Employee Relations Human Resources

Cherita Washington

*******.****@*****.*** 314-***-****

PROFILE SUMMARY

Results-driven HR and Operations Leader with 10+ years of experience driving organizational excellence through innovative talent strategies, employee development, and operational improvement across retail, tech, engineering, and service industries. Recognized for leading impactful DEI and change initiatives, building high-performing, inclusive teams, and aligning human capital strategies with business transformation goals. Expertise in learning and development, performance management, employee relations, and organizational design. A trusted advisor to leadership, skilled in navigating complex challenges and delivering scalable, people-focused solutions that accelerate growth and engagement. CORE COMPETENCIES

Create long-term plans to align human resources with business goals.

Identify, attract, and develop skilled employees to meet organizational needs.

Foster a positive work environment that enhances employee satisfaction and engagement.

Implement strategies to motivate and involve employees for higher productivity.

Develop and promote initiatives to create a diverse, fair, and inclusive workplace.

Build and nurture leadership skills within the organization to drive growth.

Create and enforce guidelines to ensure consistency and legal compliance.

Lead organizational change efforts to improve efficiency and adaptability.

Lead teams from various departments to achieve common business objectives.

Develop and execute strategies to drive business growth and success.

Utilize data analysis to inform and guide business decisions. PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

HR Strategy Development

Talent Management

Employee Experience

Workforce Engagement

DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) Strategy

Organizational Design

Performance Management

Leadership Development

Policy Development and Implementation

Program Management

Employee Relations

PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE

Copeland – Director, Global Employee Experience

May 2024 – Mar 2025 St. Louis, MO

Worked with senior leaders to connect business goals with people strategies for 19,000+ employees in over 50 countries

Helped write and roll out company-wide policies on anti-harassment, inclusion, and talent development

Improved the employee experience to support the company’s IPO and meet private equity expectations

Turned employee groups into business-focused networks that made a real impact

Launched the first global giving program to support local nonprofits, STEM education, and mentoring

Created and led global inclusion campaigns that respected different cultures

Used employee feedback (eNPS) to build strategies that improved leadership and workplace culture

Led company-wide trainings on respect and working across differences Amazon – Operational Excellence & Sr. Global Talent Manager Sept 2019 – May 2024

Led HR efforts for a large Fulfillment Center with over 3,000 employees and a 12-person team, improving employee engagement and productivity

Created the first systems for leadership reviews and onboarding using SQL, Tableau, and Excel, helping more employees get ready for promotions

Managed warehouse operations and training programs; launched a supervisor training that cut errors by 27% and improved processes using Lean Six Sigma

Oversaw learning and development for 25+ sites, designing onboarding and training that boosted leadership skills, safety, and employee retention

Built tracking tools to stop untrained workers from being moved to unsafe roles, reducing risks and improving efficiency

Change Management

Cross-functional Team Leadership

Strategic Planning

Data-Driven Decision Making

Onboarding Frameworks

Leadership Review Systems

Labor Tracking Systems

Budget and Inventory Management

Led diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts for over 120,000 employees by making equity part of leadership development and promotions

Developed learning tools using data to deliver training when needed, and introduced strategies to reduce bias and grow diverse leaders

Republic Services – Operations/Territory Manager

Jan 2019 – Aug 2019 St. Louis, MO

Managed 50+ waste pickup routes and improved efficiency to increase profits by 40%

Worked with drivers to follow safety rules and reduce fatigue-related risks

Helped revise union contract terms to better match daily work needs

Grew an employee recognition program from one site to the whole region, improving morale and retention

Started a program where drivers recommended new services, boosting revenue and gaining more customers Cintas – Sales and Service Manager, Fire Protection May 2016 – Jan 2019 St. Louis, MO

Led fire safety inspections and B2B sales for healthcare, industrial, and commercial clients

Made sure services followed all NFPA, OSHA, and local fire safety rules

Trained service reps and technicians on safety and sales, improving both performance and customer protection

Managed 50+ service vehicles, keeping operations and safety standards on track

Worked with supply chain and compliance teams to ensure services were delivered on time Walmart Stores, Inc – Retail, Distribution, and Human Resources Manager May 2005 – May 2016 / Various Locations, USA

Managed sales, inventory, and customer service, ensuring compliance with safety and company standards

Conducted shrink audits and trained supervisors to reduce loss and maintain compliance

Resolved escalated customer complaints and trained staff to improve response times

Co-managed $25M in warehouse inventory, overseeing receiving, storage, and audits for accuracy

Led the “WALMART: More Than a Store” recruitment program, hiring 50+ students and winning the 2013 IMPACT Award for Diversity

Mentored associates and led leadership development programs to build talent pipelines

Identified and improved operational inefficiencies to boost productivity and collaboration

Worked with teams and leadership to ensure operational readiness and increase employee engagement EDUCATION

North Central University – Doctoral (DBA) Candidate

Lincoln University of Missouri – MBA in Public Administration and Policy BOARD & LEADERSHIP ROLES

Board Member, Joan Trumpauer Mulholland Foundation (2022–Present)

Foundation Board Member, Harris-Stowe State University (2021–Present)

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