Open To Work
Keno E CPHR
Winnipeg,MB
Summary
Strategic and customer-focused Talent Acquisition and Human Resources professional with extensive experience delivering comprehensive HR and Talent acquisition services in unionized, manufacturing, oil & gas, agency settings and complex organizational environments. Recognized for building strong cross-functional relationships with business leaders, driving recruitment results, leading HR initiatives, and providing trusted advisory support. Known for successfully filling hard-to-fill roles and influencing recruitment outcomes through collaboration, innovative sourcing, and clear communication. Skilled in workforce planning, HR consulting, candidate engagement strategies, and ATS implementation.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
15
15
Certification
Work History
Recruitment Team Lead (Talent Acquisition Lead)
Canadian Kraft Paper
01.2022 - Current
- Lead strategic recruitment initiatives for a workforce of approximately 350 employees in a unionized pulp and paper manufacturing environment, overseeing end-to-end hiring processes for hourly, technical, professional, and leadership roles.
- Collaborate closely with department heads, operations leaders, and union representatives to align staffing plans with organizational needs, production demands, and collective bargaining requirements.
- Spearhead workforce planning discussions to anticipate future talent needs and design recruitment strategies that support operational stability and growth.
- Manage communication efforts related to recruitment and employer branding, including social media outreach, external engagement, and careers site content — significantly increasing brand visibility and candidate engagement.
- Implemented a new applicant tracking system (ATS) to improve hiring process efficiency, candidate data management, and reporting capabilities.
- Supported employee and labour relations initiatives, serving as a point of contact for employee concerns affecting recruitment and HR processes.
- Conduct research and contribute to broader HR projects aimed at improving systems, processes, and employee experience.
- Successfully recruited hard-to-fill and previously stagnant roles including Senior Mechanical Engineers, Power Engineers, Millwrights, Welders, Electricians, Supervisors, and Director-level positions.
Executive Recruiter
Harris Leadership Strategies
01.2021 - 01.2022
- Delivered senior leadership and executive search services across multiple sectors including healthcare, manufacturing, not-for-profit, and professional services.
- Built and maintained relationships with clients, board members, and C-suite executives to understand organizational goals, advise on search strategy, and deliver tailored recruitment solutions.
- Provided research and analytics to support candidate sourcing strategies, market insight reporting, compensation reviews, and trend analysis.
- Leveraged HR technologies and online tools to generate candidate reports, identify talent trends, and recommend solutions that improved recruiting and coaching processes.
- Successfully placed senior leadership roles such as Presidents & CEOs, Vice Presidents, HR Managers, Branch Managers, and Continuous Improvement Leaders.
Recruitment Consultant
Drake International
01.2018 - 01.2019
- Managed recruitment for diverse roles including accounts payable/receivable, administrative support, warehouse and operations roles, supervisory positions, and driver and customer service functions.
- Built candidate pipelines, facilitated interviews, and coordinated placement logistics for clients in varied industries.
Human Resource Officer (Business Partner)
Total E & P
01.2011 - 01.2018
- Partnered with managers and business units to deliver onboarding programs, training, and workforce support for over 3,000 employees within international mobility and HR operations.
- Negotiated mobility timelines and coordinated stakeholder communication during union-mandated situations to deliver cost outcomes and maintain operational continuity.
- Functioned as key liaison between employees, foreign embassies, and leadership teams to fulfill recruitment, training, and career development objectives.
- Advised leadership on employee relations, policy interpretation, conflict resolution, and process improvement.
- Created training materials and workshops to educate staff on international mobility policies, performance expectations, and best practices.
Estates Officer (HR Support)
British Deputy High Commission (Foreign Office)
01.2009 - 01.2011
- Led and coordinated HR operations and supported a team of 14 staff in diverse administrative and HR-related activities.
- Managed HR support functions, coordinated stakeholders, and streamlined administrative processes to improve service delivery.
- Provided guidance on HR policies, workforce logistics, and government compliance requirements.
Education
Human Resource Management Diploma -
University of Winnipeg
01.2021
Certificate of Management - undefined
University of Winnipeg
01.2021
Call to Bar Certificate - undefined
Council of Legal Education
01.2008
Bachelor of Law - undefined
Igbinedion University
01.2007
Skills
- Applicant Tracking Systems (Selection, Implementation & Usage)
- Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook
- Recruitment and HR Analytics Tools
- Internal Communications & Social Media Platforms
- Diversity hiring
- Team management
- Talent pipeline development
- Recruitment strategy development
- Full cycle recruiting
- Candidate and client relations
- LinkedIn sourcing
- Talent acquisition
Accomplishments
- Successfully filled multiple hard-to-fill roles that had been open for extended periods, including critical operational and leadership positions where previous efforts by external recruiters did not yield viable candidates.
- Independently recruited and secured a First-Class Power Engineer and a Second-Class Power Engineer (nearing certification) for a remote, difficult-to-hire location — using relationship-based sourcing, tailored outreach, and proactive engagement.
- Managed recruitment efforts during periods of emergency operational constraint when traditional candidate pipelines were unavailable.
- Increased social media engagement (on key recruitment channels) from approximately 900 to over 5,000 followers over three years, significantly boosting employer brand visibility and candidate interest.
- Successfully filled all entry-level roles ahead of critical deadlines, stabilizing essential workforce pipelines.
- Managed recruitment communications, social media, website careers updates, and external messaging — responsibilities that typically span marketing and communications functions.
Certification
- CPHR (Certified Professional in Human Resources)
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate — USF Corporate Training
- Investigations – Fundamentals of Effective Fact-Finding — Workplace Institute
- Guest Speaker on HR topics including workforce trends, recruitment skills, and professional development
CORE COMPETENCIES
- Strategic & Cross-Functional Talent Acquisition
- Hard-to-Fill Searches & High-Priority Roles
- Workforce Planning & Staffing Strategy
- Recruitment Analytics & Reporting
- ATS Implementation & Optimization
- Recruitment Marketing & Employer Branding
- Employee & Labour Relations Support
- HR Consulting & Leadership Advisory
- Stakeholder Management & Influence
- Training, Coaching & People Development
Work Preference
Location Preference
RemoteHybridTimeline
Recruitment Team Lead (Talent Acquisition Lead)
Canadian Kraft Paper
01.2022 - Current
Executive Recruiter
Harris Leadership Strategies
01.2021 - 01.2022
Recruitment Consultant
Drake International
01.2018 - 01.2019
Human Resource Officer (Business Partner)
Total E & P
01.2011 - 01.2018
Estates Officer (HR Support)
British Deputy High Commission (Foreign Office)
01.2009 - 01.2011
Certificate of Management - undefined
University of Winnipeg
Call to Bar Certificate - undefined
Council of Legal Education
Bachelor of Law - undefined
Igbinedion University
Human Resource Management Diploma -
University of Winnipeg