Kylee Eskelsen
HR Leader
Austin,TX
Summary
Business strategist and people partner with a proven ability to transform complex, evolving environments into structured, high-performing operations. Skilled in leading organizational change, optimizing HR processes, and driving cross-functional alignment through trusted stakeholder partnerships. Recognized for dependability, adaptability, and a hands-on approach to building clarity, efficiency, and measurable business impact during times of growth and transformation.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Strategy Business Partner
Zone & Co
10.2024 - Current
- Selected as Strategy Lead for HR department initiatives across 13 countries, building scalable frameworks for performance management, workflows, integrations, and HRIS data accuracy, improving data integrity by 30% and reducing HR turnaround time.
- Served as trusted business partner to three C-suite executives during major organizational change, driving workforce planning, org design, and leadership alignment across global teams.
- Directed global talent strategy during HR team turnover, filled 50+ critical roles within six months, launched Greenhouse, and established scalable recruiting processes across multiple regions.
- Hired and onboarded three Sales VPs and AE teams; redesigned compensation structures and led global Sales Kickoff. Delivered leadership development and coaching programs that increased GTM engagement scores by 20%.
- Audited compensation and employee data for 300+ employees across 13 countries to support Remote, BambooHR, and payroll implementations, ensuring compliance and clean data migration.
- Leveraged turnover and engagement analytics to refine retention and separation strategies, cutting employee legal actions by 50% and strengthening trust between HR and leadership.
Director of People Operations & Business Partnerships
GovOS
06.2022 - 07.2024
- Served as Acting Head of HR for seven months following separation from the parent company, partnering with the Executive Leadership Team to rebuild and stabilize a 350+ employee organization through restructuring and integration.
- Partnered with executives to implement a company-wide leveling and career framework, standardizing titles, pay bands, and progression criteria increasing eNPS from 12 to 25.
- Managed and developed a five-member HR team, promoting two within a year and fostering autonomy and accountability across core programs.
- Launched the Manager Playbook and Learning Logic program to upskill 60+ people leaders in feedback, coaching, and performance management, driving measurable improvements in leadership consistency.
- Oversaw HR compliance and employee relations program, managing 80+ complex cases annually with zero litigation escalations and improved manager accountability.
- Built and implemented an exit interview and retention data strategy presented to and adopted by the C-suite, enabling succession and headcount planning based on actionable insights rather than anecdotal feedback.
- Negotiated contracts and benefits partnerships, enhancing open enrollment and mental health offerings increasing employee benefits satisfaction by 22%.
Senior People Operations Manager & Business Partner
Everlywell/Everly Health
04.2020 - 06.2022
- Led HR integration efforts post-acquisition of two companies; project managed the implementation and rollout of Greenhouse, Paylocity, and Culture Amp, building workflows, driving adoption, and establishing sustainable processes for HR and business leaders
- Led DEI efforts within recruiting by defining diversity goals, analyzing key data points pipeline makeup, candidate drop-off, and hiring trends, and adjusting sourcing strategies to better attract and retain top, diverse talent across functions
- Partnered with business leaders and leveraged data to evolve goal-setting approaches, and performance management strategies, enhancing manager effectiveness and increasing employee engagement scores by 15% within one year
- Managed company-wide benefits and ly LOA cases across 45 states, ensuring compliance and improving coordination with legal and payroll
HR Manager
Chubbies
04.2019 - 04.2020
- Brought on as the first and only HR hire in to rebuild the function from the ground up during a critical inflection point
- Fixed broken processes and established compliant, scalable practices across compensation, recruiting, and HR operations
- Directed the relocation of company headquarters from San Francisco to Austin, serving as lead project manager and implementing a job-leveling framework to support equitable compensation during the transition
- Guided the company's shift to remote work post-COVID by designing virtual training, employee support resources, and communication tools to maintain engagement and adaptability
- Launched company's first Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), followed by company-wide Lunch & Learns to foster inclusion, build cross-functional connection, and amplify diverse employee perspectives
HR Business Partner
Realtor.com (previously Opcity)
05.2017 - 04.2019
- Hired as an HR Generalist and quickly promoted to Business Partner after being recognized by the ELT as a top performer, scaling the company from 35 to 150+ employees in under a year
- Transitioned from supporting high-volume call center roles to becoming the dedicated HRBP for back-office teams including Finance, Marketing, Product, and Engineering, building tailored processes and material from scratch
- While supporting strategic teams, continued owning HR operations for the full company - managing benefits, payroll, events, and facilities across locations
- Served as a key business partner and strategic thinker during the Realtor.com acquisition, leading integration efforts across systems, policies, and teams while preserving cultural values and ensuring operational continuity through organizational change
HR Generalist
Arrive Logistics
05.2015 - 05.2017
- Promoted from intern to HR Generalist within six months, recognizing exceptional performance and dedication to HR functions
- Managed all core HR operations, including recruiting, onboarding, and benefits administration as the sole HR contributor, successfully supporting company growth from 50 to 200+ employees in under one year
- Led vendor relationships and office culture programming, enhancing employee engagement and retention during a high-growth phase, resulting in a 20% increase in employee satisfaction scores
Education
Bachelor - Human Resource Development
Texas A&M University
12.2015
Skills
- Strategic planning
- Organizational design
- Organizational change management
- Workforce planning
- Succession planning
- Compensation and benefits strategy
- Manager training and development
- Employee relations
Systems/ Tools
- Workday
- BambooHR
- Greenhouse (ATS)
- ADP Workforce Now
- Paylocity / Paycor
- Remote.com
- Rippling
- UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group)
- CultureAmp / Lattice
- Greenhouse/ Lever / SmartRecruiters/ Workable/ Jazz
- Asana/ Jira/ Hubspot
- Google Workspace / Microsoft 365
- Excel/ Smartsheet/ Lucidchart
Timeline
Senior Strategy Business Partner
Zone & Co
10.2024 - Current
Director of People Operations & Business Partnerships
GovOS
06.2022 - 07.2024
Senior People Operations Manager & Business Partner
Everlywell/Everly Health
04.2020 - 06.2022
HR Manager
Chubbies
04.2019 - 04.2020
HR Business Partner
Realtor.com (previously Opcity)
05.2017 - 04.2019
HR Generalist
Arrive Logistics
05.2015 - 05.2017
Bachelor - Human Resource Development
Texas A&M University