Kat Rodriguez, Sphr Email & Phone Number

Hackensack, Nj, Us

Bronx, New York, Us

Reporting to the CEO, my focus is aligning HR initiatives with new profitability and growth business strategies. I direct a diverse HR team of 28, supporting over 3,000 employees across corporate and operational sectors. Collaborating with functional leaders, I optimize the organizational structure for strategic delivery, incorporating business and financial planning. I lead talent calibration reviews to bolster succession planning and fortify the talent pipeline. I liaise effectively with vendors and insurance brokers, Key Accomplishments: • Revitalized employee engagement through the implementation of activities, pulse and exit surveys, and retention models.• Restructured HR team for internal people leadership team, promoting high performers and enhancing team dynamics.• Secured $450K YoY cost by assessing vendor selection and RFP process.• Redeveloped employee handbook and updated policies/procedures to reflect organizational standards and regulations.

Bronx, New York, Us

I spearheaded a comprehensive people operations team to ensure optimal performance and continuous improvement across HR administration, compliance, HRIS, and leave management for a workforce of 3,000-3,500 employees, including unionized and exempt staff. I refined pay structures and incentive programs in collaboration with the SVP of People, CFO, and CEO, and coordinated short-term incentive and merit programs with the finance team and senior management. I enforced HR policies to align with federal and state labor laws, ensuring legal compliance across the organization. Additionally, I established the people operations team and streamlined onboarding processes, enhancing the overall efficiency and effectiveness of HR functions.Key Accomplishments:• Served as Plan Administrator for three 401k plans, guaranteeing adherence to plan documents, regulatory compliance, and 5500 form filing.• Oversaw integration of payroll functions, enhancing data management and operational efficiencies.• Decreased non-compliance risks and overhead by 1 FTE through the Leave Management tool.• Saved $1M by devising an unemployment claim management process.• Transitioned to digital file management and HR workflows, eliminating reliance on paper transactions.

Bronx, New York, Us

I supervised HR functions and ensured the seamless operation of preboarding, compliance, HRIS, and benefits administration. I maintained legal compliance with all employment laws and managed employee lifecycle processes, including I-9 compliance and leave administration, across multiple locations. I delivered reporting to support business operations in HR, management, and finance, and administered integrations to extract and deliver data to the HRIS database. Additionally, I led benefit programs, including group health/medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, disability, leave of absence, 401(k), and other voluntary benefits, ensuring comprehensive coverage and support for all employees.Key Accomplishments:• Enhanced reporting capabilities, employee self-service, and data processing efficiency through the successful selection and implementation of the HRIS package.• Executed benefit package redesign with SVP Human Resources to shift to a self-insured plan, enhancing benefit offerings and minimizing costs.• Boosted offerings at low costs by recrafting benefits packages in coordination with senior leadership.• Decreased soft costs by $150K via strategic evaluation and optimization of tools/applications.• Spearheaded HRIS implementation project, saving roughly $100K by eliminating the need for third-party applications.• Improved consistency in attendance tracking through automated attendance policy via HRIS.• Created a meticulous pre-employment screening process, effectively preventing potential litigation.

Bronx, New York, Us

I directed HR systems and technologies to optimize operations, assess system performance, and lead upgrades and implementations. I devised accruals, attendance plans, and work rules in Kronos Workforce Central, and supervised integrations with various third-party applications to ensure seamless data flow and process alignment. I executed a performance management system, aligning self and managerial assessments with goal achievement and outcome analysis. I conducted process assessments, created procedural enhancements, and managed audits to maintain data integrity. I played a key role in a project team focused on redeveloping the corporate office to foster collaboration and optimize space utilization, including vendor selection and communication management. I established compensation plans, time-off policies, and performance assessments. Additionally, I organized employee engagement events, including town hall meetings, team-building activities, and social gatherings. I facilitated finance in annual compensation reviews and generated reports to support HR, finance, and management.Key Accomplishments:• Streamlined HR processes by integrating Kronos with ADP/SAP Business Objects, while improving operational efficiency.• Boosted transparency and fairness by instituting a pay matrix for hourly employees with operational leaders.• Minimized HRIS costs by transitioning system management in-house and eliminating the need for outsourced vendors.• Successfully implemented internal performance management tool tailored for exempt employee groups.• Enhanced data visibility and decision-making processes via real-time metrics dashboards.

Bronx, New York, Us