Sonia Farooq

• Provide strategic leadership for the bank’s human capital agenda, aligning HR initiatives with business priorities to drive organizational growth, transformation, and employee engagement.
• Develop and execute integrated talent acquisition strategies to attract, retain, and nurture a diverse, future-ready workforce.
• Lead employee development and succession initiatives, including a leadership competency framework and performance management system, fostering a culture of continuous learning and high performance.
• Drive effective employee relations and engagement programs, promoting collaboration, inclusivity, and a positive work environment.
• Establish and oversee robust HR policies and governance frameworks, ensuring full compliance with legal, regulatory, and industry standards; serve as the lead focal person for NFLP and BoE matters.
• Play a key role in organizational transformation and change management initiatives, strengthening leadership capability, agility, and cultural alignment.

• Lead Culture and Change Management Division at P&OG, act as secretary to Culture & Change Management Advisory Council of the Bank and coordinate with the Working Group in order to assist in developing Culture & Change Management Strategy, work plan in collaboration with all stakeholders, set objectives, benchmark performance measurements, standards and results expected to ensure effective execution.

• Ensured robust HR management by benchmarking best market practices, identifying organizational gaps, and driving engagement and exit surveys to shape change strategies. Designed psychometric and survey-based programs to enhance candidate experience, foster inclusion, and strengthen employee motivation and retention. Spearheaded the pilot launch of a performance management system using the 9-Box Grid and leveraged data analytics and Power BI to establish performance benchmarks and productivity insights. Championed learning and development initiatives for capacity building through targeted technical and soft skills programs, introducing tools for need assessment and post-training impact evaluation. Additionally, led the ISO-18295 certification project, reinforcing service excellence and process standardization across the entity.

• Take initiatives for employer branding through recruitment drives, leadership development programs, virtual and on-site career fairs, and internship programs.
• Implement extended orientation and onboarding program (30-60-90) for Employee Engagement and Retention.
• Aim to develop people culture focusing on Diversity & Inclusion including differently abled persons.

- Undertook the challenging position under Bank’s DEIB program, aiming to improve gender diversity for front-end positions.

- Overseeing operational activities of network of 95 branches country wide in compliance with Shari'a & Regulatory Directives, review exceptions, conduct pre-audits and take corrective action as required. Ensure that no branch falls in "Below Average Audit Category" and closure of reports within TAT.

-Accord transactional and operational approvals as per powers delegated. Conduct investigations and recommend findings for adverse events.

-Represent IBSD in the working committee on TBML Framework.

-Improving efficiency by decluttering work duplications and effective oversight of key check points, on-site and off-site. Devise branch-wise strategy to reduce dormancy ratio and CPU exceptions. Ensure customer profiling (KYC) is up to date.

-Undertake business continuity in all circumstances as part of BCP Committee for IBSD.

• Held position of A/CH HR from (April 2018-Nov 2018), acted as Secretary BHR&RC, took key initiatives focusing on Review of HR Policies, Processes Revamp, Cost Rationalization and SBP Remuneration Guidelines.
• Key Member of Grievance Committee, Promotion Committee, Disciplinary Action Committee, Conduct Assessment Framework Committee
• As Head Recruitment:
• Devised workflow and talent sourcing strategies for finding right - fit candidates for Bank's robust expansion plan of opening 170 branches in 02 years.
• Launch and execute ETE fresh talent induction programs, based on employer branding initiatives, social media engagement, university collaborations and schematic testing and assessments.
• Embedding efficiency through workload analysis. Work on employee engagement initiatives including surveys and exercises.
• Craft an integrated orientation and onboarding program, that contributed significantly towards CAF assessment score.