Wendy Harper
Austin,TX
Summary
Human Resources leader with 20+ years of experience building and scaling people operations across technology, healthcare, manufacturing, nonprofit, retail, and professional services organizations. Hands-on HR partner experienced in employee relations, compliance, payroll oversight, benefits, leave administration, compensation planning, recruiting, performance management, and culture initiatives. Experienced building HR infrastructure from the ground up, developing policies and processes, coaching leaders, and creating practical HR solutions that support growth and employee engagement.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
HR Director / People Operations Lead
Pulseforge Inc. / Novacentrix
Austin, TX
11.2022 - 03.2026
- Built and led People Operations as sole HR leader for two organizations, enhancing HR support for 67 employees across multiple states.
- Partnered with executives on workforce planning, employee relations, talent strategy, performance management, and organizational development.
- Managed employee lifecycle processes, streamlining recruiting, onboarding, investigations, performance management, leaves, accommodations, and offboarding.
- Managed payroll processes, benefits administration, HRIS systems, and PEO relationships.
- Developed HR policies, compensation review processes, and job classifications to improve compliance and reporting.
Senior Recruiter
National Domestic Violence Hotline
Austin, TX
10.2019 - 05.2022
- Led full-cycle recruiting and workforce planning for exempt and non-exempt roles, ensuring alignment with organizational needs.
- Achieved 40% reduction in turnover by implementing engagement and referral initiatives.
- Led full-cycle recruitment processes for diverse roles within domestic violence advocacy and support services.
- Collaborated with leadership to develop and implement strategic hiring initiatives aligned with organizational goals.
- Mentored junior recruiters, enhancing their skills in candidate evaluation and relationship building.
Senior HR Generalist
Fuego / Attic Salt
Austin, TX
02.2017 - 10.2019
- Oversaw employee relations, compliance, recruiting, and performance management to ensure effective HR operations.
- Led talent acquisition initiatives, enhancing recruitment strategies and reducing time-to-fill for key positions.
- Developed and implemented employee engagement programs, fostering a positive workplace culture and improving retention rates.
- Streamlined onboarding processes, increasing efficiency and ensuring compliance with company policies and procedures.
- Led recruitment initiatives to enhance talent acquisition strategies and improve candidate quality.
- Developed and implemented employee engagement programs to boost retention and morale across departments.
Human Resources Consultant
SimpliFi ESO
02.2012 - 08.2014
- Developed HR frameworks, compensation structures, and policies to enhance organizational effectiveness and streamline processes.
- Developed and implemented HR policies to enhance organizational effectiveness.
- Led strategic workforce planning initiatives to align talent with business goals.
- Facilitated employee training programs to improve engagement and productivity.
- Advised management on employee relations, performance management, and conflict resolution strategies.
HR Manager / Senior HR Generalist
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
05.2001 - 02.2012
- Managed employee relations and compliance, including FMLA, ADA accommodations, and workers compensation, while supporting onboarding and workforce needs.
- Developed and implemented HR policies to enhance organizational effectiveness.
- Streamlined recruitment processes, reducing time-to-fill for key positions.
- Led employee engagement initiatives that improved workplace culture and retention rates.
- Led recruitment initiatives, streamlining candidate selection process through targeted sourcing strategies.
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration -
The Ohio State University
Master of Science - Human Resources Management Coursework
University of Phoenix
Skills
- Employee Relations
- Performance Management
- Policy Development
- Culture & Engagement
- HRIS Systems
- Paylocity
- Benefits Administration
- Compliance Management
- HR Analytics
- Recruitment Strategy
- Employment Law Expertise
- Workforce Planning
- Retention Strategies
- Training Programs
- Compensation Strategy
- Performance Management
Timeline
HR Director / People Operations Lead
Pulseforge Inc. / Novacentrix
11.2022 - 03.2026
Senior Recruiter
National Domestic Violence Hotline
10.2019 - 05.2022
Senior HR Generalist
Fuego / Attic Salt
02.2017 - 10.2019
Human Resources Consultant
SimpliFi ESO
02.2012 - 08.2014
HR Manager / Senior HR Generalist
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
05.2001 - 02.2012
Bachelor of Business Administration -
The Ohio State University
Master of Science - Human Resources Management Coursework
University of Phoenix