Strategic Skillset Buildout & Targeted Hiring

Key takeaways

The challenge 

The global investment bank we supported was undergoing significant restructuring and faced an increasingly competitive talent market, especially for critical technical roles in software engineering. Performing a skillset buildout involves a comprehensive assessment of a team's current capabilities to identify any gaps or shortcomings in the skills necessary to meet the organisation’s strategic objectives. During this process with our global investment bank client, we evaluated the existing teams to pinpoint specific areas where additional expertise was required to keep up with technical and project demands, especially amid the ongoing restructuring.

Through this assessment, we identified key skill gaps that couldn’t be addressed solely by upskilling existing team members—some roles required specialised knowledge or experience that was not present within the current team. For instance, advanced competencies in areas like cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, and high-performance computing for financial systems were critical but underrepresented.

Recognising these needs, the client had a clear mandate: hire talent across Analyst, Associate, and VP levels in three strategic locations to drive essential projects while maintaining quality, skill alignment, and resilience through uncertain times.

Amidst this period of change, the bank was challenged by:

• Reduced internal resources due to restructuring and a focus on retaining existing talent.
  
  
• High demand for skilled engineers with a robust understanding of both technology and finance, who could meet the bank's standards.
  
  
• Geographic hiring complexities across multiple regions with unique market dynamics, where the client required highly qualified candidates capable of adapting to the bank’s evolving needs.

The solution

Our dedicated team developed a targeted recruitment strategy, leveraging our extensive network and deep knowledge of financial services, software engineering, and fintech professionals. The multi-step approach focused on quality, adaptability, and alignment with the client’s strategic goals:

According to Jesse Skaff, Global Client Director at Selby Jennings and host of podcast Searching Smarter: 

Results

Our committed approach resulted in the successful placement of 53 candidates across three strategic locations at Analyst, Associate, and VP levels. These hires played an essential role in supporting the bank’s technical capabilities and aligning with its restructuring goals.

Key achievements include:

• All 53 roles were filled with top-quality candidates, meeting critical project timelines and skill requirements.
  
  
• Talent retention was high, highlighting the successful alignment between candidates and the client’s values and culture.
  
  
• The bank recognised the added value in our ability to support them through such a pivotal phase, with ongoing engagement for future technical hires.

Summary

Underscoring our commitment to being a trusted recruitment partner, even during challenging periods of change, our dual approach here of developing existing talent while recruiting for specialised roles ensured that the team was fully equipped to handle both current and future challenges. The skillset buildout ultimately aligned the bank’s talent pool with its evolving technical and operational needs, ensuring that both existing and new employees could contribute effectively to the bank’s high-priority projects.