Yira Pena

• "Women at the T" Initiative: Organized events, workshops, and networking opportunities tailored for women in transportation, fostering mentorship and professional development.
• "HR on the GO": Spearheaded a program delivering accessible HR services directly to employees, enhancing workforce engagement.
• Innovation of MassHire Info Sessions: Designed and implemented monthly information sessions with MassHire to explain the MBTA hiring process, successfully engaging close to 1,000 candidates since inception. These sessions have become a cornerstone of the recruitment strategy, improving understanding of MBTA’s opportunities and processes.
• Developed external engagement strategies and partnered with community organizations, educational institutions, and local businesses.
• Represented MBTA at community events and career fairs to increase visibility and attract diverse talent.
• Collaborated with internal departments to ensure alignment with organizational goals.

• Managed multiple strategic projects with numerous sub-projects or workstreams.
• Established strong relationships with key stakeholders, ensuring support for program initiatives.

• Operations Management: Spearheaded operational strategies for a 240-seat restaurant and lounge, and a 148-capacity banquet hall, ensuring seamless service delivery from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m.
• Team Leadership: Directed and trained a multidisciplinary team, including managers, chefs, and food service staff, fostering a collaborative and customer-focused culture.
• Strategic Planning: Managed daily operations and long-term strategic planning, aligning processes with the restaurant's business objectives.
• Financial Oversight: Supervised budgets and financial operations, including inventory management and cost control, contributing to a projected average customer spend of $40.
• Compliance: Ensured adherence to health, safety, and licensing regulations, maintaining operational excellence and customer satisfaction.
• Customer Experience: Designed and implemented initiatives to enhance guest experiences, elevating the venue's reputation for quality dining and events.
• Vendor Management: Negotiated with suppliers for kitchen equipment, tableware, and bar inventory to optimize costs and maintain high-quality standards.
• Problem Resolution: Addressed and resolved operational challenges, including vendor delays and customer service issues, maintaining high operational standards.
• Formulated strategic plans aligning with overall company vision; setting achievable short and long-term goals to drive growth and profitability.
• Negotiated contracts and agreements to secure favorable terms and maximize profits.

• Comprehensive Event Planning and Execution: Orchestrated end-to-end planning and execution of high-profile events, managing logistics for gatherings of up to 500+ attendees across various venues in Massachusetts.
• Client Relationship Management: Established and nurtured profitable relationships with a diverse client base, consistently delivering customized event experiences that met and exceeded expectations.
• Coordination of Event Essentials: Spearheaded the seamless coordination of event essentials, including florists, photographers, and musicians, to create memorable and high-quality occasions.
• Venue Inspection and Quality Assurance: Conducted comprehensive site inspections to ensure event venues met all client specifications and quality standards, guaranteeing flawless event execution.
• Creative Event Conceptualization: Innovated and implemented creative event concepts and themes, directly contributing to program growth and the success of client campaigns.
• Targeted Event Promotion: Leveraged social media platforms and developed targeted marketing materials, including phone scripts, to effectively promote events and recruit volunteers, resulting in increased attendance and engagement.
• Client Consultation and Strategy Development: Facilitated detailed consultations with clients to understand their event objectives and requirements, enabling the creation of tailored event strategies aligned with their visions.
• Vendor Negotiation and Budget Optimization: Negotiated with vendors, including catering, lighting, and sound companies, to secure competitive pricing and services, optimizing event budgets and enhancing overall event quality.
• Volunteer Management: Directed the recruitment, training, and supervision of volunteers and support staff, fostering a collaborative and efficient event management team.
• Administrative and Logistical Oversight: Managed the complete administrative and logistical framework for event planning, booking, and promotion, ensuring smooth operations and exceptional client satisfaction.
• Sponsorship and Publicity Campaigns: Designed and executed strategic sponsorship and publicity efforts, significantly raising event profiles and securing additional funding and support.

• Enhanced Social Media Utilization: Spearheaded social media initiatives to showcase corporate culture, significantly boosting engagement and participation in corporate projects.
• Continuous Improvement Measures: Implemented measurable standards for continuous enhancement, resulting in notable increases in engagement and retention rates.
• Recruitment Pipeline Development: Led focus groups with business partners to strategize and strengthen recruitment pipelines, enhancing the company's talent acquisition efforts.
• Engagement Strategy Optimization: Devised targeted engagement strategies for key stakeholder groups, leveraging critical metrics for improved outcomes.
• Reputation Management: Actively enhanced and maintained the company's market reputation through strategic participation in college and organizational career fairs.
• Recruitment Campaign Enhancement: Collaborated with the marketing team to develop and standardize impactful materials, driving the success of recruitment campaigns.
• Expanded Digital Footprint: Established a robust presence on Handshake, Crimson, and Simplicity, broadening our reach to college students and alumni for job postings.
• Strategic Recruitment Planning: Identified key roles in need of talent pipeline fortification, prioritizing and scheduling postings on external platforms for optimal visibility.
• DEI Initiatives Partnership: Worked alongside the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to emphasize our DEI brand and support dedicated career fairs, underlining our commitment to diversity.
• EVP Amplification: Collaborated with HR and marketing teams to enhance the MBTA's Employer Value Proposition, targeting specific audiences for maximum impact.
• Strategic Partnerships: Forged and nurtured strategic relationships with vendors, advertising firms, and industry leaders, elevating our recruitment capabilities and brand visibility.
• Awareness Initiatives: Conducted informational sessions across various platforms, raising awareness and knowledge of opportunities at MBTA, widening our talent pool.
• Collaboration with MassHire: Partnered with MassHire for career coaching and resume workshops, significantly improving candidate readiness for MBTA roles. (Max attendance 146 candidates)
• Influential Networking: Established and maintained trust-based relations with key influencers and decision-makers, enabling long-term collaborations with entities like city mayors for workforce development.
• Cross-Departmental Coordination: Encouraged inter-departmental cooperation, aligning efforts towards mutual goals of customer success and promotional opportunities.
• Engagement Data Analysis: Analyzed engagement data to uncover trends and opportunities, informing strategies for enhanced customer interaction.
• Proactive Challenge Resolution: Identified and addressed potential obstacles proactively, devising strategies to ensure project continuity and success.
• Integrated Workforce Development: Pioneered an integrated approach to workforce development, merging marketing, public relations, and communications for holistic business growth.
• Public Relationship Building: Maintained and fostered positive public relationships through strategic planning and community engagement.

• Health & Safety Compliance: Successfully maintained 100% compliance with all health department regulations, including food safety, sanitation, and crowd control measures. Consistently received top marks in health inspections.
• Food and Beverage Safety: Managed and trained staff on ServSafe protocols and other food safety standards, ensuring that all food and drink services met strict hygiene and safety requirements. Implemented and monitored a comprehensive master cleaning schedule that enhanced operational efficiency and cleanliness.
• Crowd Management: Certified Crowd Manager with a proven track record of managing large crowds effectively, ensuring that all safety protocols are followed to prevent incidents and maintain order.
• Vendor and Supply Management: Coordinated with suppliers to ensure all food and beverage products met health department standards, including proper storage and handling of perishable items. Managed relationships with waste removal services and pest control to maintain a clean and safe environment.
• Training and Development: Led regular training sessions on health and safety standards, emergency response procedures, and compliance updates to ensure all staff were well-prepared and knowledgeable.
• Operational Excellence: Oversaw the daily operations of the nightclub, ensuring that all health and safety protocols were integrated into every aspect of the business, from opening to closing.
• Regulatory Liaison: Acted as the primary point of contact with the health department, ensuring timely responses to inspections, inquiries, and compliance updates. Developed strong relationships with health department officials, contributing to a positive reputation for the establishment.
• Operational Excellence: Managed nightly operations to ensure a smooth-running club, prioritizing guest satisfaction and safety in all aspects of the business.
• Teamwork and Conflict Resolution: Fostered positive relationships between staff members by promoting teamwork and implementing effective conflict resolution strategies, resulting in a cohesive and motivated team.

• Client Relationship Management: Cultivated and maintained strong relationships with 100+ clients by delivering accurate price quotes and creating customer-centric terms, resulting in a 25% increase in repeat business.
• Issue Resolution and Client Satisfaction: Effectively resolved accounting, billing, and service delivery issues for 50+ clients, achieving a 90% client satisfaction rate and elevating overall service quality.
• Business Development and Revenue Growth: Led targeted business development initiatives, generating 50+ sales leads monthly and negotiating contracts that drove a 20% increase in annual revenue.
• Customer Feedback Analysis: Analyzed feedback from 200+ clients and implemented actionable improvements, boosting satisfaction scores by 15% and reducing complaints by 30%.
• Client Retention and Growth: Maintained continuous engagement with 75+ key clients, resulting in a 30% increase in client retention and contributing to sustained business growth.

• Proactive Hiring Strategy: Partnered with MBTA managers to anticipate and strategically plan for future hiring needs, achieving a 20% reduction in time-to-fill for critical roles.
• Talent Acquisition Leadership: Spearheaded initiatives to attract, hire, and retain top talent using innovative and diverse sourcing methods, expanding the organization's talent pool by 30%.
• Full-Cycle Recruitment Management: Oversaw the end-to-end recruitment process for 100+ positions annually, implementing key improvements that boosted recruitment efficiency by 25%.
• Program-Specific Hiring Expertise: Led the hiring process for over 150 Part-Time Bus Operators, ensuring MBTA operational demands were met with a 95% successful placement rate.
• High-Volume Candidate Management: Managed communications and interviews for 200+ candidates monthly, with a 90% onboarding rate achieved within established timelines.
• Collaborative Applicant Evaluation: Worked in tandem with managers across departments to assess 500+ applicants, maintaining consistency and fairness in the evaluation process.
• Job Description Development: Created and refined 50+ job descriptions to ensure alignment with organizational needs and operational goals.
• Diverse Sourcing Strategies: Leveraged a range of sourcing channels to increase candidate diversity by 40% within six months.
• Interview and Testing Coordination: Coordinated and conducted 300+ interviews and administered pre-employment tests, leading to a 20% improvement in candidate quality.
• Career Fair Engagement: Represented MBTA at 10+ career fairs annually, driving a 25% increase in qualified candidate applications.
• Policy Compliance: Ensured full adherence to MBTA's EEO, Anti-Discrimination, and Anti-Harassment policies, maintaining 100% compliance.
• Applicant Tracking System Optimization: Streamlined recruitment processes through ATS utilization, reducing application processing time by 30%.
• Relationship Building: Cultivated strong relationships with internal stakeholders, contributing to a 15% improvement in employee retention.
• HR and Legal Expertise: Maintained legal compliance in all recruitment activities, minimizing risk and reducing legal challenges by 20%.
• Technical Proficiency: Leveraged tools such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PeopleSoft to manage recruitment data, enhancing reporting accuracy by 15%.

• Strategic Recruitment Leadership: Led targeted recruitment initiatives across major cities, achieving a significant increase in Detroit's staffing levels from 58% to 98% within three months through focused community engagement and enhanced training programs.
• Tactical Staffing Execution: Leveraged strategic and tactical planning, along with program management expertise, to optimize interviewing and training methodologies, effectively meeting staffing objectives.
• Enhanced ATS Utilization: Improved efficiency and candidate selection quality by maximizing the use of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) for streamlined review and evaluation processes.
• Increased Job Visibility: Expanded job visibility by strategically publishing open requisitions across multiple platforms, including social media (Facebook, Instagram), job boards (Indeed, Handshake), and LinkedIn.
• Event-Based Recruitment: Initiated and actively participated in various recruitment events, including job fairs, community gatherings, and networking events, to diversify and strengthen the candidate pool.
• Employer Branding and Diversity Initiatives: Spearheaded employer branding efforts with a focus on diversity and adaptability to a dynamic startup environment, attracting top-tier talent.
• Talent Pipeline Development: Built a robust talent pipeline by nurturing prospects, forging partnerships with vocational schools and universities, and leveraging networking opportunities.
• Comprehensive Pre-Employment Management: Managed thorough pre-employment processes, including background checks, drug testing, and seamless onboarding, ensuring compliance and readiness of new hires.
• Training and Process Optimization: Conducted regular training sessions with hiring managers to maintain clarity, efficiency, and high standards in recruitment processes, including job postings and descriptions.
• Data-Driven Recruitment Strategy: Produced and analyzed weekly recruitment and onboarding metrics reports, using data to refine and improve recruitment strategies.
• Community Engagement and Development: Directed community engagement strategies to enhance DO&CO's image as a community-centric employer, participating in local events and initiatives.
• Educational Partnerships: Established and maintained strong partnerships with educational institutions, organizing specialized job fairs to support local talent acquisition and community development.
• Diversity and Inclusion Programs: Launched diversity and inclusion outreach programs in collaboration with community organizations, aligning recruitment practices with broader organizational values.
• Centralized Resource Management: Created a centralized SharePoint channel for the recruitment team, serving as a key resource hub for information sharing and team collaboration.

• Comprehensive Recruitment Campaigns: Spearheaded recruitment campaigns across major cities, including Boston, MA; Florida; Portland, WA; New York, NY (LaGuardia and JFK airports); Rhode Island; Ohio; and Los Angeles, CA, consistently delivering 60-100 candidate profiles monthly to various employers.
• High-Volume Airport Recruitment: Directed high-volume recruitment initiatives for LaGuardia and JFK airports, demonstrating expertise in managing specialized recruitment needs in high-security, high-traffic environments.
• Multi-Channel Candidate Engagement: Leveraged social media platforms and online job boards to advertise positions, significantly enhancing candidate engagement and improving the application flow.
• Targeted Recruitment Strategies: Crafted and executed targeted recruitment strategies, elevating the caliber and suitability of candidate pools through strategic ad placements, credential evaluations, and initial screening interviews.
• Industry-Specific Talent Sourcing: Engaged with potential candidates from industry-specific pipelines, professional events, and job fairs, maintaining a robust and diverse talent pipeline.
• Candidate Portfolio Preparation: Prepared comprehensive candidate portfolios for hiring manager review, facilitating informed decision-making and coordinating formal management interviews.
• Innovative Recruiting Strategies: Developed innovative recruiting strategies to identify and secure qualified candidates, expanding a professional network for sustained recruitment success.
• Interview Schedule Optimization: Efficiently arranged and optimized management interview schedules, enhancing the hiring process and improving the overall candidate experience.
• Enhanced Job Visibility and Branding: Boosted job visibility and employer branding through effective use of social media and job board advertising campaigns.
• Recruitment and Retention Advisory: Advised businesses on recruitment and retention strategies, implementing industry best practices that led to significant reductions in employee turnover.
• Global Partnership Collaboration: Worked closely with global business leaders to implement new training strategies, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and industry benchmarks.
• High-Quality Candidate Presentation: Consistently presented 40 to 100 highly qualified candidates to employers monthly, adapting recruitment efforts to meet diverse employer needs and goals.

• Training Material Development: Created and refined onboarding materials for 100+ new hires, reducing ramp-up time by 20% and ensuring smooth transitions for new team members.
• Operational Efficiency Improvement: Enhanced team productivity by 30% through the implementation of best practices in organization and time management, significantly improving operational efficiency.
• Industry Networking and Business Development: Attended 15+ industry networking events annually, expanding professional networks and generating 20+ valuable leads per event, contributing to business development.
• Account Performance Reporting: Delivered comprehensive performance reports to 50+ clients, providing data-driven insights that resulted in a 25% increase in future investments.
• Company Growth Contribution: Played a pivotal role in the company's expansion, growing the portfolio from 6 to 47 hotel contracts and increasing the workforce by 400% (from 60 to 300 employees) within three years.
• Strategic Recruiting and Team Expansion: Successfully recruited and sourced 200+ qualified candidates annually, leading to the establishment of a new office, administrative support, and two additional recruiters, both of whom I trained.
• Candidate Screening and Selection: Conducted in-depth screenings and preliminary interviews for 500+ candidates, improving hire quality by 25% and streamlining the selection process.
• Candidate Pipeline Management: Managed a diverse pipeline of over 1,000 candidates, ensuring a steady supply of talent to meet current and future recruitment needs.
• Employment Law Compliance: Ensured 100% compliance with employment laws, including equal employment opportunity and disability protection regulations, safeguarding the organization from legal risks.
• Record Maintenance: Accurately maintained employment records for 300+ positions, supporting organizational compliance and integrity.
• Production Goal Achievement: Consistently exceeded production goals by 15%, driving profitability through strategic management of workload and payroll.
• Comprehensive Training Programs: Led training programs in Maintenance, Janitorial, and Hospitality for 200+ team members, enhancing service quality and operational excellence.
• Revenue Growth: Drove billing revenue to $1 million, positioning the recruiting office as the company’s top performer and achieving a 35% increase in annual revenue.

GPA: 3.17