Human Resources Director

Sandra Smalls

*************@*****.*** 443-***-**** LinkedIn.com/in/sandrasmalls101

Human Resources Director with a Special Focus in Operations & Administration

Human Resources Leader with over 20 years of progressive Human Resources, operations and managerial roles layered with strong administrative and event planning experience. Recognized for exceptional performance ranging from high level strategic planning to front-line HR operations.

Dedicated to creating a workplace culture committed to inclusion, equity and respect.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

● Human Resource Operations

● Corporate Strategy

● Employee Life Cycle

● Policy Design/Implementation

● Employee Relations

● Regulatory Compliance

● Benefits Administration

● Vendor Management

● Rental Facility Structuring

● Organizational Development

● Brand Positioning

● Event Planning

● Marketing and

Communications

● Outreach

● Recruitment/Talent Acquisition

Lord Baltimore Hotel - Baltimore, MD 12/2023 - 3/2025

Human Resources Director

●Managed all functional areas of human resources including maintenance of all employee personnel files, payroll, and benefits administration for 75+ team members.

●Supervised a variety of operations for the company, wrote and implemented policies for an employee manual and departmental policies.

●Initiated a variety of employee engagement efforts including developing Employee Moral events, such as holiday parties and birthday celebrations and other special occasions

●Worked for the betterment of employees to develop initiatives, such as management training programs and other opportunities for promotions.

●Managed full cycle recruiting, from writing and posting job descriptions, interviews, background checks, orientations, mandatory employee trainings for all positions including managing the applicant tracking system and pipeline.

●Established policies and practices that guided and ensured the hotel followed Federal and State laws and requirements.

●Managed Employee Relations, Benefits, Compensation and Training and Development.

●Administered and analyzed Benefits to include: HSA, FMLA, 401k, STD/LTD recommending changes to ensure compliance and best interest of employees.

●Utilized strong communication skills to coach and mentor employees while also promoting employee and leadership development.

●Conducted investigations into all work-related incidents and HR related complaints; working with EEOC and providing necessary information to conduct through investigations when necessary.

●Established a staff retention program that decreased turnover while reducing overtime.

●Facilitated Benefits implementation and managed vendor relationships including yearly process of evaluating and assessing current plans, negotiating with vendors and managing Open Enrollment.

●Facilitated mandatory OSHA trainings for all employees that include: Sexual Harassment, Human Trafficking, Diversity and Inclusion, Active Shooter, Fire and Safety Alarms, Blood, Born Pathogens, etc.

●Played an integral part of the Executive Leadership Team to lead the hotel’s best interest in employees and property, managing a high-level and confidential communications.

●Created company policies and worked with all departments including the Executive Team, Housekeeping, Security and marketing to implement and enforce and hold management accountable to ensure employee participation

●Maintained an “open door” policy for employees to discuss any and everything

Maryland Health Connection, Baltimore, MD 07/ 2021 – 09/15/2022

Outreach Project Manager

●Establish and cultivate partnerships with statewide organizations and businesses to bring awareness of the MHC to uninsured consumers in the State of Maryland.

●Seek events and other outreach opportunities suitable to promote the MHC.

●Seek sponsorship opportunities that highlight MHC at statewide events

●Work in conjunction with MHC’s marketing, research and advertising department to determine target audience and strategic goals

●Determine promotional items appropriate for tabling events

●Create statewide open enrollment events

●Create and present PowerPoint presentations virtually and in person

●Work with marketing team on branding, diverse outreach efforts and sponsorship packages

Reginald E. Lewis Museum, Baltimore, MD 06/2017 - 11/2020

Senior Manager of Special Events

●Spearheaded the museum's robust and profitable special events program managing private rentals, press conferences, education/exhibition openings and Smithsonian Productions and tourism conferences and events

●Generated $275,000 in annual revenue increasing the revenue stream by 75% for the institution during my tenure.

●Managed a special events team to achieve successful outcomes and deliverables.

●Restructured event rates in collaboration with the executive leadership team to increase revenue, review, approve and negotiate rental costs and discounts.

●Devised and restructured all event rental policies and guidelines.

●Positioned the museum as a premier group tour destination within the tourism industry while developing and maintaining partnerships with Baltimore Tourism Association, Maryland Tourism and other entities nationwide.

●Researched tourism trends and implemented creative strategies as well as best practices to enhance and accelerate revenue and the events calendar.

●Cultivated and maintained strategic partnerships and relationships through targeted marketing efforts with various tourism organizations such as the American Bus Association, Baltimore Tourism Association, Visit Baltimore, BOPA, Downtown Partnership, Waterfront Partnership, and Maryland Tourism.

Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts (BOPA), Baltimore, MD 02/2009 - 06/2017

Human Resources Director

●Managed all functional areas of human resources including maintenance of all employee personnel files, payroll, and benefits administration for a team of 50+ team members within a quasi-government/non-profit organization with a budget of $12M.

●Supervised a variety of operations for the company, wrote and implemented policies for an employee manual, contracts, supplies, and equipment.

●Initiated a variety of employee engagement efforts including developing an Employee Morale Board and creating a series of programs and seminars designed to breakdown departmental silos and foster greater collaboration.

●Provided vendor management for the organization including contract negotiation, due diligence, and compliance.

●Managed full cycle recruiting, on-boarding and orientation for all positions which included revising all job descriptions and managing the applicant tracking system and pipeline.

●Established agency policies and practices that guided and ensured the organization followed Federal, State and licensing agencies’ laws and requirements.

●Managed Employee Relations, Benefits, Compensation and Training and Development.

●Administered and analyzed Benefits to include: HSA, FMLA, 401k, STD/LTD recommending changes to ensure compliance.

●Utilized strong communication skills to coach and mentor employees while also promoting employee and leadership development.

●Conducted investigations into all work-related incidents and HR related complaints.

●Established a staff retention program that decreased turnover while reducing overtime.

●Provided ongoing training for the management team on best practices for mentoring, providing feedback and utilizing progressive discipline with teams.

●Facilitated Benefits implementation and managed vendor relationships including yearly process of evaluating and assessing current plans, negotiating with vendors and managing Open Enrollment.

●Facilitated trainings along several verticals for management and employees.

●Managed high-level and confidential communications with the Board of Directors, Mayor's Office & Cabinet, and City Council, sponsors, donors and stakeholders.

●Supervised a team of 10 including accounting staff, volunteers, and cashiers.

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