Azia Martin

• Supporting leaders to develop and implement people strategies to positively impact business outcomes (labor, turnover, engagement)
• Leads development and implementation of associate relations policies, programs, and training; ensure updates and revisions are consistent with changes in laws, regulations, best practices and company culture
• Oversees people policies and associated compliance spanning state-level associate laws, audits, etc.; identify gaps and inefficiencies, provide improvement recommendations and implement required changes
• Provides strategic partnering and guidance on transformational and change management projects deriving tangible, positive, commercial results
• Partners with leaders to identify skills gaps, both immediate and long term, to build training plans to support individual and business growth
• Works cross functionally to plan and implement business change providing specialist guidance on people matters.
• Influences and supports business leaders in attracting, retaining and motivating their workforce
• Provides coaching to leadership in matters relating to people, including compensation recommendations, HR processes, employment practices, associate relations, and corporate initiatives
• Responsible for driving change, shaping culture, influencing leadership, developing talent, managing risk and ensuring compliance.
• Proactively identifies potential risks and implementing mitigation strategies to minimize negative impacts on business operations
• Spearheading innovative approaches to resource allocation and strategic planning
• Processing employee claims involving performance issues and harassment
• Streamlining HR/People processes for increased efficiency and improved service delivery
• Structuring compensation and benefits according to market conditions and budget demands.

Major Achievements

• Established onboarding procedures to facilitate smooth transitions for new hires into the organization.
• Design and launch of upcoming Performance Review process.
• Collaborated cross-functionally with other department leaders to align HR strategy with overall business objectives
• Supported talent development through coaching sessions with key personnel, assisting them in reaching their professional growth objectives.
• Managed workforce planning initiatives, ensuring appropriate staffing levels across departments while minimizing costs associated with overtime or temporary workers.
• Conducted exit interviews to better understand reasons why employees were separating from company.
• Created succession planning initiatives to identify high-potential employees and prepare them for leadership roles within the organization.
• Created user-friendly employee handbook that was much easier to update and maintain than prior manual.
• Distributed employee engagement surveys to identify areas of improvement.

• Operated as the business partner to MDs and GMs and drive the people agenda across the region by spending time in their businesses, understanding the structure, markets, and challenges
• Partnered with leaders to identify learning & development needs for high performers and construct and deliver the learning plan
• Worked with senior leaders on restructuring and organizational design initiatives
• Served as a coach to the leadership team on issues related to human capital strategy, talent development, career development, and performance while being able to influence and challenge others at this level
• Supported succession/talent planning efforts to ensure talent is positioned and groomed across the Company
• Understood and utilized pertinent data to provide insights to leadership that help drive business decisions
• Collaborated with Global DE&I Lead to provide strategic guidance and support
• Planned, organized, and implemented various diversity outreach efforts and strategies
• Provided coaching and counseling to employees in areas such as management development, conflict resolution, and career development
• Served as the regional lead for all benefits administration, education, and open enrollment activities.

Major Achievements:

• Developed and executed the regional DE&I strategy
• Created & successfully launched three Employee Resource Groups
• Designed & launched a grassroots community outreach program in partnership with the United Way
• Crafted a global and regional learning & development strategy and courses
• Facilitated all regional training programs
• Devised & implemented multiple mental health initiatives
• Collaborated with the Executive & Senior Leadership Teams for organizational, talent, and succession planning
• Co-led activities directly related to the Landor & Fitch merger
• Created & implemented a freelance management program resulting in 40% cost savings in 2022

• Served as the primary HR point of contact and link between leadership and employees to support the full range of human resources needs across North America (Columbus, OH, New York City, NY, Scottsdale, AZ, and Los Angeles, CA)
• Served on the Regional SLT to drive people strategies in alignment and support of the business
• Supported management by providing human resources advice, counsel, and recommendations; analyzing and advising on potential risk and reward
• Coached and guided management on productive employee-supervisory relationship conduct, constructive problem-solving, building performance plans, disciplining non-performance, and employee exit activities
• Managed and coordinated benefits administration
  Conducted talent assessment and planning to address current and anticipated organizational needs
• Established a recruiting strategy (including sourcing and interviewing), and onboarding services, resulting in the attraction and retention of qualified talent
• Partnered with outside immigration counsel, senior executives, global mobility, and recruiters to support the processing of visas (L-1, H-1B, TN, O-1) and Green Card cases on behalf of employees and their dependents
• Partnered with the in-house legal team to facilitate employee relations challenges and RIFs

Major Achievements:

• Created & implemented an intern program
• Designed FITCH's global corporate university (FITCH Academy) course catalog
• Revised & published the FITCH North America Employee Handbook
• Initiated & implemented the use of E-Verify
• Conducted an I-9 audit which resulted in finding over 60% errors in forms
• Redesigned the new hire onboarding experience for North America
• Designed & implemented a Stay Interview process and detailed guide
• Launched a mental health initiative that became a pillar of FITCH's culture
• Devised and facilitated a benefits education program
• Co-Chaired the global implementation teams for the applicant tracking program Greenhouse and the HRIS system People HR
• Revised & implemented a performance management program

• Focused on the benefits programs and functions, including but not limited to managing all benefits programs, audit reporting, cost containment, benefits communications, vendor management, and ACA compliance
• Managed the 401k administration process and assisted with the annual 401k audit
• Administered the employee rewards and recognition program
• Created and conducted training for all levels of management related to but not limited to, benefits, employee value proposition, associate engagement, and retention
• Conducted an annual 'Benefits Roadshow,' visiting over 1200 employees in 5 states in 12 days, educating them on open enrollment and the benefits available.

Major Achievements

• Recovered over $20,000 in overpaid vendor premiums
• Created an Employee Value Proposition model and campaign
• Developed & implemented benefits processes and policies
• Solely managed ACA tax reporting with zero errors
• Increased associate engagement and participation in AetnaIS's rewards and recognition program by 40%

Managed and oversaw all in-store operations to achieve sales, service, organization, customer satisfaction, and profitability through:

• Inventory management
• Custom order sales
• Establishing revenue-generating business partnerships
• Coordinating schedules for employees and shop events
• Visual Merchandising
• Assisting shop owner with payroll and accounting using QuickBooks
• Overseeing the store's profitability and budgeting, managing labor costs and overall expenses to meet sales goals and store performance
• Creating and maintaining all Company and employment policies, which included the Employee Handbook
• Recruitment and retention of store associates
• Managing all new hire paperwork and ensuring legal compliance
• Providing training to new sales associates enabling them to realize customers' needs and meet those needs through product knowledge, communication, and computer skills
• Events coordination, which involved but was not limited to the annual Ride4Autism as well as promotions, advertising, and marketing
• Brand and Vendor management
• Staying knowledgeable of industry trends
• Identifying untapped markets and opportunities to increase revenue.

Completed four trimesters towards a B.S. Business Administration.

Completed 50+ credit hours for transfer to Franklin University.