Tara Kinney

Re-Defining Performance Excellence

Profile

●Strategic Partner driving custom, impactful solutions

●Talent Management champion striving for Excellence

●Engaging Trainer, Coach & Facilitator

●Change Management and Org Development Consultant

●Instruction designer and content writer / editor

Education

Master of Business

Organizational Development

2003 Bowling Green State University

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

Minor in Communications

2002 Shippensburg University of PA

Professional Experience

Tara Lynn Consulting http://taralynnconsulting.com/ Oct. 2012-Present

Organization Development, CX, Instructional Design, & Executive Coaching Virtual Office

●Increase productivity and decrease churn through collaboratively assessing need, implementing strategies, and changing mindset to improve efficiency and functionality and build capability to best serve workforces, clients, & stakeholders.

●Improve KPIs and OKRs across a multitude of industries (Insurance, Non-profit, Retail, Mental Health, Fitness and Wellness, and Government) through building custom plans and targeted content

●Exceed set expectations on micro and macro training, modules, job aides, programs and projects solutions that meet just-in-time need, align to standards, and incorporate a variety of mediums and digital channels to engage users and deliver impactful results

●On time, on budget Project Management that meets objectives through the entire process of initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and controlling, and effectively closing

●Validate goals, objectives and scope through operations research and data analysis in order to optimize course of action and key milestones

●Ensure Continuous Improvement through After Action Review workshops to assess desired versus actual state and develop clear plans to close the gap and move toward reaching desired results.

●Implement succession management processes to increase investment in high potential talent, retention of top performers, and optimization of key seats

●Increase self awareness and accountability through Executive Coaching and Counseling, custom plans, targeted training, accountability check ins, monitoring progress, adjusting in real time, and measuring impact

●Collaborate with HR Centers of Excellence to implement and optimize processes necessary for supporting business needs, enhancing employee engagement and improving key relationships

The Village Baptist Church Jan. 2018 – Jan 2020

Director of Organization Effectiveness / Staffing Coordinator Virtual/ Fayetteville, NC

●Achieved annual OKRs by building strategy based on vision, ensuring proper operational controls, improving administrative procedures, and investing in people training and development systems.

●Successfully opened a 2nd campus as the project manager; developing the project charter, developing the project plan, directing and managing project work, monitoring progress, performing integrated change control, and closing project phases

●Increased productivity and met budget by streamlining activities based on priorities and values, setting clear expectations, and consistent accountability

●Closed performance gaps through designing and delivering education, training, development workshops and initiatives to meet real time, unique needs

●Improved retention by 19% in 6 months by building a culture of clarifying goals and objectives, creating employee relations standards and implementing a system for managing performance

●Filled 7 key seats in 9 months through leading the Talent Acquisition initiatives including attracting, recruiting, on-boarding and retaining talent to best meet strategic goals and initiative

San Antonio College Jan. 2013- Aug. 2013

Adjunct Faculty San Antonio, TX

●Planned, prepared and maintained coursework and instructional resources that were aligned with best practices from the industry as well as client need determined through needs analysis; ensure the design is customized to meet the key learning outcomes.

●Managed the teaching environment to serve all learners and ensured courses met just-in-time needs through defining the expected learning and performance goals and structuring classes based on this expected outcome.

●Delivered quality instruction that prepared students for further education and/or the workplace; ensuring the utilization of active learning methods and a variety of instructional strategies designed to assist the learner in meeting the objectives of the course.

●Practiced continuous improvement through consistently gathering & applying real time as well as survey feedback.

●Course effectiveness evaluated through knowledge and application checks.

Asurion, Supply Chain Division March 2008 – Jan. 2013

Manager, Organization Effectiveness Smyrna, TN

●Drove Curriculum Development alignment with the Leader Competency model at all levels from Frontline Lead to Management level. Overall observed competency behaviors rose from an average of 1.5 to 3.6 (5-point scale) in a 12 month period.

●Launched an ASTD Award Winning internal Leadership Development program which resulted in 86% Graduate placement with a ramp time 50-75% faster than the average new hire.

●Embedded Lean methodology into Leadership culture through implementing concepts & processes into all Learning Events.

●Developed and provided a Training scorecard to the business which resulted in our team’s ability to market accomplishments of the team, communicate our alignment with business initiatives and priorities, and receive feedback to ensure our focus was targeted to real-time business needs.

●Ensured our offerings met just-in-time needs through utilizing analysis of top identified leadership needs along with the breakdown of training utilization to offer customized workshops/sessions and increasing training need versus usage alignment from 40% to 80% over a 9-month period.

●Effective Thought Leadership, Project Management & Influence skills as demonstrated through exceeding expectations/milestones required to launch overall “Leadership Development Strategy” as well as the execution of the specified Leadership Program pieces that made up this strategy.

HR Business Consultant

●Served as HR generalist for client teams meeting unique employee relations, compensation and benefits, talent acquisition, and training & development needs

●Researched, Recommended, Initiated, and Implemented a creative recruiting strategy through partnership with the TN Technology Center, showing 10% decrease in attrition and a $12,000 cost savings in its first two weeks as well as 68% production and quality improvement.

●Customized Development sessions by analyzing client need, identifying training gaps, to develop & deliver courses essential to the learning and development of the team. Evaluation indicated increased employee survey results as well as elevated leadership performance evaluations.

●Actively developed employee engagement mechanisms such as Quality Circles (Employee initiated Process Improvement) as well as a Job Shadowing Program

●Facilitated a multi-layer departmental intervention with the Quality group that resulted in mutually agreed upon and more encompassing metrics, increased production through the use of project management and communication tools, increased leadership skill sets, and overall increase in effective cross-functional relationships.

Target Corporation Dec 2003 – Sept 2007

HR Executive Raleigh, NC

●Restructured and implemented the new hire training program and diagnosed the need to implement a competency tracking system for training and accountability that resulted in $250,000 cost savings in potential OSHA violations

●Developed/Executed retention strategy taking the attrition rate from 237% to 104% in one year

●Designated as the district technical resource and training facilitator

●Led a new store opening; first year resulted in the highest % of sales while maintaining the lowest attrition and highest employee survey scores in the district

●Effectively navigated all HR processes for 3 stores; maintaining the highest metrics in the district.

Professional Tools

●Inscape Everyday DISC Workplace Facilitation, 2013

●Facilitator of Get Control Personal Effectiveness modules (2010-2013)

●Experienced in 5 Dysfunctions Team Development facilitation, 2010-present

●Certified through Executive Teaching and Learning (ETL), 9/2007

●CrossFit, Level 2 Trainer

●Fitour Advanced Indoor Cycling, Group Fitness & Advanced Sports Nutrition Certification

Computer Competencies

●Well versed in all Microsoft Office systems

●Highly proficient in business collaboration tools such as Teams, Zoom, Mural, Google Drives/Docs/Sheets/Slides, SharePoint, Slack, Trello, GoToMeeting & DropBox

●Savvy in navigating Social Media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and SnapChat

●Advanced in HCM systems such as Cornerstone, Workday, Paycom, PeopleSoft, Kronos, and SHARP

●Skilled in the use of Articulate Engage

●Administration of Cornerstone Learning Management System

Honors and Awards

●ASTD 2011 Excellence in Practice Award

●Asurion: 2010 & 2011 HR Execution Excellence Directors Award Recipient

●Member of National Society of Collegiate Scholars

Activities & Community involvement

●Indoor Cycling and Group Fitness Instructor

●CrossFit Level 2 Coach

●US Army Service Battalion Family Readiness Advisor

●Active Alumna of Alpha Phi Fraternity

●American Heart Association District Facilitator 2004-2007

●United Way Campaign Manager 2003-2007

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