Gretchen M. Hopper Email & Phone Number

Remote

• Demonstrated expertise in providing high-level HR consultation to top leadership, managers, and employees across multiple HR disciplines.• Led strategic workforce planning initiatives and authored workforce reports to ensure organizational readiness and talent alignment.• Implemented robust exit interview programs to gather feedback and drive improvements in organizational culture and employee retention.• Developed and revised human capital policies to ensure compliance with legislative changes and OPM guidance.• Acted as a change agent for HR operational functions and initiatives affecting the entire organization.• Managed multi-grade level workforce and various work situations to meet organizational goals and staffing needs.• Led teams in workload distribution and task balancing to optimize performance and efficiency.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Provided leadership in HR operations and strategic planning to support organizational mission and goals.• Analyzed and resolved complex issues associated with functional areas, identifying trends and proposing recommendations for improvement.• Developed and led employees in work activities to enhance productivity and service delivery.• Conducted training sessions and presentations to support employee development and organizational effectiveness.• Demonstrated strong analytical reasoning skills in reviewing and evaluating data to inform decision-making and problem-solving.• Fostered an inclusive workplace culture and supported constructive conflict resolution among employees.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

•Process high volume of application packets, perform quality reviews, send out tentative and firm offers to selected candidates.•HR Technical advisor to business units, providing solid advice and recommended resolutions to staffing questions by applying knowledge of staffing principles, organizational and HR management policies, as well as federal laws and regulations.•Identify, analyze and resolve issues to avoid adverse impact on effectiveness within the department and organization.•Review selected applicant files, including job announcement, correspondence summary, verify applicant qualifications through resume review and comparison to position descriptions and qualification standards. •Maintain open communication with candidates to answer any questions regarding General Schedule (GS) vs. Administratively Determined (AD) pay, Competitive vs. Excepted Service, and any benefit programs available through the agency. •Facilitate salary negotiations, acting as the HR liaison between the business unit selecting officials and the applicant, ensuring that all applicable policies and federal laws are adhered to while setting pay. •Perform consistent and highly accurate quality review (QR) of completed hiring packets prior to extending firm offer of employment to candidates, ensuring all documentation is complete, correct, and within the federal hiring laws, agency guidelines, and departmental policies. •Collaborate with selecting officials to determine potential entry-on-duty dates, extend firm offers of employment, negotiate entry on duty dates, and draft firm offer letters, sending to candidates along with instructions on completing supplemental paperwork necessary for employment. •Collaborate with losing agencies’ HR representatives to negotiate release dates, request transferring paperwork and ensure no break in service for candidate.

• Acted as the Human Resources Business Partner for multiple internal departments, managing staffing needs across various job categories and locations within the Veterans Integrated Service Network.• Managed the Reasonable Accommodation Program, providing guidance and counseling to individuals on the process and seeking accommodations for temporary, interim, and permanent assignments.• Conducted internal departmental meetings as an HR Subject Matter Expert on recruitment and staffing, advising management on performance and development strategies for improved employee retention.• Seamlessly communicated and collaborated with other HR departments and VA facilities to ensure continuity and efficiency in HR processes.• Managed the daily operations of the Recruitment & Placement Shared Service Unit, integrating and coordinating all areas of the R&P program to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.• Provided advisory services on staffing actions, including recruitment strategies, sources, and special programs, to support organizational mission and goals.• Developed short and long-range staffing plans to meet forecasted mission requirements, human capital losses, and changes in critical competencies.• Recommended and made selections for subordinate nonsupervisory work/group leaders and other staff members, ensuring alignment with organizational needs.• Counseled subordinates, developed performance standards, and encouraged employee suggestions for work improvement to foster a positive work environment.• Collaborated with union representatives to uphold Master Agreement across all HR functions and ensure compliance with labor regulations.

•Named as recruiter for Housekeeping Aids, reducing vacancies from 43 to fully staffed within six months•Facilitated job fairs and open houses, answering applicants’ questions and providing guidance to applicants on federal application process.•Performed all regular HR Staffing coordinator duties including full cycle recruiting, pre-employment onboarding, new hire orientation.•Peer mentoring and coaching to new HR staff to ensure consistent work product.•Created and Implemented a supplemental onboarding training workshop to reduce pre-employment onboarding time from 90 days to less than 3 weeks for certain socio-economically disadvantaged applicants who needed additional assistance with paperwork, online access to training, and background investigations. Project required detailed coordination with 3 other departments to ensure seamless process implementation.•Previously assigned to assist in with suitability, fingerprinting, and PIV issuance and sponsorship during a critical need time within the agency. Performed fingerprinting, PIV issuance and sponsorship, badge printing, and preliminary background adjudication of new employees.

• Processed all pre-employment onboarding paperwork and facilitated orientation all new residents• Liaison to the human resources staff for new departmental staff pre-employment onboarding• Submit all new computer and email account requests, monitor mandatory annual LMS training, manage and sponsor all ID badge submissions online to ensure proper access to systems and maintained all personnel and resident pre-employment onboarding files to ensure compliance and accuracy• Responsible for accurate payroll and timekeeping entry for the Surgical Care Service Lines of approximately 140 personnel at FTE• Created a streamlined tracking system for receipt of all paperwork and completion of each step of resident pre-employment process to provide better customer service to the students and the school liaisons

Kansas City, Missouri

•Completed assignments from conceptualization and design to production for graphic projects with supervisory review of work during each project. •Assisted in determining style and technique best suited to produce demonstrative and presentation materials or receive specific instructions regarding these variables. •Formulated concepts and render illustration from department templates, models and imagination. •Worked with trial teams in designing various presentation materials for trials, hearings, mock trials and jury exercises. •Assisted with trial-site graphic equipment setup and maintenance. •Coordinated with outside vendors, court employees, co-counsel and opposing counsel on equipment and technology needs. •Traveled to trial locations with minimal notice.

Kansas City, Missouri

•Created, maintained, and closed legal matter files, both paper and electronic. •Scanned and profiled documents to the database management system by determining the proper category based on case file information, utilizing a uniform naming standard to ensure ease of searching and viewing. •Filed and retrieved documents for attorneys and support staff. •Updated and searched for information within internal and external databases. •Audited file information for accuracy and completeness. •Maintained litigation notebooks and participated in trial preparation. •Assisted with document productions.

Department Of Residential Life

•Managed front administrative office for the apartments within the residential housing department at the university. •Handled confidential and secure information pertaining to students. •Supervised student workers and work study students. Received applications, performed interviews, made hiring decisions, and processed all new hire paperwork.•Provided orientation and training for new hire student workers and work-study students. •Maintained security card access within the building. •Processed maintenance requests and input notes for completed requests. •Assimilated daily reports from database for new housing requests. •Processed student requests for room swaps, switches and roommate requests and cancellations. •Ensured accurate billing for housing related fees. •Cross referenced student information in the University’s online web portal (Pathway) as well as departmental-specific databases. •Assisted with room transitions to include move outs, room inspections, and new move-ins. •Processed rental verification requests. •Communicated with residents, parents, faculty, staff, contractors and vendors via e-mail, phone and in person.

Chattanooga, Tn

•Managed front administrative office for the Communication Studies academic department at the university. •Handled confidential and secure information. •Supervised staff, student workers, and work study students. Received applications, performed interviews, made hiring decisions, and processed all new hire paperwork for work-study students and student workers. •Provided orientation and training for new hire student workers and work-study students. •Maintained multiple interdepartmental budgets, including monthly procurement card reconciliation, travel budget, faculty and staff salary budgets, equipment and supply budget, all totaling over $300,000 in annual budgetary funds. •Processed payroll for all student workers, work-study students, faculty, and staff. •Maintained departmental websites through use of Dreamweaver and Contribute software to include both content and graphic updates. •Processed travel arrangements and travel reimbursement paperwork for faculty.

Knoxville, Tn

•As a Senior Level Representative, fielded escalated calls to help resolve complaints and issues for students and parents, using multiple sources and systems to research and provide resolutions. •Received service orders and resolved complaints about billing and service, recognizing key solutions for a multitude of questions and issues and presented those in a concise, friendly manner. •Interacted with customers to provide information in response to inquiries about products and services. •Promoted to Specialty Team within an inbound call center that handled Financial Aid questions for Drexel University and Penn State University along with a high volume of inbound calls from customers across the country.

08/1991 Army Service Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal08/1990 - 08/1991 Gulf War Veteran

Master’S Degree, Human Resource Management; Specialization In Organizational Learning And Performance, 3.88

Activities and Societies: Sigma Beta Delta International Honor Society, Society for Human Resource Management Student Membership, Student.

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Major: Legal Assistant Studies; Minor: Criminal Justice, 3.95

Activities and Societies: Legal Assistant Studies Club, Pre-Law Club, NALA, TPA, NALS.

Associate Of Arts - Aa, General Studies, 3.37