Ericka Santos
Carteret,USA
Summary
Creative professional with knowledge in tailored benefits solutions including employee communication materials, online counseling tools. Analyzed claims and enhanced vendor-support services improving employee experience.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
Work History
Director, Human Resources (Consultant)
Chefler Foods LLC
Saddle Brook, USA
06.2025 - 11.2025
- Performed diversity recruitment to fill difficult specialized positions, analyze workforce needs as projected by sales increase and seasonal hiring – reduce downtime in equipment maintenance/repairs and timely set up.
- Spearheaded the implementation of long-range radio connections, improving overall employee communication between warehouse and inventory teams reducing confusion and improving efficiency and timely deliveries.
- Partnered with QA and Inventory control teams to investigate pallet shortages, improving operational procedures within the forklift operators, and warehouse staff to ensure/verify accuracy and customer order fulfilment.
- Established standardized handoff procedures between shifts, improving continuity of production by conducting Forklift certification hands-on training to eliminate inventory discrepancy and conflict between departments.
- Reverified and audited driver records, DMV background checks, valid licenses and accident reports - conducted DOT compliance training to new and existing drivers to improve driver safety and mitigate risk.
- Implemented proper expense reimbursement validation, including tracking miles and fuel by trailer (Day Cab, Sleepers, Reefers) improving cost accountability for separate entity payroll 'Amazing Logistics LLC'.
- Investigated workplace incidents to determine root cause and develop recommended training program.
- Developed and maintained OSHA-compliant Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) including safety instructions, updated facility maps, evacuation procedures and emergency response protocols.
Director, Human Resources (Consultant)
The Fillo Factory
Northvale, USA
05.2023 - 03.2025
- Managed end-to-end talent acquisition life cycle for expansion resulting in eight key positions across Human Resources, Maintenance, Production and Sanitation, including promoting within for multi-functional varied specialization to strengthen workforce stability and maintaining operational performance (Northvale/Lakewood).
- Reengineered diversity and inclusion recruiting and talent acquisition life cycle, implementing sourcing, screening and selection methods to ensure consistency and educate hiring managers on compliance with laws and regulations.
- Led the integration of structured, competency-based interview frameworks, group and panel interview methods, standardizing evaluation tools, reducing unconscious and explicit bias while improving quality of hiring decisions.
- Directed, planned and organized a comprehensive performance evaluation process, with automated skill-level results to determine pay, promotion, or replacement for each line position by area/department.
- Strategic partner to foster motivation by observing and soliciting opinions to reconcile differences, analyze workforce needs, forecasting, and replacement charting to determine compensation and bonus plans.
- Conducted cost-benefit analysis for a 3-year leadership development program aimed at strengthening employee engagement and collaboration, resulting in 2024 cohorts of 12 executive team members at STRAXO.
- Developed, designed, and deployed self-insured health and welfare plans, special open enrollment adopting new carrier contracts, broker-change, and COBRA administration, increased 40% participation, 30% savings.
- Supported BRCGS audit outcomes (AA++ consecutively), including customer SMETA due diligence, meeting food safety standards and quality, ensuring proper workforce documentation, training records, and zero major findings.
Senior Director, Human Resources
COSI Restaurant Inc.
Mountainside, USA
05.2021 - 04.2023
- Developed and executed Cosi’s HR strategies focused on total rewards, talent management and organizational development, employee engagement, corporate culture, and integration of systems and processes.
- Scaled existing compensation and variable remuneration to achieve internal pay equity and standardized base pay structure design for recruitment, performance evaluations cycles, and bonus periods.
- Implemented principles of merit pay programs, by establishing job specifications and guidelines, identifying core competencies, experiences, and key behaviors for advancement, pay grades and bonus potential.
- Converted existing company benefits programs from fully insured to self-funded plans, analyzing benchmarking data and best benefit plans practices, conducting successful negotiation and annual budgets.
- Measure work-life effectiveness by job-level requirements, job-sharing, and flexible scheduling.
- Crafted furlough agreements and severance agreements for over 60 company-wide terminations.
- Recovered overpayment of 401k late contributions excise tax for 4 consecutive plan years (2018-2022) – resulting in refiling FORM 401 (k) 5500s and 5330s; executed VFCP to ensure 401(k) DOL compliance.
- Uncovered over $100,000 in unfunded state unemployment taxes and recovered 100% refund by providing missing TPAs/correct State IDs for multiple state plans, including Family Paid Leave, in CT, MA, DC, NY.
- Direct/Manage annual 401k compliance testing, 401k audits and committee meetings, evaluate participation and plan investment options, performance, and fees; annual census reporting and 5500 Filings.
Human Resources Designation (Contract)
Avet Pharmaceuticals
East Brunswick, USA
02.2022 - 08.2022
- Collaborate with BP’s on job offers to ensure market competitiveness, internal equity and creative ways to attract and retain talent. Identified pay compression in manufacturing division, adjusting base and shift pay.
- Enhanced performance module with scorecards feature to track results against short-term incentives.
- Work with HR global leader on compensation planning including completing multiple surveys, system data validation, range structure analysis and incentive estimates/accruals.
- Reconciliation of payroll registers, master controls, YTD of 401k match calculations and catch-up.
- Reconciliation of HSA EE and ER contributions, and FSA HC and DC testing failure; HCE refunds through payroll contributions.
- Drafted all OE communications for edits and final approvals.
- Supported case initiation, PERM green card, HIB Visa, I-140 immigration processes, including minimum requirement for job orders to ensure consistent policy for prevailing wage determination, corporate sponsorship approval and funding eligibility.
- Created HR dashboard, including HR metrics, comp, tenure, turnover, and job grade pay parity variances.
Benefits Consultant (Contract)
New Concepts for Living
Rochelle Park, USA
09.2019 - 02.2020
- Supported compensation and benefits initiatives, dual reporting to HR and Finance; delivered reliability recognition rewards, including bonus/perks for referrals, attendance, performance recognition, and commitment.
- Reclassified eligible management positions from hourly to exempt status in compliance with FLSA, establishing accountability standards, and minimum work hours expectations, reducing overnight unauthorized overtime.
- Oversaw salary continuation and disability leave processes, collaborated with vendors to verify eligibility.
- Developed internal controls to ensure biweekly benefit deductions reconciliation and 403B employee/employer match funding align with payroll practices and ensure timely deposits.
- Reconciled monthly invoices for health, welfare, and supplemental benefit plans to ensure accuracy.
- Implemented pre-tax commuter FSA benefit with Clarity vendor, and managed special open enrollment period.
- Configured approval workflows with proxy assignments, security, geofencing and mobile capability for time and attendance. Eliminated over 50% of errors, missed punches, and supervisor overrides.
- Revised enrollment procedures to simplify investment selections for 403B retirement plan (Spanish/English).
- Facilitated ADA interactive processes and assessed physician requirements for necessary modifications.
Benefits Manager
HomeBridge Financial Services
Iselin, USA
05.2015 - 12.2018
- Recruited for HomeBridge’s global mobility program by developing strategy for relocation and tax matters, successfully filling 10 management roles across the US.
- Designed and deployed 5 additional medical plans by locations, California, Colorado, Mid-Atlantic States, Georgia, and Hawaii (Kaiser/HMSA) overall savings of $300k in premiums; increased HSA participation.
- Managed biweekly HSA/401k changes, rate calculations, Hawaii premium calcs. Automated general benefit notifications and pre-populated COBRA letters; eliminating third-party COBRA vendor/cost savings $30k.
- Upgraded technology with policy changes and controls to mitigate risk of errors; created QLE matrix and compliance calendar, rectifying approx. 100 individual accounts and ensuring accurate HSA processes and funding methods.
- Managed biweekly HSA/401k changes and rate calculations; automated benefit notifications and pre-populated COBRA letters, eliminating need for third-party COBRA vendor and achieving cost savings of $30k.
- Review, maintain and update plan documents, including contracts, service agreements, SPDs, benefit guides, amendments/ modified/revised language to reflect provisions for all Health & Welfare policies.
- Developed integration files between payroll/benefit system and carrier connection.
Employee Benefits & HRIS/Payroll
Dentsu Aegis Network
05.2005 - 05.2015
- Successfully transferred 13 premise-based payrolls (6000 – 10,000 employees M&A) into a single hosted environment and transferred our entire US business to the ADP National accounts.
- Implemented a shared services organization under the AMNA platform comprised of 13 companies and 50+ locations made up of 3000 employees, including Canada.
- Implemented a global PeopleSoft HRIS system; developed and wrote HRIS Peoplesoft manual, conducted end user training, configured security tree/core tables job pay tables, job grades, department, and location.
- Incorporated new controls and procedures by creating ad hoc reports and dashboards of HR metrics, including rolling headcount, turnover, termination analysis, statistical data, and pay rate changes using embedded Excel macros and formulas, enabling users to run and schedule their own reporting needs.
- Standardized HR payroll transaction electronic forms and developed a document management database to facilitate employee notifications for new hires, transfers, pay for performance, promotions, and terminations, eliminating manual forms and laying the groundwork for HR shared services vision.
- FLSA, workers comp. and 401k/benefits audits, etc. worked with finance and HR departments to harmonize pay equity and standardize job titles, by location and business unit.
- Managed consolidated 401k plan funding and administration (72 million in assets) annual 401k audits.
- Designed internal employee benefits website and templates branded with new logo 'BenefitsPlus.'.
Manager, Human Resources Administration
TheraCare Inc.
New York, USA
09.2004 - 02.2005
- Managed multi-state recruiting talent pipeline, background checks, negotiations, benefit enrollment, and payroll validation for 3000+ workforce (W2s and 1099 contracts) SLP, ABA, RBTs, RNs, CNAs, and licensed clinicians.
Benefits and Payroll Consultant (contract)
Benefits Outsource Systems Inc./ Gail Steinberg & Company Inc.
06.2004 - 09.2004
- Creative professional with knowledge in tailored benefits solutions including employee communication materials, online counseling tools. Analyzed claims and enhanced vendor-support services improving employee experience.
Human Resources Manager
General Pencil Company Inc.
Jersey City, USA
02.1999 - 03.2004
- Performed all functions and operations of HR, including recruitment, benefits, employee relations and payroll.
Client Services / TeleData Entry Processor
Automated Data Processing, Inc.
Parsippany, USA
01.1998 - 02.1999
- Managed payroll processing for multi-state clients, providing timely and accurate compensation through efficient time-management strategies.
Education
Human Resources Certificate -
Hudson County Community College
Associate Professional in Human Resources - Professional Development
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration & Human Resources Management
Devry University
Skills
- HR Management Software
- Payroll Processing Systems
- WORKDAY
- PeopleSoft HRIS
- ADP Products
- ADP WFN
- ADP Enterprise EX5
- Payroll Administration
- Tax Compliance Software
- Employee Scheduling Tools
- Learning Management Systems
- Workforce Management Systems
- Workforce Analytics
- HR Reporting Tools
- Supply Chain Management
- Data Security Management
- Excel
- Pivot tables
- Paylocity
- Payforce
- Health & Welfare Services
Languages
- Spanish, Excellent Written and Verbal Communication Skills
- English, Excellent Written and Verbal Communication Skills
Timeline
Director, Human Resources (Consultant)
Chefler Foods LLC
06.2025 - 11.2025
Director, Human Resources (Consultant)
The Fillo Factory
05.2023 - 03.2025
Human Resources Designation (Contract)
Avet Pharmaceuticals
02.2022 - 08.2022
Senior Director, Human Resources
COSI Restaurant Inc.
05.2021 - 04.2023
Benefits Consultant (Contract)
New Concepts for Living
09.2019 - 02.2020
Benefits Manager
HomeBridge Financial Services
05.2015 - 12.2018
Employee Benefits & HRIS/Payroll
Dentsu Aegis Network
05.2005 - 05.2015
Manager, Human Resources Administration
TheraCare Inc.
09.2004 - 02.2005
Benefits and Payroll Consultant (contract)
Benefits Outsource Systems Inc./ Gail Steinberg & Company Inc.
06.2004 - 09.2004
Human Resources Manager
General Pencil Company Inc.
02.1999 - 03.2004
Client Services / TeleData Entry Processor
Automated Data Processing, Inc.
01.1998 - 02.1999
Human Resources Certificate -
Hudson County Community College
Associate Professional in Human Resources - Professional Development
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration & Human Resources Management
Devry University