Jessie Salonen
Huntsville,ON
Summary
Human Resources Specialist with over 13 years of extensive expertise in global benefits administration, workforce planning, and HR coordination. Proficient in leveraging Workday and data analysis to enhance compliance and optimize workforce strategies. Bilingual in French and English, demonstrating a strong focus on people management and regulatory adherence, while aspiring to innovate HR practices for future organizational growth.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Catering Server
Smokin' Hot BBQ
Huntsville, ON
05.2025 - Current
- Delivered exceptional service at events, ensuring guest satisfaction through attentive and personalized interactions.
- Managed food presentation and setup for various catering events, adhering to quality standards and specifications.
- Collaborated with kitchen staff to ensure timely meal delivery and coordination during high-volume events.
- Trained new servers on company policies, service techniques, and safety protocols to promote team efficiency.
Global Benefits and Wellness Coordinator
Shopify
01.2022 - 10.2024
- Administer and manage employee benefits and wellness programs, including health insurance, retirement plans, ergonomics, leaves, and other perks.
- Process and track enrolments, changes, and terminations in benefit plans for all EMEA and APAC employees.
- Communicate with benefits providers to resolve issues and ensure smooth administration.
- Collaborate with internal departments and external vendors to support wellness initiatives.
- Stay informed about changes in local and regional laws affecting employee benefits and ensure the company's benefits programs comply with all applicable regulations.
- Collaborate with benefit providers and insurance carriers to manage relationships and resolve issues promptly.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date employee records related to benefits.
- Generate reports and analytics related to benefits and perks utilisation, costs, and other key metrics.
- Audit monthly invoices from benefits providers to ensure accuracy and generate applicable reports to payroll for benefit payroll deductions.
- Coordinate and facilitate the annual benefits open enrolment process.
- Conduct information sessions and provide resources to help employees make informed decisions about their benefits.
- Work with relevant stakeholders to troubleshoot and resolve any technical or administrative issues, and reduce inefficiencies.
- Streamlined benefits administration processes by implementing digital solutions, resulting in enhanced efficiency and reduced processing time for employee inquiries.
- Led comprehensive wellness initiatives and managed relationships with benefit providers while serving as primary point of contact for 500+ employee inquiries.
- Led training sessions for new team members and leads for various tasks and processes of the role.
Workforce Planning Specialist - Real Time
Shopify
08.2020 - 01.2022
- Develop and manage optimal daily schedules based on knowledge of the different business lines, performance analytics and current environment.
- Identify, assess and proactively analyze trends and variances in volume to understand and plan for potential over/understaffing conditions.
- Liaise with Leads and Advisors in real time to balance our queues for optimal channel coverage and to reduce queue pressure.
- Provide feedback to the different pillars within the WFM team when changes need to be made based on observed real-time trends.
- Review and process Vacation/Personal Time/Additional Hours requests in real-time, whilst taking into consideration Labour Laws within specific regions.
- Consider the impact to, and experience of Advisors in all decisions and make best efforts to protect non-channel activities such as coaching, training, personal development, etc.
- Make use of Real Time and Support related tools including but not limited to Calabrio, Athena, Datadog, Sheets, Mode, and Data Studio.
- Participate in panel interviews for potential candidates to determine Team fit, and provide training to successful candidates.
French Language Care Support Specialist
Shopify
03.2020 - 08.2020
- Provide technical support to new and existing merchants on the Shopify platform via email.
- Ensure merchants have a quick response time by staying on top of assigned tickets/emails.
- Complete essential follow-up documentation after each interaction.
- Engage in human conversations with merchants to identify and resolve issues, and provide coaching/growth opportunities for their businesses.
- Advocate for merchants and the Shopify platform by communicating with stakeholders.
Scheduler
Tembec
09.2016 - 12.2017
- Determine weekly workforce and training requirements in collaboration with Department Supervisors and Union Representatives and compile weekly schedules for 300+ employees.
- Evaluate/input vacation requests based on vacation budget eligibility as per the collective agreement.
- Provide support to on-site HR team, as needed.
HR Coordinator
Tembec
Kapuskasing, ON, Canada
04.2016 - 09.2016
- Administered end-to-end recruitment cycle for unionized positions, including job postings, candidate evaluations, interviewing, reference checks and offers.
- Train new employees on Company and Mill Site policies and procedures, applicable employment laws, and employee benefits.
- Perform administrative duties relating to disability management (STD, LTD, WSIB) and assist in taking minutes during return-to-work meetings.
- Perform data entry and maintenance in the HRIS (emPath).
- Approve vacation requests from unionized employees based on the applicable collective agreement and input necessary employee payroll data into a centralized scheduling spreadsheet/program.
- Determine weekly workforce requirements in collaboration with Department Supervisors and Union Representatives and compile work schedules for the various departments within the Newsmill.
- Perform monthly Health & Safety housekeeping audits with the Joint Health and Safety Rep throughout various areas of the mill.
- Assist with the management of apprenticeships in the workplace (mechanical and electrical apprentices), and provide Government Agencies with necessary paperwork for funding.
- Address HR and labour relations related issues from staff and unionized employees, and respond to various inquiries.
- Determine staffing requirements in collaboration with department supervisors and managers.
- Represent the Company at various public recruiting events.
Human Resources Assistant
URS Canadian Operations Ltd
Kapuskasing, ON, Canada
10.2011 - 03.2013
- Administered end-to-end recruitment cycle including job postings, candidate evaluations, interview scheduling, and pre-employment assessments whilst maintaining compliance.
- Prepare employment offers, and advise successful candidates of conditions of the offer.
- Provide orientation sessions to new employees on Company and Mine Site policies and procedures, applicable employment laws, and employee benefits.
- Assist in the administration of the Company benefits and pension plan.
- Perform various administrative tasks such as writing memos, monthly newsletters, maintaining employee records.
- Compile attrition data and submit monthly reports to the Management team.
- Plan and organise various Company events (i.e. committee meetings, annual employee engagement events).
- Address HR related questions and concerns in a professional, courteous, and efficient manner with staff, employees, candidates, and various community partners.
Education
Bachelors Degree - Human Resources and Labour Relations
Athabasca University
Remote01-2015
Certification
Smart Serve Training
Ontario - 06/2025
Safe Food Handler Training
Ontario - 02/2026
Timeline
Catering Server
Smokin' Hot BBQ
05.2025 - Current
Global Benefits and Wellness Coordinator
Shopify
01.2022 - 10.2024
Workforce Planning Specialist - Real Time
Shopify
08.2020 - 01.2022
French Language Care Support Specialist
Shopify
03.2020 - 08.2020
Scheduler
Tembec
09.2016 - 12.2017
HR Coordinator
Tembec
04.2016 - 09.2016
Human Resources Assistant
URS Canadian Operations Ltd
10.2011 - 03.2013
Bachelors Degree - Human Resources and Labour Relations
Athabasca University