Susan Leonard Email & Phone Number

Greater Boston Area

• Review and assessment of a Colorado college's classified staffing organizational structure with particular emphasis on appropriate staffing levels, consistency of job duties and protocols across its seven campuses, improved coordination between campuses and the central administration, and assessment of the impact of the new Datatel ERP system on classified staff work.• Search for Executive Director of a heralded Boston conservatory of craftsmanship with programs devoted to training students for careers in traditional trades that use hand skills (e.g., violin making and repair, preservation carpentry, furniture making, and bookbinding).• Search for Director of Institutional Advancement for a private college in the Philadelphia area.

Colchester, Vermont, United States

Burlington, Vermont Area

• Implementation of NeoGov electronic applicant tracking system, reducing time to fill by 30%, increasing diversity of candidate pools and reducing redundancies based on Lean HR practices.• Implementation of NeoGov online onboarding module, replacing time spent on paperwork in new-hire orientation with additional cultural competency and safety training.• Negotiated health insurance contract renewal resulting in unprecedented premium rate stabilization for the three-year life of the contract and a $50,000 wellness grant.• Key leadership role in the negotiation and administration of four collective bargaining agreements.• Served on the bargaining team that successfully negotiated strategic contract changes with Burlington Police bargaining unit to enhance talent acquisition, reward professional development and increase retention.• Successfully negotiated innovative risk-sharing language across all four City bargaining agreements as related to volatility in health care and retirement costs.• Provided oversight for the day to day administration of the City’s defined benefit and defined contribution retirement plans, including the successful negotiation of plan changes with the AFSCME bargaining unit resulting in an actuarially estimated savings of approximately $250,000.• Served on the Burlington School District Equity Council to ensure equity in hiring faculty and administrative leadership.• Engaged as a participant and department head advisory member to the AmeriCorps “We All Belong” initiative designed to train the trainer to ignite viral cultural competency skills and awareness through Vermont’s non-profit organizations. • Serving as City’s affirmative action officer. Monitoring compliance with EEOC guidelines and certifying compliance with EEO requirements in federal grant programs.

Burlington, Vermont Area

• Provided organizational design consultation for the Retail Operations group that resulted in an in-year savings of $145,000 and $365,000 in on-going annual savings.• Conducted multiple compensation related projects resulting in stronger linkages between pay and performance, better alignment with competitive market data and more consistent and equitable compensation practices overall.• Served as the HR content expert on an international team charged with the creation of a global operations manual.• Provided on-going expertise and consultation to achieve thoughtful resolution of matters related to harassment, respect in the workplace, diversity, violence in the workplace and ethics.• Designed and implemented a brand immersion style on-boarding program to introduce new employees to Ben & Jerry’s people, product, culture and social mission.• Delivered specific and actionable recommendations for aligning Ben & Jerry’s progressive people practices with the guidelines of Unilever’s matrix organization while honoring the rich history, workplace culture, and values that are unique to Ben & Jerry’s.

Burlington, Vermont Area

• Extensive global staffing reorganization designed to transform and strengthen the Ben & Jerry’s organization, effectively leverage human capital and uphold unique brand equity, social mission and culture globally.• Reorganization of the company owned scoop shop staffing structure designed to grow profit centers, provide consistent management presence and enhance marketing, training & staff development. Additional employee wage and benefits costs were offset by a combined savings of approximately $50,000 in overtime and training expenses.• Refined sales incentive programs to motivate and reward sales related positions unique to Ben & Jerry’s within the Unilever umbrella.

• Served as co-lead negotiation team member for full contract renewal with UAW Local 1976 Clerical Secretarial Union. Made monumental advances by winning employee healthcare premium co-pay and introduction of merit based pay. • Served as lead negotiation team member for contract re-opener on wage increase agreement with UAW Local 1975 Professional Technical Union establishing merit-based pay.• Served on the University Technology Advisory Committee, a strategic planning sub-committee.• Co-Chair Professional Development Oversight Committee.• Hosted over one hundred fifty higher education professionals and presented at Michigan College University Professional Association for Human Resources fall conference.

Greater Boston Area

Human Resource Administration/Non-Legal Recruitment: Responsible for developing initial hiring procedures for non-attorney staff, including updating job descriptions, placing ads, attending job fairs, screening resumes, conducting first round interviews for department managers, administering internal skill testing, checking references, orienting new employees and establishing and maintaining employee files. Administered termination procedures in accordance with firm practices and procedures. Served on committee to research and recommend HRIS purchase. Served as the coordinator of the United Way fund drive.Legal Recruitment: Coordinated with Hiring Partner on all aspects of recruitment of attorneys, from initial hiring procedures through orientation. Worked in cooperation with the Boston Law Firm Group to promote diversity in the recruitment process. Served as liaison between the firm and colleges during the process of recruiting second-year law students for the summer intern program. Coordinated first-round campus interviews and second-round firm interviews; compiled and presented reports at weekly hiring committee meetings. Coordinated the summer intern program including collecting intern assignments and compiling attorney critiques, organizing intern participation in the Boston Food Bank food drive, and organizing social outings. Member of the Association of Boston Legal Recruitment Administrators.

Greater Detroit Area

Human Resource Administration: Responsible for recruiting and initial interviewing of all candidates for department managers; establishment and maintenance of employee policy manual; partnering with managers to develop written job descriptions in compliance with the ADA; implementation and maintenance of compensation and performance evaluation program; upkeep of interview logs in compliance with the EEOC; auditing and updating personnel files to comply with state and federal regulations, and maintenance of open door policy for all employee issues. Directed a staff of three.Benefits Administration: Responsible for all aspects of the administration of self-funded health and life insurance plan, administration of the dental plan, 401(k), COBRA, and the Section 125 plan. Handled all Workers’ Compensation matters: OSHA first-round filing of form 100’s, and represented the company at hearings.Payroll: Processed and transmitted the weekly payroll. Became experienced in ADP and Ceridian payroll software, updated the overtime policy to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Master'S Degree, Human Relations

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.), Organizational Communications

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.), Psychology