Crystal Mercado

Influencing the corporate management team through strategic HR leadership, I provide expertise across enterprise-wide people-related functions while serving in an executive capacity.

Key Achievements:

• Cultivated robust relationships with management and staff, fostering a culture of transparency, care, respect, and camaraderie.
• Aligned corporate objectives with departmental and individual goals by spearheading the annual performance management program and coaching managers to enhance productivity.
• Developed a benefits investment strategy to optimize employee coverage cost-effectively.
• Prepared for IPO by overseeing HR financial, legal, and audit due diligence, implementing essential controls and policies for the company's transition to public trading.

Ongoing Responsibilities:

• Champion a market-competitive compensation philosophy and strategy, overseeing executive and non-executive compensation, including equity guidelines for our shift to public trading.
• Spearhead compensation committee planning and recommendations to the Board of Directors.
• Drive growth initiatives by refining recruitment processes and cultivating agency partnerships.
• Direct Talent Acquisition efforts, collaborating with hiring managers to shape recruitment strategies.
• Manage the implementation of HR tools and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to enhance recruiting efficiency.
• Execute annual benefits reviews and enrollment processes.
• Oversee coordination of corporate events and town-hall meetings to foster engagement and communication.

As a senior leadership team member, I addressed pivotal business challenges and opportunities in my advisory role to the CEO, ensuring strategic alignment and operational excellence.

Key Contributions:

• Played a critical role in S-1 drafting sessions and readied the company for an impending IPO. Instituted essential HR controls pivotal for our transition to a publicly traded entity. Established executive compensation and equity guidelines using Radford market data.
• Actively participated in quarterly Compensation Committee and Board of Directors meetings, leading discussions on human capital initiatives.
• Directed global talent acquisition efforts, achieving rapid hiring outcomes and tripling our employee headcount.
• Defined and refined the company's mission, vision, and values, underscoring a collective belief system and morale drivers that foster a high-performance culture.
• Spearheaded company brand and narrative strategies for both internal and external audiences, including the development of new branding and associated website.

Strategic Initiatives:

• Collaborated with the CEO and co-founders to develop a R.A.P.I.D decision-making model and Prioritization Quadrant, enabling agile and high-performance outcomes.
• Established global meeting best practices and power-hour productivity sessions, optimizing our ways-of-working.

Operational Oversight:

• Implemented HR business metrics to pinpoint critical workforce issues and provide actionable recommendations.
• Led company-wide talent management plans to align with corporate objectives and enhance individual performance, focusing on bench strength development.
• Successfully navigated and resolved complex employee relations scenarios with a diplomatic approach, employing disciplinary actions when necessary.

Collaborated closely with the executive leadership team to drive impactful HR strategies that significantly surpassed corporate objectives.

Key Accomplishments:

• Developed and delivered compelling presentations for quarterly Compensation Committee and Board of Directors meetings, showcasing strategic HR insights and initiatives.
• Formulated and executed human capital strategies aimed at optimizing organizational performance and enhancing talent retention.

Strategic Leadership and Compliance:

• Led HR due diligence and readiness for SEC filings, ensuring precise disclosure of executive compensation and benefits information.
• Established internal HR controls to ensure SOX compliance, resulting in successful audits and heightened risk management.

Compensation and Talent Management:

• Conducted detailed analysis of peer groups pre- and post-IPO, utilizing market data to shape the company’s compensation philosophy and design competitive executive and board compensation plans.
• Regularly reviewed executive and board compensation, offering data-driven recommendations aligned with market trends and business performance.

Operational Excellence and Employee Development:

• Established HR infrastructure from the ground up, including policies, procedures, and systems supporting the employee lifecycle.
• Delivered impactful training programs on performance management, elevating employee productivity and engagement levels.
• Developed and executed robust recruitment strategies to meet ambitious hiring targets, resulting in the successful acquisition of top-tier talent across New York, Connecticut, and North Carolina locations.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives:

• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop and implement DEI initiatives, fostering a welcoming and inclusive workplace culture.

Systems Implementation and Benefits Strategy:

• Led the selection and implementation of the company's HRIS, applicant tracking, and performance management systems, ensuring seamless integration and adoption organization-wide.
• Conducted market research to design and implement a comprehensive benefits strategy, ensuring market competitiveness while supporting the company's employee value proposition.

In summary, I leveraged strategic HR leadership to drive organizational success, enhance talent management, and foster a culture of excellence and inclusivity.

Championed the transformation of the HR function into a strategic business partner to ensure alignment with corporate and driving organizational success.

• Collaborated with business leaders to identify needs and priorities, providing strategic guidance and support on HR matters.

• Improved company culture and reduced attrition by identifying reasons for voluntary turnover, conducting exit interviews, and introducing new initiatives to increase employee engagement.

• Collaborated closely with business managers to identify performance management challenges and opportunities, providing day-to-day guidance and support to drive improvements.

• Managed the entire reduction in workforce process from planning to execution, including identification of impacted roles, selection criteria, and timeline for implementation.

• Communicated regularly and transparently with affected employees, providing them with the information and support they needed to manage the transition effectively.

• Maintained in-depth knowledge of legal requirements including FMLA, ADA, COBRA, and other HR laws related to management of employees, reducing legal risks and ensuring regulatory compliance.

• Developed and implemented new procedures for onboarding/off-boarding resulting in a significant reduction in errors, and an increase in employee satisfaction.

• Conducted comprehensive stay interviews with employees to identify keys factors contributing to their job satisfaction. • Developed targeted action plans in collaboration with managers to address employee concerns and improve retention rates.

• Investigated and resolved several employee relations issues, while maintaining a balance between organizational and individual interests.

Led the strategic re-leveling of four job grades to align with increasing responsibilities and recognize high performance within the organization.

Global Recruitment Leadership:

• Directed and supervised global recruitment operations across multiple regions, ensuring standardized processes and exceptional candidate experiences throughout.

Strategic Recruitment Initiatives:

• Developed and executed innovative recruitment strategies, yielding a remarkable 20% increase in application rates, surpassing performance objectives and bolstering organizational success.

Talent Development and Program Management:

• Mentored and coached a team of six HR associates, fostering their professional growth and ensuring high-quality support in HR operations.

Innovative Program Launches:

• Spearheaded the implementation of a global employee referral program, resulting in a substantial $1.6 million reduction in agency costs. Notably, this initiative led to a 40% increase in employee referrals in North America and an 80% increase in JAPAC.

Operational Excellence and Resource Management:

• Managed end-to-end recruitment processes, including interview coordination, background checks, onboarding, and oversight of contingent workforce management.
• Oversaw various programs such as new hire onboarding, orientation, and internship initiatives, ensuring seamless execution and positive experiences.

Technology and Infrastructure Development:

• Pioneered the development and deployment of an intranet career site, providing employees with valuable resources and enhancing internal mobility and engagement.

Optimized HR Operations:

• Streamlined recruiting, applicant tracking, performance management, and onboarding processes, driving efficiency and effectiveness across HR functions.

Vendor Management and Cost Optimization:

• Managed vendor relationships to achieve greater cost-effectiveness and higher service quality, contributing to overall operational excellence and resource optimization.

In summary, I orchestrated transformative initiatives in talent management, recruitment strategies, program development, and operational optimization, positioning the HR function as a strategic driver of organizational success.