Sandra K Van Wijk
Kansas City,Missouri
Summary
Results focused diverse Human Resources professional with broad generalist expertise in all HR practices. Key areas of expertise are change management, global operations, strong partnerships, and employee relations. Proven track record of defining organizational structures and cultures, ability to work with leaders at all levels to evaluate needs and develop business models of expanding organizations in fast pace environments.
Strategic-thinking individual experienced in turning low-performing organizations into top revenue producers. Offering engaging and pleasant personality with expertise improving customer relationships.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of People and Culture
Goodwill Eastern Missouri & Western Kansas
01.2022 - Current
Investment Representative – Part Time Remote
American Century Investments
01.2021 - Current
- Company Overview: Investment Management Firm
- Expected to provide top-tier customer service to retail investment clients
- Works independently within a highly structured environment
- Requires a vast knowledge of retail investments, regulations coupled with excellent organizational and communication skills to successfully execute a variety of requests including selection of investments, account management & troubleshooting
- Investment Management Firm
Human Resources Manager
Blount International, Inc
01.2018 - 01.2019
- Company Overview: Manufacturing and Distribution Operations
- Acting as a business partner, served as an internal support to leaders, assisting on employee relations, changes, current trends in human resources practices, and collaborated with local operations
- Provided HR services to support the business, team members and staff at the KC Blades Manufacturing site and the North American Distribution Center
- Collaborated with leadership in developing effective team member engagement actions plans that resulted resulting in increased employee satisfaction survey results for both operations
- Successfully implemented a full cycle recruitment strategy for Manufacturing, including sourcing new vendors, market strategies for sourcing candidates, launching workshops for leaders as well as hosted the Company HR recruiting strategies workshop in Kansas City
- Manufacturing and Distribution Operations
Regional Human Resources Manager
W.W. GRAINGER, INC.
01.2010 - 01.2018
- Company Overview: Distribution Center (“DC”)
- Provided strategic Human Resource partnership for the MO distribution center’s leaders and Denver Colorado Market distribution center and branch operations in Texas
- Promoted in 2018 to an expanded cross functional Regional HR Manager
- Promoted in 2014 to a DC Regional HR Manager
- Assisted the Senior DC Directors in promoting a People Strategies to foster a continuous learning culture
- Led cross-functional teams introducing a new drug testing process, that reduced costs and down time
- Volunteered to participated in the company wide introduction and execution of Success Factors for all US employees
- Collaborated with leadership in developing and executing training programs to drive change
- Drive talent excellence by improving leadership effectiveness and coached leaders to have leadership courage on crucial conversations with team members
- Invited to participate and in some cases lead Company HR workshops for leaders such as behavioral based interviewing, new hire orientation and on boarding, leadership training, and HR policies and practices
- Selected to be a first year Coach for newly hired HR Managers
- Selected to execute onboarding leaders and team members of a newly acquired Company
- Distribution Center (“DC”)
Director of Team Care
CORPORATE FITNESS WORKS
01.2009 - 01.2010
- Company Overview: A privately held US company that delivers fitness and wellness services to meet specific corporate client
- Manager accountable for leadership and operating management for all Human Resource affairs including staffing, college relations, internship programs, compensation, benefits, employee relations, Payroll processing, and training and development
- Implemented a new talent management software system, revised and updated employee benefits, successfully responded to a formal wage and hour complaint, renegotiated drug screening and educational/background investigational vendor contracts successfully resulting in lower the cost 11% in year 2009 and no increases in 2010
- A privately held US company that delivers fitness and wellness services to meet specific corporate client
Human Resource Director
COMMUNITY BLOOD CENTER
01.2007 - 01.2008
- “Hands on” Manager accountable for supporting strategic planning, leadership and operating management for all Human Resource affairs including recruitment, compensation, benefits, employee relations, training, development and payroll
- Executed a comprehensive redesign of all disability plans from a company funded plan to a fully insured product ensuring legal compliance, reducing outgoing cash flow 41%, and increasing employee benefits 400%
- Executed recruitment and selection for key positions throughout the organization
- Introduced new recruiting strategy and methods designed to replace the antiquated practices resulting in, among other benefits, protections against claims of pattern and practice discrimination, disparate treatment, and disparate impact
- Collaborated with leaders and team members in handling employee issues including worker compensation, short/long term leaves, FMLA, EAP, and unemployment
- Managed all aspects of the 401k plan ($7M portfolio) including annual executive review, audit and testing compliance and administration
- Handled all health and welfare programs including medical, dental, vision, and disability plans
- Championed change management projects, effectively communicating new policies or processes throughout the organization.
Director, Associate Services
HEATRON, INC.
01.1997 - 01.2007
- Company Overview: privately held manufacturing
- New Position - brought on board, during the lean days of Heatron Inc., to build a best-in-class human resources department that would be responsible for creating, implementing and measuring the success of talent management programs adapted to steer employee development, succession planning, and leadership continuity
- As the company grew the HR Department continued to align initiatives it with the corporation’s business model -understanding the products, sales strategies, and operations
- Assisted the CEO in changing management philosophy from production to market-customer focus, the model for the subsequent owners, to embrace a “People are the heartbeat of the corporation” focus
- Orchestrated a complex business reorganization and significant cultural change, fostering a people centric engaged workforce along with building positive community relationships, recruited top talent, implementing best in class people policies and practices, resulting in a flexible corporate culture allowing seamless integration of acquired businesses and product lines
- Worked with managers/supervisors in areas of performance management, success planning, communication processes training and career mapping
- Managed contract staffing models for both non-exempt manufacturing and engineering employees
- Managed all employee relations to ensure a consistent positive nonunion environment
- Spearheaded a middle management performance improvement initiative designed to transition the home-grown team into a competent and respected leadership team
- Worked cohesively with senior management to create a new employee culture incorporating life principals such as integrity, patience, and respect in the workplace
- Designed and implemented benefit programs, a performance-based appraisal and incentive compensation system, a system of staffing models, a new HR/Payroll system and a complete HR infrastructure
- Handled numerous employee recognition programs and activities including but not limited to anniversary program, birthday activities, family nights, bring your child to work, quality programs, safety programs, and celebration gifts
- Privately held manufacturing
Education
Master of Business Administration -
Webster University
Kansas City, MOBachelor of Science - Management
Missouri State University
Springfield, MOProfessional Certification - Deaf Culture and American Sign Language
12.2024
Skills
- Recruitment & Retention
- Coaching Skills
- Benefits Administration
- Change Leader/ Reorganization
- Effective Communication
- Negotiation and Closing Activities
- Strategic planning
- Decision-making
- Operations management
- Staff development
Affiliations
- Successfully completed PHR Certification
- Former Board Member, State of Missouri Society of Human Resource Managers (SHRM)
- Active Member, SHRM - Missouri
- Former Chair, Missouri State Human Resource Conference
- Former Advisory Board Director Volunteer, Safe Place for Kids
- Former Civil Service Board Member, City of Leavenworth
- Volunteer – Numerous projects (Harvesters, Synergy, Junior League events, Diva Days in KC, St. Joseph Fraternal Order of Police, Habitat for Humanity, American Heart Association)
- Former Member, Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce, Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce and Lansing Chamber of Commerce
Timeline
Director of People and Culture
Goodwill Eastern Missouri & Western Kansas
01.2022 - Current
Investment Representative – Part Time Remote
American Century Investments
01.2021 - Current
Human Resources Manager
Blount International, Inc
01.2018 - 01.2019
Regional Human Resources Manager
W.W. GRAINGER, INC.
01.2010 - 01.2018
Director of Team Care
CORPORATE FITNESS WORKS
01.2009 - 01.2010
Human Resource Director
COMMUNITY BLOOD CENTER
01.2007 - 01.2008
Director, Associate Services
HEATRON, INC.
01.1997 - 01.2007
Bachelor of Science - Management
Missouri State University
Professional Certification - Deaf Culture and American Sign Language
Master of Business Administration -
Webster University
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