Caliber Consulting has successfully executed an extensive capability development initiative aimed at enhancing the Human Resources (HR) function of a leading Saudi Arabian bank. The programme sought to equip the bank’s HR division with more strategic, growth-oriented, and governance-focused capabilities, reinforcing its role in workforce planning and organisational development. This initiative also reflects the bank’s commitment to long-term performance by investing in its people.
High-Impact Training Workshops
The core of the project consisted of high-impact, in-person workshops held at the bank’s headquarters in Riyadh. These sessions brought together HR leaders and professionals from across the group, facilitating cross-entity learning, experience sharing, and the establishment of a unified HR language and framework.
Enhancing Group-Level Capabilities
Operating as one of the top five banks in the GCC region, the institution functions across multiple entities, markets, and regulatory environments. This breadth presents a complex set of opportunities and challenges, particularly in areas such as:
Talent attraction and retention strategies
Workforce planning and future demand forecasting
Organisational design and role clarity
Total rewards and performance management
Recognising these complexities, the bank engaged Caliber Consulting to build a strong, cohesive, and future-ready HR function. According to HR leadership, the project required a partner with comprehensive HR expertise, credibility as seasoned practitioners, and the capacity to coordinate multiple senior-level programmes simultaneously.
Five Distinct Training Programmes
Between November and December 2025, five separate programmes were delivered, integrating HR teams from the parent and subsidiary entities to share best practices and implement consistent standards:
| Programme | Primary Focus | Trainer / Institution |
|---|---|---|
| Competency-Based Interviewing | Improve recruitment quality and reduce bias | Dr. William Rothwell |
| Strategic Workforce Planning | Forecast future workforce needs and skills | Experienced CHRO |
| Organisational Design | Clarify structure and roles | Rania Salman, Caliber |
| Total Rewards | Enhance performance and retention | Caliber Consulting |
| Programme Integration & Application | Strengthen strategic HR role | Caliber Team |
Impact and Outcomes
The first two programmes enhanced recruitment validity through competency-based interviewing. The third focused on strategic workforce planning, strengthening capabilities in demand forecasting and identifying critical roles. The fourth programme introduced effective decision-making structures through organisational design, while the final programme improved internal equity, market competitiveness, and retention strategies via total rewards optimisation.
Overall, the initiative has transformed the HR function into a more strategic, transparent, and future-ready department. It has strengthened cohesion, consistency, and standards across the group, enabling the HR division to contribute meaningfully to the bank’s long-term strategic objectives. With the guidance of Caliber Consulting, the HR team now operates as a structured, data-driven, and highly capable function prepared to meet the demands of a dynamic banking environment.