Hiring strategies for brand new GCCs (Global Capability Center) are often full of jargon: “synergy,” “scalability,” “cross-functional efficiencies.”

Every time these words show up, an HR manager sighs, knowing that despite the buzzwords, what really matters is finding people who can actually do the job.

If you’re in the middle of hiring for a GCC, you already know that it’s not just about stacking a team full of brilliant minds. You need people who can function in an environment that is half global corporation, half independent entity, and entirely dependent on the right mix of skills.

What exactly are these skills? What do hiring managers look for beyond the polished resumes and keyword-heavy LinkedIn profiles?

But, first things first.



What is a Global Capability Center?



A GCC (Global Capability Center) is a company’s own office in another country that helps with tasks like IT, finance, HR, customer service, and data analysis. Instead of outsourcing work to another company, businesses create these centers to keep control over quality, security, and costs while taking advantage of skilled talent and lower expenses in that location.

For example, a big U.S. or European company might open a GCC in India or Poland to handle software development, accounting, or back-office work. These employees work directly for the company, ensuring better coordination and efficiency.

GCCs are not BPOs (Business Process Outsourcing)—they’re part of the company itself, just in another country. Many big brands have GCCs to improve operations globally while keeping costs manageable.

Why does working in a Global Capability Center require special skills?


Working in a GCC (Global Capability Center) is different from a regular office job because it operates between two worlds; it’s part of a global company but based in another country. Employees collaborate with teams across time zones, cultures, and work styles, requiring strong communication, adaptability, and cultural awareness. Since decision-making often happens at the headquarters, GCC employees must be flexible and diplomatic, balancing local operations with global company policies.

GCCs also focus on process efficiency rather than just following instructions. Employees must analyze, refine, and improve workflows, making problem-solving and analytical thinking essential. Job roles often evolve, so adaptability is key—employees must be comfortable with uncertainty and willing to take initiative when responsibilities shift.

Technology is another major factor. Most GCCs rely on automation, AI, and data-driven platforms to optimize efficiency, meaning employees must be tech-savvy and open to learning new tools even in non-technical roles. Unlike traditional back-office support, GCCs are now considered centers of excellence, helping drive business strategy and innovation. This means employees are expected to think beyond their tasks, take ownership, and contribute to business improvements rather than just executing assigned work.

1. People Who Can Handle (and Not Just Follow) Processes

Most job descriptions mention “process-oriented individuals.” But here’s the real question: Do they just follow the steps, or do they know when to rewrite the manual?

GCCs exist to create efficiency, cost savings, and operational excellence. That means processes do not stay static—they evolve, and the people working within them need to think critically about whether those processes are actually serving their purpose.

✅ A great GCC hire will not just follow procedures but challenge them when necessary.

❌ A poor hire will say, “But that’s how we’ve always done it.”

2. Communication That Goes Beyond “Circling Back”

Hiring managers love “good communicators.” But here’s the secret: most people think they are good communicators because they can write a polite email.

In a GCC, where teams report to both local leadership and global stakeholders, communication needs to be clear, purposeful, and situationally aware.

✅ Someone worth hiring knows the difference between what their onshore manager wants to hear and what their colleague across time zones needs to understand.

❌ Someone who just “keeps everyone in the loop” with endless email threads but never provides real clarity is not an asset.

3. “Tech-Savvy” Doesn’t Mean “Knows Excel”

In 2025, saying someone is tech-savvy because they can make a pivot table in Excel is like calling someone a “food expert” because they can make toast.

GCCs function as centers of excellence, and that requires employees who are comfortable with automation, data visualization, AI-assisted workflows, and digital collaboration tools. No one needs to be a software developer (unless that’s the role), but:

✅ A solid candidate is curious about how tech can improve their workflow.

❌ A weak hire panics when faced with a new platform and insists on “the old way.”

4. Cultural Fluency (Not Just “Has Worked in an MNC”)

“International experience” is often a hiring requirement for GCCs, but what does that really mean? Just because someone worked at a multinational company doesn’t mean they know how to work across cultures.

✅ The right hire understands that business etiquette, communication styles, and even expectations of hierarchy differ across regions.

❌ A less effective hire assumes that “business is business” everywhere and ends up misunderstanding expectations.

(If they think an American manager saying, “That’s interesting!” actually means “That’s interesting,” they’re in trouble.)

5. Ability to Work in Grey Areas

Let’s be real: GCC job descriptions often sound much more structured than the actual work. In reality, many roles require working across departments, bridging gaps between teams, and figuring things out as they go.

✅ A valuable GCC employee can handle ambiguity, make decisions with incomplete information, and adjust when things shift.

❌ A poor fit needs a detailed roadmap for every task and struggles when plans change.

6. The Skill of Saying “No” (Diplomatically)

GCCs can become dumping grounds for work that other teams don’t want to do.

“Just send it to the GCC” is something you’ll hear a lot. That’s why employees need to know when to say no or at least push back.

✅ A strong candidate understands what the GCC is actually responsible for and can push back diplomatically when tasks go beyond the scope.

❌ A poor candidate accepts every request and ends up drowning in work that shouldn’t even be theirs.

7. The Right Kind of Leadership (Not Just Title-Holders)

Everyone loves “leadership skills” on a resume, but GCCs need something specific: people who can lead without authority.

Since GCC teams often work across global functions, employees have to influence decisions without directly managing the people involved.

✅ A strong GCC hire knows how to build influence, manage expectations, and get things done—even when they don’t have a formal leadership title.

❌ A weak hire only takes initiative when given official “leadership” status.

8. The Skill No One Wants to Admit is Critical: Patience

GCC employees need patience. Not the “put up with nonsense and smile” kind, but the kind that allows them to work in long-term frameworks where change is slow, approvals take forever, and global decisions don’t always make sense at the local level.

✅ A great GCC hire is patient without losing sight of long-term improvements.

❌ A bad fit gets frustrated when things don’t change overnight.

So, How Do You Find These People?

Now that you know what you’re looking for, how do you actually hire for these skills? Here’s a shortcut:

  • Instead of asking, “Tell me about a time you faced a challenge,” ask: “Tell me about a time you changed a process that no one asked you to change.”
  • Instead of asking, “Are you comfortable with tech?” ask: “What’s a tool or software you had to teach yourself, and how did you do it?”
  • Instead of asking, “How do you handle cultural differences at work?” ask: “What’s a work situation where someone misunderstood your intentions, and how did you fix it?”

Hiring for GCCs is about finding people who thrive in a constantly shifting environment. The best candidates aren’t just the ones with the right degrees or years of experience. They’re the ones who know how to work between the lines, adapt, and make things better—even when no one explicitly asks them to.

And if you find someone who reads between the lines of a job description the way you just read between the lines of this article? Hire them. Immediately.