Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Certification
Timeline
Generic

Nena Brown

Belvidere,IL

Summary

Experienced senior manager with expertise in talent strategy, skilled at planning, implementing, and overseeing key improvements to enhance business growth and efficiency. Proven track record of fostering an open culture with a free exchange of information and seeking new professional challenges within growth-oriented companies.

Overview

12
12
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Sr. Manager, Talent Acquisition Strategy & Program

CIBC
05.2022 - Current
  • Tasked with transforming hiring strategy, optimizing operational efficiency, and enabling inclusive, scalable recruitment practices.
  • Specialize in designing and executing strategic initiatives, from virtual events and referral programs to inclusive sourcing toolkits and compliance aligned workflows.
  • Partner across TA teams, including Experienced Hiring, Early Talent, Sourcing, and Operations to identify gaps, streamline processes, and implement scalable solutions.
  • Partner with HR and business leaders to execute workforce plans and develop scalable recruiting strategies.
  • Audit team performance and compliance risk areas and deliver targeted training and documentation to enhance accuracy and accountability.
  • Lead programs that support onboarding, candidate experience, and recruiter development.
  • Drive candidate experience enhancements by managing KPIs, reducing escalations by 15%, and improving satisfaction by 37%.
  • Built partnerships with Business Resource Groups and external organizations to boost diversity outreach.
  • Develop and lead Workday ATS training, system access setup, and onboarding for all new recruiters.
  • Align global and U.S. sourcing strategies to deliver talent outcomes for critical and senior-level roles.
  • Design, implement, and manage talent acquisition programs that attract, develop, and retain high-performing talent across the U.S. region.
  • Consult and solicit feedback from key stakeholders to ensure programs reflect evolving business needs and enhance the candidate and hiring manager experience.
  • Analyze internal data and market insights to inform hiring strategies, educate leaders, and guide process enhancements.
  • Develop and implement recruiting best practices, policies, and standard operating procedures (SOPs), ensuring alignment with the company’s mission, compliance standards, and inclusive hiring goals.
  • Managed large-scale projects and introduced new systems, tools, and processes to achieve challenging objectives.

Sr. Talent Acquisition Partner

CIBC
07.2021 - 05.2022
  • Led end-to-end Talent Acquisition support for Corporate Functions and Client-Facing Groups, including Commercial Banking, Internal Audit, Digital Banking, and Personal & Private Banking—successfully recruiting and onboarding over 60 new and returning employees in under 12 months. This contributed to faster team ramp-up and improved time-to-productivity across business lines.
  • Partner with business leaders and functional managers to build and activate tailored recruitment strategies that align with department-specific goals. Used historical hiring data and market benchmarks to anticipate sourcing needs and allocate recruiting resources effectively.
  • Established a consistent, enterprise-aligned language and methodology for talent discussions and succession planning, resulting in improved collaboration across leadership teams and more actionable pipeline conversations.
  • Identified key recruitment and administrative performance indicators—such as conversion ratios, time-in-stage bottlenecks, and sourcing efficiency—and used those insights to redesign interview workflows, improving speed and quality of hire.
  • Used ongoing performance data to proactively recommend process changes and support continuous improvement initiatives, resulting in more streamlined candidate experiences and reduced time-to-fill across multiple departments.

Lead Talent Acquisition Partner

Bright Horizons
11.2017 - 05.2020
  • Managed recruitment for 27 centers across IL, WI, and MI leading a team of 4 recruiters and support staff.
  • Reduced time-to-fill by 7% below the national benchmark while supporting hiring across all position levels.
  • Created job descriptions, interview guides, and social media strategies to improve sourcing efforts.
  • Sourced over 2,400 candidates in six months—4x company average—while maintaining quality metrics.
  • Developed one of the company’s strongest Recruitment Advisory Boards with 40+ community partners.
  • Launched virtual hiring events, increasing applications by 17% and boosting summer hiring effectiveness.
  • Led Workday ATS migration and training, delivering refresher courses to over 450 global users.
  • Recipient of the 2019 Heart Award, selected from 50,000 employees for excellence and innovation.
  • Promoted increased focus on internal talent mobility and emerging talent across organization.

Administrative Assistant & Client Relations Manager

Bright Horizons
09.2015 - 11.2017
  • Supported HR administration, licensing, and client services for a 300-student center.
  • Boosted client retention by 25% through service improvements and staff coaching.
  • Planned and executed marketing events while managing DCFS-compliant documentation.
  • Mentored new employees on customer service expectations and operational procedures.

Co-Manager

A Pea in the Pod (Destination Maternity)
08.2013 - 09.2015
  • Increased store sales by 7% in 90 days; planned high-profile events to exceed revenue targets.
  • Recruited, trained, and led a high-performing retail team in a $1 M+ quarterly sales environment.
  • Developed and delivered recruitment training to 20+ store and regional managers across the Midwest region.
  • Maintained team efficiency by strategically delegating daily activities, monitoring output and rewarding positive contributions.

Education

Bachelor of Arts -

Northern Illinois University
Dekalb, IL
05-2026

Associate of Applied Science - Business Administration And Management

Rock Valley College
Rockford, IL
05-2021

Skills

  • Talent Acquisition Strategy

  • Workforce Planning

  • Employer Branding & EVP

  • Full-Cycle Recruiting

  • Talent Pipelining & Sourcing Strategy

  • Candidate Experience Optimization

  • Recruitment Marketing

  • Global & Cross-functional Collaboration

  • Business performance management

Accomplishments

  • Reduced time-to-offer by 16% by streamlining workflows, enhancing recruiter training, and leveraging automation, contributing to a consistent 9+/10 satisfaction rating from both hiring managers and new hires.
  • Consistently met or exceeded annual hiring targets across critical talent segments by aligning recruitment strategies with workforce plans and market demand forecasting.
  • Integrated AI-powered tools and automation technologies into sourcing, scheduling, and reporting processes, significantly improving recruiting efficiency and enabling real-time performance tracking.
  • Designed and implemented a proactive, audit-ready compliance framework for key onboarding processes, including I-9, immigration, and work authorization, reducing risk and increasing audit success rates.
  • Founded and led the Talent Advocacy Program, a peer-driven initiative that fosters collaboration, continuous learning, and recognition across the TA function, enhancing engagement and cross-team alignment.

Certification

  • Certified Internet Recruiter (CIR) – ADP
  • Certified Diversity Professional (CDP) – USF
  • Certified Social Media Recruiter (CSMR) – ADP
  • Certified Social Sourcing Recruiter (CSSR) – ADP
  • Professional Recruiter Certification (PRC) – ADP

Timeline

Sr. Manager, Talent Acquisition Strategy & Program

CIBC
05.2022 - Current

Sr. Talent Acquisition Partner

CIBC
07.2021 - 05.2022

Lead Talent Acquisition Partner

Bright Horizons
11.2017 - 05.2020

Administrative Assistant & Client Relations Manager

Bright Horizons
09.2015 - 11.2017

Co-Manager

A Pea in the Pod (Destination Maternity)
08.2013 - 09.2015

Bachelor of Arts -

Northern Illinois University

Associate of Applied Science - Business Administration And Management

Rock Valley College

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