Caliber Consulting has successfully implemented a comprehensive capability-building initiative for the human resources (HR) division of a leading Saudi Arabian bank. The project, executed at the group level, aims to empower HR to play a more strategic role in growth, governance, and workforce readiness, reflecting the bank’s commitment to investing in its people for long-term organisational performance.
The initiative brought together senior HR leaders and professionals from across the bank in high-impact, in-person learning sessions at the bank’s headquarters in Riyadh. These sessions were designed to foster knowledge-sharing, alignment on best practices, and the development of a unified HR language across the organisation.
Enhancing Group-Level HR Capabilities
As one of the top five banks in the GCC region, the institution operates across multiple entities, markets, and regulatory environments. While this breadth presents numerous opportunities, it also introduces complexity—particularly in areas such as talent acquisition, workforce planning, organisational design, and total rewards management.
Recognising the need for a more cohesive and future-ready HR function, the bank engaged Caliber Consulting. According to the bank’s HR leadership, the project required a partner with deep HR expertise, proven practitioner credibility, and the capacity to coordinate multiple senior-level programmes—criteria that Caliber Consulting successfully met.
Five Targeted Programmes
Between November and December 2025, five distinct programmes were delivered. Each programme brought together HR teams from the parent organisation and its subsidiaries, promoting cross-entity learning and standardisation of HR practices:
| Programme Name | Core Focus | Facilitator / Institution |
|---|---|---|
| Competency-Based Interviewing | Improving recruitment quality and reducing bias | Dr William Rothwell |
| Strategic Workforce Planning | Forecasting future workforce needs and skills | Experienced CHRO |
| Organisational Design | Enhancing structures and role clarity | Rani Salman, Caliber |
| Total Rewards | Driving performance and employee engagement | Caliber Consulting |
| Programme Integration & Application | Embedding strategic HR practices | Caliber Team |
Impact and Outcomes
The first two programmes improved recruitment quality, validity, and job fit through competency-based interviewing techniques. The third programme strengthened HR’s capacity to anticipate future workforce requirements and identify critical roles. Organisational design initiatives introduced effective decision-making structures, while the total rewards programme enhanced internal equity, market competitiveness, and employee retention.
Collectively, the initiative has transformed the bank’s HR function into a more strategic, transparent, and future-ready division. It has played a pivotal role in aligning standards, improving efficiency, and fostering cohesion across the group’s various entities. Through this project, the bank has reaffirmed its commitment to people and positioned HR as a central driver of long-term organisational success.
By leveraging Caliber Consulting’s expertise, the bank’s HR department now possesses structured, data-driven, and strategic capabilities that will continue to support the institution’s long-term goals and sustainable growth.