Heather Wheless

• Lead a team of 30 site-based HR professionals across multiple locations providing guidance, coaching, and support to ensure alignment with company objectives and HR best practices.
• Develop and implement HR strategies and initiatives to support the needs of a diverse workforce of over 8,000 colleagues, including talent acquisition, performance management, employee relations and organizational development.
• Drive the standardization and implementation of HR policies, procedures and programs to ensure compliance with local and federal regulations while promoting a positive employee experience.
• Partner with senior leadership to identify and address organizational needs, trends, and opportunities for improvement, fostering a culture of continuous learning and development
• Led the development of diversity initiatives designed to promote an inclusive work environment.
• Analyze HR metrics and data to identify trends and areas for improvement, providing insights and recommendations to drive informed decision-making
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support business objectives, including workforce planning, succession planning, and employee engagement initiatives.
• Assisted in developing career paths for employees based on their individual strengths and interests.

Strategic partner to Division Leadership Team supporting initiatives related to organizational design and talent development while also supporting integration of recent acquisition with domestic and international footprint.

• Evaluate and update compensation strategies to offer competitive employment packages and attract top industry talent
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to formulate and deploy business transformation strategies to increase diversity hiring and enhance talent development across various locations and employee groups
• Using LEAN principles, partnered with Talent Acquisition to challenge and refine current recruitment and sourcing processes to develop standard operating procedures in order to streamline approval and communication while reducing time-to-fill impacts.
• Lead integration of recent acquisition through analyzing and bridging gaps between pay practices and HR policies
• Lead talent succession and development processes across division including coaching HR and people managers through the process of identifying critical behavioral competencies and developing solid succession pipeline.
• Partner with Division business leaders through the strategic planning process to align 5-year business and HR strategies.

Lead a group of domestic and international HR professionals supporting 2000+ employees across ten manufacturing, shared service and corporate teams located in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica and the United Kingdom.

• Provide direct HRM support for 400+ person aerospace manufacturing location in Shelby, NC with direct responsibility for employee life cycle activities such as recruiting, retention, performance management employee relations and off-boarding.
• Managed staff of HR professionals supporting a total footprint of seven manufacturing sites across the United States, Mexico and Canada
• Support M&A activities by coordinating data room activities for acquisition targets to include comparing and analyzing structure and costs of employee and benefits policies
• Through effective change management techniques, organized, communicated and implemented pay and policy standardization across multiple domestic and international locations and employee groups
• Responsible for bi-annual engagement survey and follow-on activities including communication and action plans
• Through effective talent review processes, partnered with leaders to identify training needs and facilitate multiple workshops focused on leadership development including Situational Leadership (KB), Leadership Essentials (KB), Communication for Leadership Success (DDI), Performance Management (DDI), etc
• Responsible for talent development while working hand-in-hand with managers to define critical gaps and identify succession candidates across designated groups and locations
• Talent development coach for rising new business leaders including review and interpretation of Korn Ferry 360, defined development plans and actions, sponsor and support project teams as needed

GLOBAL LINGUIST SOLUTIONS (DYNCORP SUBSIDIARY), Iraq (Aug. 2010 - Dec. 2011)

Manage team of 10 HR professionals providing support to over 5,000 US and local national linguists throughout Iraq; interpret policies / procedures for managers and direct HR processes including employee relations issues.

• Managed daily HR activities, streamlined processes, supervised program training and ensured staff compliance with the company's policies and procedures
• Manage internal investigations and present recommendations related to HR issues
• Establish procedures to archive over 10,000 "in-country" employee files as well as establish new procedures for immediate archiving of information reducing overall man-hours and increasing productivity
• Revised procedures to reduce processing time for MLOA approval from 5-7 days to maximum of 48 hours allowing employees to be treated and/or evacuated timely; ensuring open positions were consistently filled with productive employees
• Through close coordination with Program Management, streamlined processes to efficiently release a total of 3,000 US hire employees and 2,000 local national employees within a period of 8 months due to contract completion

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS INVESTIGATOR

DYNCORP INTERNATIONAL, Dubai (2009-2010)

Conducted investigations to resolve employee and 3rd party complaints which included misconduct, improprieties and potential violations of Code of Ethics and Standards of Business Conduct.

• Assisted in the establishment of the investigative section of the Corporate Compliance Department and provided support to multiple programs across the Middle East
• Managed individual investigations including complaint evaluation, witness interviews, policy compliance and summary report with recommendations to management and Legal
• Coordinated with Legal team to answer inquiries from Department of Labor and EEOC related to harassment and discrimination complaints

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER

DYNCORP iNTERNATIONAL, DOHA, QATAR (2008-2009)

Human Resources Manager for DOD contract security program based in Doha, Qatar.

• Partnered with program leadership and Contract Administrator to ensure compliance with contract requirements including workforce planning and performance management
• Liaised with local labor board to address employee relations issues both on and off the job
• Responsible to ensure local program policies complied with Corporate policies, contract requirements and local laws
• Managed employee onboard and off-boarding processes; new hire orientation; benefits education and reviews; open enrollment processes; exit interviews and other administrative functions

Supported HR activities for DOD contract based in Iraq.

• Responsible for local employee life-cycle processes such as talent selection, onboarding, talent development and retention, performance management and off-boarding
• Regularly updated HR databases to reflect employee information, changes in benefits and other details
• Sorted job applications, vetted candidates and recommended individuals for key positions
• Educated job applicants of expected job tasks, compensation and benefits to set clear expectations
• Answered employee questions that pertained to health benefits and 401k options in person, over the phone and by email
• Oversaw the benefits enrollment process by answering questions and assisting employees with login details