Learning and Development
Melisa Yatman
Head of HR
Walnut Creek,CA
Summary
As a passionate change agent, I am energized by working to enable organizations to thrive. I enjoy diving deep into the business to understand critical priorities and goals working to identify balanced solutions that are people-centric and business-focused. Talent development, performance enhancement, and customizing HR programs are a few specialty focus areas where I can add immediate value. I am also skilled at partnering with executives, up to the C-level, to drive results. I am collaborative and empathetic as a professional and on a personal level. Building strong trusted relationships is as important to me as delivering quality results.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
4
4
years of post-secondary education
Work History
People & Talent Lead, Americas
Airwallex
01.2023 - Current
- Managing a team and reporting to the Global Head of HR, supporting all US leadership including the Executive GM of the Americas
- Performance management, ensuring a high effective and high-performance culture while leading with empathy and building programs to help scale through a growth phase in the US team
- Supported a reorg on the Sales team, working efficiently and cautiously to ensure all legal steps were taken and that employees were treated with dignity
- Responsible for weekly business reviews for the US People & Talent team, weekly Exec. GM updates to leadership, and quarterly board meetings as well as quarterly business reviews with the global P&T team
- Presented at every monthly all-hands with People updates and slides on new hires, engagement surveys, and performance etc.
- Partner closely with the People Ops Manager on my team, closing compliance gaps, working on engagement surveys, performance management cycles (2 a year), and scaling multiple programs to success for onboarding and other manager capability tools.
Senior People Partner
Square
San Francisco, CA
02.2022 - 12.2022
- Supported the acquisition of Afterpay to Block seeing it through 11 months following with large reorgs in multiple functions, handling the internal change management in partnership with comms, legal, and functional leadership to ensure a smooth integration post acquisition
- Worked directly with the Head of Sales and Head of HR in talent mapping for the entire orgs leadership team in a multi-day offsite
- Collaborated with the diverse people team for the Center of Excellence, partnering with various stakeholders in payroll, LOA, ER, and legal to work on a high volume of performance cases
- Managed multiple performance cycles for the Sales org and calibration meetings across the organization
- Mentored junior associates, providing guidance and development opportunities to enhance the People Ops process for the HR specialists in the organization
- Helped manage some difficult performance situations, achieving mutually satisfactory and well balanced resolutions for the business, legal, and the employee
- Made several changes for approval flows and offboarding in the exit process (who owns what) to ensure a smooth and compliant offboarding for employees when they depart the company
- Conducted an entire FLSA audit as the lead partnering with legal and the leadership to manage compliant job classifications
- Led engagement survey results and action plans for Marketing and Sales
Head of HR, North America
Afterpay
San Francisco, CA
06.2020 - 12.2022
- Reported to the Global Chief People Officer as the interim Head of HR for North America, and Senior Manager to the North American HR team
- Built and supported people programs with a data-driven mindset, using analytics from engagement surveys, exit interviews, and wellness surveys to drive favorable business results and increase team performance and employee experience from entrance to exit
- Created a roadmap attract, develop, and retain top talent
- Employee relations for North America; conducting investigations and action plans by providing recommendations to leaders on best practices and adhering to multi-state employment laws
- Lead HR innovation by implementing new programs such as 'manager assimilation' and the new hire orientation program
- A trusted advisor and partner to the entire C-suite team (North America) on workforce planning, growth & development, performance, talent management, reorgs, engagement and leveling/compensation
- Built out the capability to strengthen the HR function in North America through special projects, partnering cross-functionally, improving processes, and helping scale a hyper-growth tech company that tripled in size (3x), leading to an acquisition by Block (Square/Cash App)
- Partnered closely cross-functionally with Payroll, Legal, Talent Acquisition, People Ops, Compensation & Benefits
- Managed and hired a growing team for the People Function in the US
Senior HR Business Partner
Scoop Technologies
San Francisco, CA
10.2019 - 04.2020
- Founder led company, that was impacted during COVID (90% RIFF)
- First HRBP for the organization working with the founders and all C-level executives and the entire leadership team all at management levels
- Helped drive the leveling and career ladder framework rollout across all functions for career paths
- Provided consultative guidance in areas of HR including organizational development, change management, performance management, team engagement, employee relations, compensation, leveling, and career pathing
- Supported change management, reorgs, and RIFFs
- Responsible for monthly executive HR reports providing high-level activity on what is going on in the People function
- Collaborated with HR Ops, Talent Acquisition, and L&D to build and scale people programs and manage special projects
- SOC 2 HR compliance, policy creator of the company 'Code of conduct,' and reported HR data necessary for SOC 2 certification
Senior People Business Partner
Fundbox
San Francisco, CA
01.2019 - 10.2019
- Reported to the Global Head of People (VP)
- Interim HRBP for Texas supporting their GTM plan, and hiring the first HR person there
- Worked with all US C-level stakeholders, across all functions to drive performance and capability for their teams
- Managed the 360-degree feedback performance review cycles in Lattice and rolled out a training program
- Company culture champion, introducing D&I initiatives and employee surveys as well as anti-harassment and bias training
- Built the framework and strategy for leveling/compensation, and rolled out a compensation tool "Advanced HR, Option Impact" via Mercer
- Created the company handbook and policies, partnering with legal and ThinkHR
- Managed Employee Relations and conducted investigations to provide recommendations to leaders on actions and solutions.
Senior Director of HR, North America
YouAppi
San Francisco, CA
10.2016 - 12.2018
- Managing the local US HR team, reported to the global CFO
- Supported the performance review process globally for the US team
- Created an exit interview and offboarding process, provided data and analytics to leadership to drive solution-focused improvements to their functions
- Led recruiting across all roles and teams to hire 30+ employees
- Designed comprehensive and cost-effective benefit plans; for medical/dental/vision, and life insurance, 401K, FSA, and Dependent Care
- Implemented and selected company benefit offerings competitive with the market by adding FSA/Dependent Care plans, a commuter benefits program, and a wellness program
- Managed and processed payroll semi-monthly with salary updates, commission payments, bonuses, LOAs, and opening payroll in new states, following taxation and payroll compliance
- Rolled out a compensation tool to help manage employee compensation where none was in place
- Built the company handbook, created 'T&E', 'Vacation & Sick Time' and an award-winning 'Parental Leave' policy (Certificate of honor from the City of San Francisco and Healthy Mothers Workplace Award)
- Worked with outside counsel on immigration H1B Visas, J-1 Visas, as well as permanent residence cards
- Managed the full employment cycle from the entrance to exit
- Built and managed employee training programs and management development toolkits
Executive Business Partner
Spark Capital
San Francisco, CA
11.2015 - 09.2016
- Tech investing, growth stage group (Series C+ investments).
- Partnering with the Growth team in San Francisco, Boston, and New York
- Special events and hosting founders to open up networking opportunities
Human Resources Specialist
NewNet Comms. Technologies (Skyview Capital)
Los Angeles, CA
03.2015 - 10.2015
- Reported to the VP of Global HR and supported the C-level leadership team
- Change management and integration for the parent company Skyview Capital portfolio, acquiring a company called 'Syncplicity' (EMC Dell Company)
- Daily HR generalist activities including benefits selection (partnering with brokers) and drafting offer letters, managing programs, and scaling through growth
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Chapman University
2003 - 2007
Skills
- Compensation & Benefits
- Workforce Improvements
- Talent Management (Talent Mapping)
- Learning & Development programs
- C-level HR Partnership
- Policy Development & Enhancements
- Performance Review Management
- Employee Engagement Strategies
- Employee Support (ER)
- HR & Compliance Guidance
- Employee onboarding programs
- Full cycle HR, Entrance to Exit
- Processes Improvement & Program Management
- Employee Feedback & Recognition
- Human Resource Information System (HRIS)
- HR Transformation
- Operational Efficiency & Growth/Scaling People Ops
- Leadership/Management Development
- Complaint Response
- Accurate Records/Reports
- Best Practices and Methodologies
- Mentoring & Coaching
- Improving Organizational Standards
Accomplishments
Received a "Certificate of Honor" from the Board of Supervisors of San Francisco for the "Healthy Mothers Workplace" by Demonstrating Commitment to Equity and Maternal Well-being in the Workplace.
Work Preference
Work Type
Full TimeContract WorkWork Location
RemoteHybridImportant To Me
Company CultureCareer advancementStock Options / Equity / Profit SharingInterests
Software
BambooHR
Lattice
CultureAmp
Workday
Lever
Greenhouse
Compensation Softwares
HRIS
ATS
Google & Microsoft
Mac & PC proficient
Timeline
People & Talent Lead, Americas
Airwallex
01.2023 - Current
Senior People Partner
Square
02.2022 - 12.2022
Head of HR, North America
Afterpay
06.2020 - 12.2022
Senior HR Business Partner
Scoop Technologies
10.2019 - 04.2020
Senior People Business Partner
Fundbox
01.2019 - 10.2019
Senior Director of HR, North America
YouAppi
10.2016 - 12.2018
Executive Business Partner
Spark Capital
11.2015 - 09.2016
Human Resources Specialist
NewNet Comms. Technologies (Skyview Capital)
03.2015 - 10.2015
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Chapman University
2003 - 2007
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