Hr Business Senior Director

WESLEY B. HANCOCK, SPHR

Senior Director & HR Business Partner

Knoxville, TN 865-***-**** ************@*****.*** linkedin.com/in/wes-hancock-mba-sphr-149205b

Dynamic global HR executive with a proven track record in strategic leadership, organizational transformation, and culture alignment across industries. Adept at driving large-scale change initiatives, fostering leadership development, and navigating complex organizational shifts while aligning HR strategies with business objectives to enhance performance and engagement. Data-driven and results-focused, with a strong ability to lead change, optimize operations, and deliver measurable cost savings and transformation on a global scale.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Strategic HR Business Partnerships & Leadership Coaching Talent Strategy Development & Workforce Planning

Organizational Development, Culture & Belonging Succession Planning & Leadership Development

Data-Driven Decision-Making & HR Metrics Change Management & Business Transformation

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Leadership Employee Relations, Compliance & Investigations

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement Global Leadership & Executive Communication

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Achieved $60M in Savings & Improved Retention (Sysco)

Reduced costs by 23% and improved retention by 27% through a data-driven strategy.

Unified 74,000 employees across North America, Europe, and LATAM under a cohesive engagement strategy.

Secured C-suite buy-in, embedding accountability metrics tied to P&L outcomes.

Led Facility Rebuild & Market Expansion (Sysco)

Managed an 18-month facility rebuild post-tornado, ensuring seamless operations and customer retention.

Drove market share growth by strengthening sales-operations collaboration and retention strategies.

Enhanced leadership development, succession planning, and engagement frameworks.

Optimized Workforce & HR Operations (Nissan & Luxottica)

Cut labor costs by 15% via strategic workforce planning and headcount realignment.

Transitioned Pearle Vision to a franchise model, improving efficiency and business alignment.

Strengthened leadership pipelines through talent reviews and succession planning.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

SYSCO, Houston, TX Oct 2019 – Jan 2025

Corporate Senior Director of HR (Jan 2023 – Jan 2025)

Boosted annual retention by 65% by leading six national training sessions, equipping HR and ops teams with tools to enhance engagement and retention for new hires.

Achieved $60M in annual savings with a 24% cost reduction by designing and executing a retention strategy aligned with organizational goals, improving workforce stability. Year two retention improvements trending at 30% within six months.

Oversaw leadership development, associate relations, union avoidance, and retention initiatives, enhancing employee engagement and organizational resilience.

Improved national retention rates by avg of 29% over two years for five distinct brands by implementing a data-driven retention strategy targeting frontline employees.

Spearheaded the Colleague Experience Function from the ground up in just six months, aligning engagement strategies for 74K colleagues across North America, Europe, and LATAM to foster a cohesive global culture.

Secured C-suite buy-in and established leadership alignment, embedding accountability metrics tied to P&L outcomes to drive operational success and engagement.

Regional Director/HRBP of HR & Knoxville Site Leader (Jul 2020 – Dec 2022)

Increased leadership diversity by 22% over two years by designing talent planning frameworks emphasizing accountability and succession planning strategies.

Led an 18-month facility rebuild after a tornado, ensuring smooth site closure and reopening while preserving customer relations and operational continuity.

Drove market share growth and improved colleague retention during economic challenges through cross-functional collaboration between sales and operations teams.

Site Director/HRBP of HR (Oct 2019 – Jul 2020)

Streamlined HR efficiencies within Centers of Excellence, reallocating headcount and reducing costs while improving operational metrics (PPH, cost per mile, PPT).

Implemented a talent management strategy that boosted leadership capabilities and strengthened succession planning.

Directed HR initiatives for Knoxville and a four-state region, transitioning to regional operations and enhancing agility and collaboration.

Led HR functions for 350 colleagues at the Knoxville site, partnering with the Site President to drive operational effectiveness.

NISSAN, Franklin, TN May 2016 – Oct 2019

Strategic HR Business Partner Infiniti Americas

Championed aligning business strategy with talent strategy by optimizing workforce planning and succession management, achieving a 15% reduction in labor costs and improving operational efficiency at Nissan.

Led HR initiatives on talent development and succession planning, building diverse, high-performing teams, and driving leadership alignment with business outcomes.

Collaborated with business leaders to drive organizational efficiency, mitigate operational risks, and optimize resource allocation to meet business objectives, ensuring a sustainable workforce for long-term growth.

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE

LUXOTTICA, Mason, OH Director Associate Relations & HR Business Partner May 2004 - May 2016

Optimized HR strategy for Pearle Vision, leading growth across the U.S. and Canada through multi-year strategic planning and organizational transformation.

Led the transition to a franchise model, improving operational efficiency by 8% and aligning brand structure to support franchisees.

Directed comprehensive talent review processes, strengthening leadership pipelines and ensuring alignment with long-term strategic goals.

EDUCATION

Master of Business Administration, University of Tennessee

Bachelor of Science in Management, University of Tennessee

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