VALERIE L. NELSON
818-***-**** Glendale, CA ***********@*****.***
www.linkedin.com/in/valerienelson1
HR & TALENT MANAGEMENT
Employee Relations – Compensation – Benefits – Recruitment – Training – Performance Management
Key Qualifications
●Over 20 years of experience in human resources, with an excellent history of productivity, quality and professionalism
●Particular expertise in employee relations and change management
●B.S .Business and Management, University of Redlands
Career History and Accomplishments
Mayesh Wholesale Florist, Inc. 2015 - 2016
Senior Director, Human Resources
●Responsible for overall HR administration for 360 employees in 19 locations / 9 states
●Strategic partner in the development of the company’s plans and programs and the impact on the staff
●Developed employee handbook
●Implemented compliance metrics
●Reinvented the Performance Management to streamline the end-to-end process
●Negotiated new commission structure with benefit broker
●Developed job description template and job descriptions
●Developed an IIPP, safety program, and internship program
●Provided HR consultation for all locations including employee relations
Autry Museum of the American West 2002 - 2014
Vice President, Human Resources
●Manage human resources, safety and security functions of a museum, with responsibility for 175 employees on 3 campuses.
●Direct performance review process, benefits, policy review and guidelines and HR audits. Administer and develop policies and procedures, compensation, and incentive plans.
●Perform as an internal consultant on HR matters and provide coaching, counseling and development for staff. Ensure ongoing training is provided for staff. Work with leadership team on assessing and proposing opportunities for HR process improvements.
●Manage employee relations, recruitment efforts, background checks and all internal communication.
●Ensure fulfillment of requirements for Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Health & Welfare Plans (5500 filings) and workers’ compensation. Spearheaded development of safety programs to reduce accidents and carpal tunnel syndrome. Trained staff on office ergonomics.
●Developed service recognitions program, established monthly all staff meetings, and created quarterly staff receptions to continue to enhance the culture of the institution.
The Walt Disney Company 1999 - 2001
Director, Human Resources, Disney Direct Marketing
●Managed all human resources functions for a catalog and online direct marketing business unit with a distribution center located in South Carolina and a 24/7 call center in Kansas, generating $150 million in sales with a total staff of 1,200.
●Administered and developed policies and procedures, compensation and incentive plans.
●Established diversity, coaching, staffing and employment retention programs.
●Resolved employee relations situations without incident or litigation.
●Responded to EEOC charges without incident or findings against the company.
●Managed the division’s voluntary/involuntary separation process without incident. Worked with managers to ensure that the remaining staff could handle the re-engineered work flow. The process reduced operating costs by $1.5 million annually.
●Implemented a point attendance system that reduced absenteeism and the need to over staff.
●Improved working conditions for full-time employees by setting proper seasonal employee schedules.
●Successfully discouraged a unionization attempt during a transitional period.
May Department Stores, Robinsons-May, North Hollywood, California 1993 - 1999
Director, Compensation and Benefits
Managed compensation and benefits for a department store chain with 58 stores in three states with 20,000 employees and sales of $1.8 billion.
●Led the wage rate task force that established hourly rates, resulting in a $3.8 million annual savings.
●Managed the enrollments for the 401k program with an overall increase of 20% participation.
●Directed medical benefits enrollment and negotiated rates with carriers annually. Saved up to 10% with each negotiation.
●Managed annual performance appraisals ensuring all employees were rated and appropriate increases were processed on time.
●Supervised executive reporting and analysis relating to compensation and payroll.
●Restructured employee record keeping with an annual savings of $200,000.
May Department Stores, Robinsons-May 1988 - 1993
Director of Employee Relations and Training
Provided guidelines and direction to individual store human resources managers for resolving employee relations problems as well as federal and state compliance on HR issues, covering 29 stores and one distribution center in three states. Developed new human resources policies and procedures, impacting 10,000 employees.
●Reduced turnover by 8% through establishing new-hire criteria guidelines.
●Conducted bi-annual training programs throughout the chain dealing with interviewing techniques, diversity initiatives, sexual harassment, Disability Act issues and corporate policy revisions.
●Resolved EEOC complaints and sexual harassment problems.
●Provided coaching for 30 human resources managers on hiring, training, employee counseling and terminations. Revised and implemented an Employee Policies and Procedures handbook.
●Supervised employment recruitment using print media, job fairs and employee referrals.
●Established orientation training programs for new hires and productivity improvement for hourly employees with measurable improvement throughout the chain.
Seminars/Training
●Getty Leadership Institute
●Deloitte’s Emotional Intelligence Seminar Non-Profit Seminars
●Western Museum Association Annual Conference Panelist; 2009 (CA) and 2010 (OR)
Memberships
●Oakmont Country Club, Human Resources Committee 2006 - present
●Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, Human Resources Committee 2011 - present
●Member of Autry’s Board of Trustee HR & Compensation Committee 2005 - 2014
●Professionals in Human Resources (PIHRA) – past chair & co-chair programs
●Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM)