficulties with setting it up. Companies now call her for advice on how to get started with one.

She is also proud of the company’s Gigs2Work program, which was designed to enable colleagues with spare time to assist other teams that have unexpected workloads due to the operational impacts of Covid-19. The program provides a wide variety of short- and long-term temporary work assignments, enabling participants to exercise their abilities and expertise to help MUFG achieve immediate business objectives. This enables MUFG employees to view and apply for temp positions that are open in their VMS. She has been managing contingent labor for 21 years.

Looking ahead, Buhler says she will continue to build out its contingent labor force and plans for the program to increase direct sourcing where it is 45% of the business.