Client Need & Challenges
A Top 5 North American bank launched a major effort to expand its compliance and audit teams, aiming to hire 25–30 specialists to address staff attrition, business growth, and increasing regulatory requirements in the US and Canada. These positions required advanced expertise in IT and business audits, and candidates needed to have deep subject matter expertise in specific areas of audit that could be applied across functions enterprise wide.
The roles demanded not only technical proficiency but also investigative, analytical, communication and interpersonal skills. Candidates needed to be comfortable engaging in cross-functional collaboration to support the Bank’s extensive operations and complex audit requirements across its diverse geographical footprint. The client needed these specialists located in a variety of geographic areas from major banking centres to smaller markets across North American.
Sourcing talent for highly specialised roles in less populated areas is particularly challenging. The bank needed help to find such specialized talent and convince them to move to smaller markets. One of the bank’s hiring managers had worked with Robertson at another bank and referred us to the head of Talent Acquisition.
Robertson’s Solution
Determine What Matters Most
Robertson’s process began with thorough intake meetings, allowing the team to deeply explore the client’s needs and clarify the nuances of each role. This approach ensured that job requirements extended beyond generic descriptions, focusing on the actual day-to-day responsibilities and accountabilities. Through this method, Robertson distinguished critical “must-have” skills and experience from “nice-to-have” attributes, setting a clear foundation for the search.
Leverage Established Banking Talent Pools and Pipelines
Drawing on extensive industry expertise and well-established candidate networks, Robertson was able to efficiently identify ideal candidates quickly. This was especially critical when sourcing for hard-to-fill positions in less populated regions. The team developed innovative hiring strategies tailored to specific markets and conducted rigorous assessments of regional compensation structures, ensuring offers were competitive and appealing to qualified professionals considering relocation.
Proactive Candidate Insight
Robertson’s approach went beyond conventional resume screening, providing the client with valuable insights into candidate compensation expectations, motivations, and perceptions of available roles. Building trust and maintaining genuine, non-transactional relationships with emphasis on listening and respecting candidates throughout the process was essential. This not only improved candidate engagement but also enriched the client’s understanding of the talent landscape.
Streamlined Recruitment Process
Robertson’s reputation provided credibility with hiring managers, enabling direct access to them which streamlined the recruitment process and enhanced the candidate experience. By delivering candid feedback and competitive intelligence, Robertson advised the client to refine job profiles as required and positioned the client to successfully attract and convince top-tier talent to consider new opportunities within the client’s organization.
Results & Outcomes
Over a two-year period, Robertson successfully placed 15 candidates into compliance and audit roles. Almost all these hires have remained in their positions, with some individuals earning promotions. This high rate of retention and advancement among placed candidates is a strong indicator of the quality of Robertson’s recruitment process and the calibre of talent delivered to the client.
The efficiency of Robertson’s approach is further highlighted by the average time to shortlist candidates, which was typically around one week. This rapid turnaround was possible due to Robertson’s well-established networks within the banking sector and their deep expertise, enabling them to quickly identify and present qualified candidates for even the most challenging roles.
Robertson’s strong performance on this project led to repeat engagements with, and referrals from both the client and candidates, demonstrating their trust in Robertson’s ability to deliver consistent results across multiple projects and teams.
