Carlos M. Fernandes
Medford,USA
Summary
Performance-driven, business-minded Executive Leader with over 10 years of expertise directing global people operations, organizational development, and fiscal strategy across publicly traded corporations and private equity (PE) portfolios. Proven track record driving large-scale talent acquisition, strategic succession planning, and robust P&L management to fuel organizational scale. Adept at navigating high-stakes international labor landscapes, architecting sophisticated compensation models, and building compliance frameworks that mitigate global risk. A forward-thinking strategist committed to cultivating people-first, high-performance cultures that deliver measurable, bottom-line results
Overview
3
3
Languages
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Program Manager, Workforce and Operations
HARRY & DAVID
Medford, USA
11.2019 - Current
- Promoted from Human Resources Business Partner into Program Manager, Workforce & Operations in recognition of strong cross-functional leadership, operational capability, and strategic workforce expertise.
- Led workforce strategy, operational programs, and facilities management, aligning resources to support peak operational demands for a major publicly traded retail and e-commerce brand.
- Advanced from supporting HR business partner functions to directing multiteam workforce operations, facilities management, migrant housing programs, and large-scale seasonal labor strategies for 400+ employees across a major publicly traded retail and e-commerce brand.
- Direct large-scale talent acquisition, variable labor planning, and cross-border workforce strategies to optimize production efficiency during high-volume seasonal periods.
- Spearheaded the end-to-end implementation of the strategic H-2A program, securing a dependable pipeline of 400+ international workers while maintaining 100% federal compliance.
- Redesigned hiring protocols and onboarding workflows, reducing time-to-hire by 25% and improving first-season retention by 30%.
- Engineered agile labor models and workforce forecasting to mitigate staffing shortages, enhancing throughput during multi-million-dollar holiday cycles.
- Oversaw program compliance with requirements, schedule and budget.
Founder & Advisor
ROGUE UNITED FC
Medford, USA
03.2020 - Current
- Founded and scaled a high-performance athletic nonprofit from inception, establishing the organization’s mission, governance structure, financial model, and long-term strategic direction while continuing to advise on growth, competitive pathways, and financial planning.
- Secured $590K+ in capital funding, including $90K in competitive grants, to support facility construction and long-term organizational sustainability.
- Directed zoning approvals, vendor negotiations, and structural planning for a high-performance sports training complex.
- Expanded club from 2 athletes to 500+ competitive participants, enhancing community engagement to 1,500+ youth across Southern Oregon.
- Established sustainable employment model for 3 directors and 16 professional coaches, designing staffing frameworks and performance systems to support organizational growth.
- Built and advised a high-caliber Board of Directors, ensuring fiduciary oversight, legal compliance, and strategic alignment with organizational pillars.
- Guided long-range financial modeling and organizational expansion efforts with US Soccer Club and OYSA.
Global HR Business Partner
CECO ENVIRONMENTAL
Dallas, USA
03.2017 - 11.2019
- Designed and launched an international talent mobility and leadership succession framework, mapping high-potential talent across global offices to secure business continuity.
- Partnered with executives to redesign regional organizational structures, eliminate redundancies, optimize reporting lines, and align global teams for scalability.
- Led the global HR project for a full HRIS rollout, mapped workflows, coordinated cross-functional technical teams, and improved data migration processes.
- Directed strategic HR initiatives and global people operations, overseeing international workforce programs, HRIS implementation, and organizational design to enhance cross-border communications.
- Evaluated, coordinated RFP process, and selected global engagement platform; implemented localized pulse-survey frameworks to capture actionable sentiment data.
- Oversaw international HR portfolios, standardized regional protocols for dispute resolution, and managed global employee-facing communications to enhance clarity and consistency.
Human Resource Business Partner
JACKSON HEWITT
Sarasota, USA
03.2016 - 03.2017
- Supported regional retail and corporate operations as primary HR partner for high-volume, PE-backed consumer financial services organization.
- Resolved complex ER issues as primary escalation point, facilitating objective dispute resolutions, PIPs, and policy enforcement.
- Conducted compliance audits and FLSA assessments to properly classify exempt/non-exempt personnel, mitigating regulatory risk across federal and state lines.
- Executed targeted bonus programs and recognition initiatives based on HR metrics analysis, enhancing annual review processes.
Education
Master of Science - Organizational & Global Leadership
York University
York, NE05-2027
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
York University
York, NECertificate - English & International Relations
Golders Green College
London, UKSkills
- Strategic Leadership
- Workforce development
- Workforce Strategy
- Program execution
- Talent acquisition
- Retention
- Succession planning
- Organizational development
- Fiscal Management
- Budgeting
- P&L oversight
- Operational Management
- Resource management
- Global HR Strategy
- Employee relations
- Multicultural team leadership
- Compliance management
- Compliance oversight
- International Labor Compliance
- Risk Management
- Risk mitigation
- Data privacy compliance
- Consumer protection regulations
- US employment law
- Conflict management
- HR Systems
- HRIS design
- Workday management
- ADP management
- Analytics
- Advanced analytics
- Performance-based compensation
- Stakeholder Leadership
- Community Leadership
- Board relations
- Partnership development
- Grant acquisition
- Program development
- Strategic planning
- Financial management
- Cross-functional collaboration
- International relations
- Organizational design
- Community engagement
- Negotiation
- Staff management
- Policies and procedures development
- Board collaboration
- Start-up operations
- Project management
Accomplishments
- Built and led Harry & David’s first H-2A workforce program, overseeing a $75M seasonal labor operation and closing a critical staffing gap with a high-productivity international workforce.
- Directed operations for 400+ seasonal employees, integrating talent acquisition, housing, compliance, transportation, and team leadership across a complex seasonal labor model.
- Built diverse, multicultural teams and strengthened workforce engagement, communication, and performance through global HR and organizational leadership principles.
- Founded and scaled Rogue United FC, securing $590K+ in funding and building a sustainable community sports organization serving Southern Oregon.
- Expanded sports access for 500+ underserved Latinx youth, reducing socioeconomic barriers through community-based programming and strategic partnerships.
- Led complex stakeholder relationships with public agencies, schools, vendors, and community leaders to advance organizational strategy, drive facilities development, and strengthen long-term operational sustainability.
Certifications Languages
GDPR, CCPA, SHRM-SCP (In Progress), Spanish, Portuguese, English
Languages
Spanish
Native/ Bilingual
Portuguese
Native/ Bilingual
English
Native/ Bilingual
Timeline
Founder & Advisor
ROGUE UNITED FC
03.2020 - Current
Program Manager, Workforce and Operations
HARRY & DAVID
11.2019 - Current
Global HR Business Partner
CECO ENVIRONMENTAL
03.2017 - 11.2019
Human Resource Business Partner
JACKSON HEWITT
03.2016 - 03.2017
Master of Science - Organizational & Global Leadership
York University
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
York University
Certificate - English & International Relations
Golders Green College