Patricia Kelly
Jacksonville,FL
Summary
Human Resources Professional with 20 years of experience in corporate environments. Strong background in hiring, training and dismissal processes. Strong organizational, analytical and interpersonal skills to connect effectively with various levels of employees.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior HR Business Partner and Employee Relations
Scorpion Design LLC
09.2022 - 04.2025
- Created policies and procedures to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal laws.
- Partner with business leaders to develop strategic, future-focused HR plans aligned with organizational objectives, while fostering strong, trust-based relationships and anticipating workforce needs.
- Provide high-level coaching and guidance to senior leadership on initiatives that promote employee engagement, inclusivity, professional development, and balanced risk management.
- Leveraged insights from employee feedback surveys to identify organizational trends, recommend targeted improvements, and develop action plans that enhanced performance, communication, and workplace transparency.
- Spearheaded the development and implementation of a comprehensive job architecture framework, establishing clearly defined job families, career levels and tracks, a standardized title structure, and detailed job descriptions to ensure organizational consistency and career progression.
- Serve as a trusted advisor on complex employee relations issues and disciplinary matters, ensuring fair, compliant, and business-aligned outcomes.
- Led annually approximately 175 comprehensive, legally compliant workplace investigations involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, Title VII violations, misconduct, hostile work environments, and terminations, ensuring adherence to federal, state, and company policies across all levels of the organization.
- Ensure compliance with federal, state and local laws and regulations related to HR practices, such as EEO, FMLA and ADA.
- Analyze workforce data and apply HR best practices and emerging trends to support data-driven, legally sound decision-making by key stakeholders.
- Oversee and guide organizational redesign initiatives, ensuring effective cross-functional collaboration and adherence to implementation protocols.
- Contribute to the design, execution, and continuous improvement of employee relations programs that promote a respectful, inclusive, and productive work environment.
- Educated employees on company policy and kept employee handbook current.
- Provided updates on HR policy changes to employees to satisfy compliance and state laws.
- Met with employees annually for progress reviews and performance assessments.
- Fostered cross-functional relationships to connect managers and employees and improve overall efficiency.
- Spearheaded recruitment efforts to fill critical positions quickly, reducing downtime due to staff turnover.
- Enhanced employee retention by implementing effective talent management strategies and performance evaluation processes.
- Developed and executed comprehensive training programs to enhance workforce skills and productivity.
- Developed robust performance management systems that identified high performers for promotion opportunities or support needs for underperforming employees.
- Partnered with legal counsel to ensure compliance with labor laws and regulations across all HR practices.
- Managed conflict resolution processes within the workplace, fostering a positive atmosphere conducive to collaboration and teamwork.
- Evaluated and updated HR policies to stay current with industry best practices, ensuring the company remained competitive in the marketplace.
- Oversaw employee engagement surveys and action plans, addressing areas of concern proactively to improve satisfaction rates.
- Streamlined HR processes for improved efficiency, leading to better decision-making and resource allocation.
- Collaborated with senior leadership to align HR strategy with overall business objectives, driving organizational success.
- Coached managers on effective communication techniques, promoting greater transparency within the organization.
- Managed complex employee relations issues, resulting in a more engaged and harmonious work environment.
- Identified HR training needs and conducted training for employees and leadership while recommending approaches to effect continual improvements in business objectives, productivity, and within company to reach business goals.
- Investigated and liaised with legal department to respond to complaints of harassment, discrimination, employee grievances, and other sensitive issues and prepared position statements for EEOC.
- Maintained confidential nature of employee and company proprietary and privileged information used or observed in course of performing job duties.
SENIOR REGIONAL HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER
Maximus
02.2019 - 09.2022
- Conducted organizational analysis, built strong business partnerships, and collaborated with leadership on strategic HR planning and execution.
- Execute full-cycle HR processes including onboarding, employee relations, leadership development, retention, and compliance.
- Championed employee engagement and positive relations initiatives, creating frameworks for issue resolution and employee recognition.
- Led change management efforts, proactively addressing organizational challenges with effective solutions.
- Advised and coached business leaders on performance, team dynamics, and organizational effectiveness.
- Directed the development and leadership of a multi-state HR team, including HR Managers and Generalists, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and compliance with state-specific employment regulations.
- Enhanced employee engagement by implementing innovative HR programs and initiatives.
- Managed approximately 30 incoming calls, emails per day from all level employees.
Human Resources Manager
THE BLOOD ALLIANCE / ONE BLOOD INC.
03.2003 - 01.2019
- Provided strategic leadership across core human resources functions, including talent management, recruitment, professional development, performance management, compensation, benefit and leave administration, and workers’ compensation.
- Directed and mentored a high-performing HR team of three professionals, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Designed and implemented the 'Emerging Leadership' program to cultivate internal leadership capacity, support succession planning, and align workforce development with organizational objectives.
- Conducted thorough investigations into employee concerns, ensuring fair resolution while mitigating organizational risk and safeguarding compliance.
- Developed and institutionalized a comprehensive performance review framework, integrating performance metrics and management best practices.
- Led annual policy audits and collaborated with executive leadership to revise policies in accordance with legal requirements and evolving business needs.
- Advised senior leaders on complex employee relations issues, providing expert guidance that improved team dynamics, engagement, and organizational effectiveness.
- Fostered trust-based relationships across all levels of the organization, serving as a strategic partner in addressing workforce challenges and enhancing employee experience.
- Conducted in-depth analysis of workforce trends and root causes of employee concerns, proactively implementing strategies to enhance satisfaction and operational efficiency.
- Led exit interview strategy and data analysis, providing actionable insights to leadership to inform retention initiatives and drive cultural improvements.
- Provided strategic HR leadership across seven locations, ensuring consistency in HR practices, compliance with multi-state regulations, and alignment with organizational goals.
- Managed employee relations issues professionally, resolving conflicts efficiently while maintaining confidentiality at all times.
- Streamlined HR processes for increased efficiency, reducing paperwork and manual tasks through automation.
- Conducted thorough internal investigations, addressing employee concerns with fairness and transparency.
- Enhanced employee retention by implementing effective talent management strategies and fostering a positive work environment.
- Motivated employees through special events and incentive programs.
- Organized and led staff orientation programs and training to promote collaboration.
- Maintained accurate HR records in compliance with applicable laws, ensuring efficient data retrieval when required.
- Managed complex benefits administration, ensuring accurate enrollment and timely processing of claims.
- Developed comprehensive onboarding programs to facilitate smooth integration of new employees into the organization.
- Maintained company compliance with local, state, and federal laws, in addition to established organizational standards.
- Collaborated with executive leadership to align HR initiatives with overall business goals and objectives.
- Implemented performance reviews and motivational strategies to elevate HR team results.
- Provided expert guidance on labor laws and regulations, mitigating legal risks for the organization.
- Championed employee wellness initiatives to improve job satisfaction and reduce absenteeism.
- Led HR team in supporting company expansion efforts, ensuring seamless integration of new employees and preserving company culture.
- Implemented performance management systems that provided clear metrics for employee evaluation and development.
- Streamlined HR reporting processes, enabling more efficient analysis and decision-making with improved data management practices.
- Reduced employee turnover by analyzing exit interview data and implementing targeted retention strategies.
- Improved compliance with health and safety regulations by developing and implementing comprehensive training for all staff.
- Conducted salary and market benchmarking analyses to ensure competitive compensation and attract top talent.
- Led negotiations for employee benefits packages, securing cost-effective solutions while maintaining high-quality offerings.
- Facilitated successful policy implementation and enforcement to maintain legal and operational compliance.
- Maintained current knowledge of industry regulations and legislation to amend policies and promote compliance.
Corporate Human Resources Manager
WINN-DIXIE STORES INC.
01.2001 - 01.2003
- Provide support and guidance to HR staff.
- Analyze trends in compensation and benefits.
- Serve as a link between management and employees, addressing grievances, managing employee relations, and fostering a positive workplace culture.
- Develop training materials and performance management programs to help ensure employees understand their job responsibilities.
- Created a compensation strategy for all employees based on market research and pay surveys; keeps the strategy up to date.
- Investigate employee issues and conflicts and brings them to resolution.
- Ensure the organization’s compliance with local, state and federal regulations.
- Use performance management tools to provide guidance and feedback to team.
- Ensure all company HR policies are applied consistently.
Human Resources Manager
VYSTAR FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
01.1999 - 01.2001
- Provide Support and Guidance to HR Staff: Serve as a mentor and resource to HR team members, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and best practices.
- Benefits Oversight: Lead the benefits lifecycle—including market analysis, plan evaluation, selection, and employee enrollment—to ensure competitive, cost-effective offerings.
- Compensation and Benefits Analysis: Monitor and analyze trends in compensation and benefits to maintain market competitiveness and support employee satisfaction.
- HRIS Implementation: Spearhead the selection, implementation, and optimization of Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) to streamline HR processes and improve data integrity.
- Employee Relations & Engagement: Act as a liaison between management and employees to resolve grievances, address workplace issues, and foster a positive organizational culture.
- Training and Performance Development: Design and deliver training materials and performance management programs to clarify job responsibilities and enhance workforce effectiveness.
- Compensation Strategy: Developed and maintain a comprehensive compensation strategy based on market research and salary surveys to ensure internal equity and external competitiveness.
- Conflict Resolution: Investigate and resolve employee relations issues with professionalism and discretion, ensuring fair and consistent outcomes.
- Regulatory Compliance: Ensure HR practices comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
- Performance Management: Utilize performance management systems and tools to guide, coach, and deliver constructive feedback to teams, promoting growth and accountability.
- Policy Enforcement: Maintain consistency in the application of all company HR policies and procedures.
Education
Bachelor of Arts -
Wright State University
Dayton, OhioSkills
- Employee relations
- Performance management
- Benefits administration
- HR policy development
- Employment law expertise
- Staff supervision
- Training leadership
- Human resources management
Certification
- HRCI - Certified HR Professional
Timeline
Senior HR Business Partner and Employee Relations
Scorpion Design LLC
09.2022 - 04.2025
SENIOR REGIONAL HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER
Maximus
02.2019 - 09.2022
Human Resources Manager
THE BLOOD ALLIANCE / ONE BLOOD INC.
03.2003 - 01.2019
Corporate Human Resources Manager
WINN-DIXIE STORES INC.
01.2001 - 01.2003
Human Resources Manager
VYSTAR FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
01.1999 - 01.2001
Bachelor of Arts -
Wright State University