Diana Briggs
Norwalk,IA
Summary
Accomplished Human Resources leader and Chief of Staff with strong foundation in strategic human resource management and organizational development. Successfully led initiatives to enhance employee engagement and streamline HR operations. Demonstrated expertise in HR business partnering and organizational development.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Vice President, Human Resources
Hubbell Realty Company
10.2023 - Current
- Transformational Leadership and HR Function Overhaul: Spearheaded a comprehensive redesign of the HR function to drive efficiency, alignment, and employee satisfaction
- This included revamping talent acquisition, performance management, benefits administration, and onboarding processes to meet the needs of a growing workforce
- Developed scalable systems and standardized processes that optimized talent management, fostered engagement, and aligned HR’s strategic direction with business goals
- M&A Integration and Headcount Expansion: Successfully guided HR integration during an acquisition that doubled company headcount
- Implemented consistent communication strategies to keep employees informed and engaged throughout the transition, maintaining productivity and morale
- Strategic Business Partnering and Executive Influence: As a strategic advisor to the executive team, ensured HR initiatives aligned with business priorities, driving growth and profitability
- Led initiatives in workforce planning, talent retention, and succession planning
- Enhanced executive team’s decision-making by providing data-driven insights on workforce trends, risks, and opportunities
- Employee Experience and Culture Building: Focus on fostering a unified, inclusive culture across all business units
- Implemented employee engagement programs and professional development opportunities that encouraged collaboration, retention, and growth
- Drove initiatives that supported organizational values and the company's vision, reinforcing a positive workplace culture amid rapid change
- Played a pivotal role in scaling HR operations to support a larger, integrated workforce and enhancing HR’s impact on the organization’s success and growth trajectory
Associate Chief of Staff to the Founder & CEO
Krause Group / Kum & Go
04.2023 - 10.2023
- Aligned departmental goals with overall company vision, ensuring cohesive progress towards shared objectives.
- Optimized organizational structures, leading to increased efficiency and better resource allocation.
- Attended meetings to make informed business decisions, provide administrative support and evaluate progress toward goals and objectives.
- Oversaw change management initiatives, minimizing disruption while maximizing positive outcomes during periods of transition.
- Communicate with other Krause Group businesses and leaders to help implement the CEO’s vision
- Assists the Chief of Staff with Krause Group strategic planning sessions (QPS, SPS, etc)
- Onboard new Senior Leadership Team (SLT), Extended Leadership Team (ELT) members within Krause Group
- Assist Chief of Staff in promoting & representing the Chairman & CEO within all Krause Group businesses internally and externally
- Member of the Krause Group Senior Leadership Team (SLT) responsible for the mission, vision, values & strategic plan for Krause Group parent company and all Krause Group businesses
- Provided comprehensive support to the CEO, enabling them to focus on critical decision-making and leadership tasks.
Director of Grow People (HR) Business Partners - Global
Krause Group / Kum & Go
06.2019 - 04.2023
- Leadership & Strategy: Leadership of a global senior level Business Partner team (10 direct reports) for all Krause Group business in multiple states the US and Italy (in multiple different industries including retail, hospitality, sports, wine, transportation, real estate, etc) with over 4,000 associates
- Member of the HR Leadership Team focusing on development of the HR strategy and tactical approaches to deliver high impact solutions and drive HR initiatives in alignment with business objectives
- Associate Engagement & Culture: Set the engagement strategy to align with the focus of the businesses and a mind on retention and culture
- Krause Group Strategic Business Partner: HR business partner for Krause Group Global Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and CEO
- Understand business strategy; design, develop and implement innovative, value-add solutions that align with business objectives; assist business leaders with anticipating and solving organization, people and change related issues; strategically manage workforce planning including attracting, developing and retaining talent; expert talent assessor
- Member of the Krause Group Extended leadership Team (ELT) responsible for coaching and collaborating between senior leaders and Presidents of each business
- International leadership: Develop and implement the Grow People International Strategy (as a shared services function)
- Gain key stakeholder buy-in and engagement (SLT and CEO)
- Lead a cross functional team to implement the strategy and build out the HR function in Italy
- Lead a team on the ground inclusive of a Director of Grow People, 2 Grow People Business Partners and a Recruiter for 4 businesses across Italy
- Facilitated cross-functional collaboration for improved decision-making processes within the organization.
- Established a culture of continuous improvement by fostering open communication channels and empowering employees to voice their ideas.
Senior Grow People (HR) Business Partner / Interim Director of Total Rewards
Krause Group / Kum & Go
11.2016 - 06.2019
- Consult with Senior Leaders, Management and teams to identify HR organizational needs within all companies owned by the Krause Family – including corporate functions of Kum & Go, Italian wineries & hotel, Solar Transport, Krause Group Real Estate & Menace soccer team
- Strategic Partner – Understand business strategy; design, develop and implement innovative, value-add solutions that aligns with business objectives; assists business leaders with anticipating and solving organization, people and change related issues; strategically manage workforce planning including attracting, developing and retaining talent; identify critical metrics and lead with data; Understand in-depth the needs of the organization and the businesses supported and provide a big picture perspective that is valuable to gain credibility with management to influence issues; Consult with management to improve business capability and improve business and individual performance
- Change Agent - Drive alignment with the organization’s culture; institutionalize company values and beliefs and champion diversity and inclusion; assess and manage organizational change capability; act as a consultant in organization effectiveness initiatives; deliver organizational optimization; spearhead organizational change; partner with leaders to navigate all groups of associates through change
- Employee Champion - Serve as the ear and conscience of the organization; represent the voice of the associate; collect and act on feedback from the organization; champion associate engagement
- Design, plan and develop total reward programs, policies, and procedures that are aligned with the total rewards philosophy and strategy
- Lead development of communication of compensation and benefit programs and responsible for keeping appropriate stakeholders informed and aware of current status of key programs and new initiatives
- Lead 4 full-time Total Rewards professionals
Lead Human Resources Consultant, Learning & Organizational Development
Global Atlantic (Formerly Aviva North America/USA)
05.2013 - 10.2016
- Played a key role in the design and development of the HR function post acquisition
- Organizational Design & Development – leadership coaching, HR metrics, org design
- Culture & Engagement – culture survey, partnering with internal communications, linking culture with organization vision and priorities, lead effort to identify our recognition philosophy, own and link HR intranet pages to culture
- Talent Development – identify gaps in current and desired competencies, leadership development offerings, build and deliver onboarding and offboarding programs, design and implement non-leader development initiatives
- Talent Management – ensure compensation & recognition drive desired performance, build and maintain talent management/succession strategy to ensure internal bench strength, partner with recruiting and hiring leaders to ensure hiring for desired competencies, evaluate and enhance yearly promotion process
- HR Processes & Systems – implement culture/engagement survey, design and deliver performance management process (including 360), recommend and implement talent management, compensation, recruiting and learning management system, review and recommend updates to all HR policies, procedures & forms, lead organizational wide I-9 audit post mergers & acquisition
- Leadership – experience managing cross functional project teams, including managing key executive stakeholders, and managing HR Intern
- HR Talent Management Lead System Administrator (Cornerstone) – design, implement and provide education to the business on the performance management, succession and compensation clouds
- Compensation – lead on year-end process design of compensation system and compensation philosophy, partner with compensation team to design go-forward compensation structure
- HR Business Partnering – consult & coach with assigned business units on talent management & compensation philosophy and partner with leaders to develop career maps for each level within their business area
- Leadership/Employee Development Program – Design Leadership Development Curriculum, including executive 360 and culture survey recommendation to culminate in organization wide Leadership and Employee Development Program
- Partnered with senior leadership to establish and develop corporate and HR policies and procedures.
Talent & Engagement Manager (Centers of Expertise)
Aviva North America / Aviva USA
03.2009 - 05.2013
- Subject matter expert and thought leader in Learning & Organizational Development and talent and performance management strategies
- Played an instrumental role in the shaping, development, implementation and embedding of the L&OD, talent, performance and engagement strategies, ensuring their alignment to the overall business and HR strategy, and to the cultural journey
- Ensured the successful integration of talent management with performance and total rewards
- Responsible for developing and driving the talent management program, working closely with the HR Business Partners, Change Consultant team and business leaders to develop secession plan
- Set up and proactively monitored progress against talent metrics, identifying trends and proposing requisite developments to the talent agenda
- Created a consistent Onboarding process starting from verbal/signed acceptance to 90 days in role; Lead overall project team (15 cross-functional Aviva employees) and design pre-arrival portal and new employee orientation
- Overall Program Manager and action planning consultant for our annual employee survey – the Employee Promise Survey (EPS) for Aviva Canada and Aviva USA (over 5,000 employees)
- Partnered with the global community on all HR programs and processes to ensure consistency and share key learnings
- Partnered with the SVP, HR to develop the Aviva USA board presentations highlighting the executive level talent and the employee survey results
- Originally supported both the US and Canada (around 5,000 employees) for talent, performance and engagement strategies; focus shifted to supporting the de-regionalization of the two countries and solely on the US organization
- Consulted and designed capabilities within the Finance and Actuarial functions as part of employee development and talent/performance management approach
Senior Benefits Specialist
Aviva North America (Formerly AmerUs)
01.2006 - 03.2009
- Subject matter expert for all employees, HR generalists and HR business partners by answering non-routine employee benefits, policy and procedure questions, providing counsel/recommendation to employees and reviewing life-cycle benefit changes
- Main point of contact for various vendor reports (Medical, Dental, Vision, FSAs and HSA) to ensure accurate and effective electronic data interface (EDI) transmissions on a per pay period basis
- Assisted in the administration of leave of absences including Short-Term Disability and Family and Medical Leave (FMLA)
- Collaborated with benefit vendors/providers on administrative questions, ensuring data integrity, researching employee appeals, facilitating employee resolutions, communicating and updating participant information, and monitoring and improving general processes
- Provided overall project coordination and analysis for annual active employee benefits open/re-enrollment process (system design, communication updates, meeting coordination and facilitation, reporting and coaching employees on benefit plan provisions)
- Interpret policies and plan documents and recommend changes where needed due to compliance or administrative updates
- Developed a 3-year employee wellness plan, which includes financial incentives paired with biometric results, return on investment (ROI) and creating a wellness council
Education
Masters of Human Resource Management -
Keller Graduate School of Management
Chicago, ILBachelor of Arts - Psychology, Business Administration
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IASkills
- HR Strategy & Strategic Planning
- Talent Management
- Organizational Structure & Organizational Development
- HR Policies & Procedures
- Executive Consulting/Coaching
- Employee Engagement/Culture Surveys
- Mergers & Acquisition Integration
- Employee Relations
- Change Management
- Global HR experience
Affiliations, Certifications & Volunteer Work
- 2018, Kum & Go Values Award Winner: Caring
- Certified Professional in Human Resources (PHR)
- United Way Committee Member, Kum & Go, Global Atlantic, Aviva USA
- Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) Certified Professional (SHRM-CP)
- Committee Chair, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Walk
- Proficient in Microsoft Office programs (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook)
- Certified Strategic Human Resources Business Partner (sHRBP)
- Experience with HRIS: Workday, Cornerstone, SuccessFactors, Ceridian, ADP
- Past Board Member, Easterseals of Iowa
- Past Board Member, Norwalk Student Education Foundation
Hrskillsexpertise
- Talent Management
- Organizational Structure Design
- HR Policies & Procedures
- Performance Management
- Employee Engagement
- Compensation Management
- Organizational Development
- Onboarding
- Executive Consulting/Coaching
- Succession Planning
- Job Design
- Employee Engagement/Culture Surveys
- Global HR
- Mergers & Acquisition Integration
- Employee Relations
- Change Management
Certification
- PHR - Professional in Human Resources
- SHRM- CP - Society of Human Resource Management, Certified Professional
- sHRBP - Strategic HR Business Partner
Timeline
Vice President, Human Resources
Hubbell Realty Company
10.2023 - Current
Associate Chief of Staff to the Founder & CEO
Krause Group / Kum & Go
04.2023 - 10.2023
Director of Grow People (HR) Business Partners - Global
Krause Group / Kum & Go
06.2019 - 04.2023
Senior Grow People (HR) Business Partner / Interim Director of Total Rewards
Krause Group / Kum & Go
11.2016 - 06.2019
Lead Human Resources Consultant, Learning & Organizational Development
Global Atlantic (Formerly Aviva North America/USA)
05.2013 - 10.2016
Talent & Engagement Manager (Centers of Expertise)
Aviva North America / Aviva USA
03.2009 - 05.2013
Senior Benefits Specialist
Aviva North America (Formerly AmerUs)
01.2006 - 03.2009
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology, Business Administration
University of Iowa
- PHR - Professional in Human Resources
- SHRM- CP - Society of Human Resource Management, Certified Professional
- sHRBP - Strategic HR Business Partner
Masters of Human Resource Management -
Keller Graduate School of Management
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