From vague brief to clear plan

A Dubai-based IT services and consulting firm was asked to staff a telecom data platform programme in Oman. The end client wanted senior specialists across Informatica, data engineering, business intelligence and database administration. Timelines were tight. Four other agencies were already in the mix.

The brief landed as a familiar tangle: overlapping technologies, unclear priorities, and a hiring manager with limited time for screening. What they really needed wasn’t “more CVs.” They needed a Data & AI hiring partner who could turn a broad wish list into a clear hiring plan, filter out weak profiles, and protect their relationship with the telecom client.

Calimala stepped in as a specialist Data & AI talent partner. Together, we sharpened the requirement: we grouped needs into clear role clusters, agreed priority positions and seniority bands, and defined what “good” actually looks like in the day-to-day of a telecom data platform—not just on paper. We aligned on rate bands that balanced quality with budget and designed a simple interview flow that respected the hiring manager’s time instead of adding to their workload.

What started as a vague brief became a concrete, workable plan.

AI-native evaluation, guided by people from the data world

With the roles defined, the next challenge was quality at speed. Calimala used its AI-native evaluation engine alongside human screening by people who have actually built and led data teams in production environments.

We sourced globally, focusing on Pakistan and India for cost-effective senior talent, while keeping other regions in reserve for niche skills. Every shortlisted candidate went through a structured process that mirrored the reality of the client’s telecom data stack:

• A focused pre-screen on relevant projects, platform experience and communication skills.

• AI-assisted scoring across skills, seniority, domain fit and delivery track record.

• A 360° profile highlighting strengths, development areas, culture fit and growth potential.

• Clear notes on availability, expected rate and any visible risks.

Instead of raw CVs, the consulting firm received concise evaluation packs for each candidate. Hiring managers could see in a single view why someone was recommended, how they mapped to the data platform roadmap, and where potential trade-offs might sit. Choosing who to interview became a fast, informed decision rather than a gamble.

Fast deployment with low-friction delivery

Once the shortlist was agreed, momentum mattered. Several candidates were in parallel processes with other firms, so speed and clarity were critical. Calimala ran the process end-to-end: coordinating interviews across time zones and stakeholders, aligning expectations on rates, start dates and remote versus on-site work, and preparing contractors for the telecom client’s environment and delivery style.

Behind the scenes, we used trusted global partners to handle compliant cross-border contracting. For the consulting firm and the telecom end client, this meant no last-minute legal friction—just a clean path from “we want this person” to “they’re starting next week.”

Six senior contractors were deployed across data engineering, Informatica, BI and database roles. Feedback from both the consulting firm and the telecom client has been consistently strong—on technical level, collaboration and reliability.

What this changed for the client

The impact was visible quickly. Hiring managers spent far less time on weak interviews and saw a higher hit rate between “candidate we like” and “offer we make.” Having a single Data & AI hiring partner simplified communication: one point of contact for requirements, for candidate updates, and for contractor care.

For the consulting firm, this meant:

• Six senior Data & BI contractors staffed through one partner instead of juggling multiple agencies.

• Faster ramp-up on a critical telecom data platform programme.

• A more confident story when presenting contractors to the end client, backed by AI-driven evaluation and transparent 360° profiles.

• Contractors who described the process as transparent and respectful—supporting retention once they were on the ground.

By combining a boutique, human-led approach with an AI-native evaluation engine, Calimala turned a high-pressure brief in the Middle East telecom sector into a controlled, data-driven hiring process—and helped the client move from reactive staffing to a clear, repeatable model for building Data & AI teams.