Maria Odena
Vacaville
Summary
Dynamic HR leader with a proven track record at ICON Aircraft, Inc., achieving $100K in annual savings through innovative HR solutions. Expert in HR management and conflict resolution, I drive employee engagement and retention strategies, successfully reducing turnover while implementing automated systems to enhance operational efficiency.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
Work History
Head of People
ICON Aircraft, Inc.
Vacaville
02.2022 - Current
- Realized 75K annual savings by implementing an integrated HR and payroll system.
- Saved 30K in training expenses through utilization of one all HR platform adopted under my advocacy and initiative.
- Adopted a Medical Reimbursement Expense Program (MERP) to reduce benefit costs at about $100k yearly savings.
- Reduced turnover by double digits by boosting employee retention strategies and improving morale.
- Successfully hired at all job levels at 0 staffing/headhunter expense through robust direct recruitment practices.
- Provide insight, training, and guidance to leaders on various Federal, State and local labor law topics.
- Primary owner of the HRIS System bringing best automation possible for all U.S. employees.
- Provide the full HR life cycle from onboarding to offboarding.
- Manage payroll including commissions and bonuses to align with our compensation structure.
- Act as an escalation point for all HR matters in the U.S. and Mexico Operations of about 300 employees.
- Manage broker and vendor relationships for the health benefit plans.
Head of HR
Lonza Biologics
Hayward
01.2020 - 03.2021
- As part of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), I provided HR consultation to leaders and Operational Excellence to provide updates on all HR initiatives covering 300+ employees.
- Participated in Lean Sigma meetings, Gemba walks to better understand the business needs and challenges.
- Communicated important Global and local site driven messages affecting all employees.
- Managed and implemented global HR initiatives including Performance Management, Crisis Management (i.e. COVID-19), Safety Program, and Total Rewards strategies.
- Managed and addressed Benefits Open Enrollment plans, deadlines, and issues.
- Conducted and continually improved onboarding process for new hires.
- Ensured compliance and reporting (i.e. 5500 Reports, OFCCP interaction, ACA reporting, 401(k) Non-Discriminatory testing.
- Reviewed and approved WorkDay transactions for all employment stages.
- Led the company events planning for better participation and engagement.
- Networked with other HR members to collaborate on challenging issues and applied policies and processes consistently.
U.S. Country HR
Agilent Technologies
Hayward
02.2019 - 01.2020
- As part of the acquisition, I was the 1st employee to transition and became a member of the 8 U.S. Senior HR Shared Services providing timely support to close to 8,000 U.S. employees in matters affecting employee employment issues, misconduct, harassment, open door, and other grievances.
- Successfully supported the M&A between ProZyme and Agilent which resulted in 0 turnover of acquired employees.
- Supported HR programs and key business initiatives such as acquisitions, reorganizations, and systems automation.
- Audited performance reviews for timeliness and compliance to established metrics.
- Guided managers in all corrective actions to successful delivery following company policy and legal requirements.
- Consulted with management and HR partners on job accommodations and various multi-state leave policies and laws.
- Supported HR programs and key business initiatives such as acquisitions, reorganizations, and systems automation.
- Fostered Diversity and Inclusion initiatives to make Agilent an even better place to work by leveraging and striving for global consistency and improved HR practices.
- Provided consultation to HR partners and business teams to assess compliance of company policies and processes.
- Collaborated with senior management levels in the organization to define and execute change initiatives.
- Partnered with other HR groups (Payroll, Benefits, Risk Management, BHR) to deliver required expertise, resources, and services to drive employee engagement and satisfaction.
- Provided vendor management of EEO/AA vendor including oversight of contract and relationship.
- Managed company data to and partner with EEO/AA vendor for analysis, government reporting and audit activities.
Senior HR Manager
ProZyme Inc.
Hayward
06.2015 - 02.2019
- In partnership with the CEO, I diagnosed organization issues and implemented action plans resulting in a drastic turnover rate and increased employee engagement.
- Transformed and automated all HR functions in Recruitment, Onboarding, Training & Development, Employee Labor Relations, Benefits Administration, Compensation, Performance Management, Workers Compensation, Employee Handbook creation and implementation, Company Events Coordination, and Committee Leadership achieving over 50% savings.
- Reduced the hiring timeline by 25% through successful networking and targeted recruitment.
- Developed and monitored company branding on social media such as Glassdoor to attract the right talent applicant pool.
- Improved job descriptions format for better compliance and automated manual processes.
- Automated onboarding presentations and streamlined new hire training processes for more relevant training content to ensure better new hire experience and immediate acclimation.
- Secured 75K from the State Employee Training Panel program and delivered much needed training such as Six Sigma, Data Analysis, Project Management, Mini-MBA, and Microsoft Office Suite in support of professional development.
- Provided coaching to management on employment issues, clarify policies and procedures, and counseling to both management and staff employees to mitigate risks and ensure continued employee engagement and accountability.
- Saved $200,000+ in annual benefits and HRIS administration through the elimination of a traditional broker mode to a PEO model to leverage group volume renewal rates and efficient HRIS.
- Launched open enrollment communications and managed benefit offerings to both cost effective and design customization.
- Managed wellness programs and led the creation of an in-house mini-gym and free flu shot immunizations.
- Conducted customized salary surveys (Mercer, Radford) and developed salary levels fitting the business model.
- Bolstered safety awareness and maintenance of Workers Comp claims resulting in less than 1% claims incidence annually.
Manager, HR
Daughters of Charity Health System
Redwood City
10.2005 - 02.2015
- Solely responsible for all HR processes for multi-facility operation and shared central business office supporting 300+ employees in the areas of recruitment, training, labor relations, benefits, compensation, payroll and HRIS interface, performance management, workforce planning, workers compensation reporting and treatment referrals, ergonomics, HIPPA compliance and Corporate Responsibility.
- Partnered with management to ensure full compliance with the health system policies, federal, state, and local laws.
- Managed service contracts by negotiating service levels and best pricing resulting in 25% annual savings.
- Secured bids and introduced the first ever performance management automation from paper based to SuccessFactors.
- Managed employee benefits programs and provided timely support to employees on wide ranging benefit inquiries.
- Served in various committees (Wellness, Risk Management, Safety Compliance, and Benefits).
- Managed all aspects of employee labor relations including all workplace investigations for quick and effective resolutions.
- Responded to inquiries from EEOC, EDD, FEHA, and other governmental agencies.
- Represented the organization at unemployment benefit hearings and other litigated cases.
- Analyzed and revised job descriptions as needed to align with the relevant skillset and tasks needed.
- Conducted annual salary surveys and analyzed compensation for market competitiveness and internal equity.
Human Resource Manager
Delta Products Corporation
Fremont
06.1997 - 10.2005
- Recruited & onboarded sales engineers and other staff levels for multi-state operations across North Americas at 0 staffing costs.
- Partnered with CEO, CFO to maintain employee morale and longevity in a tough Silicon Valley job market environment.
- Managed and worked with attorneys on various immigration needs including H1, L1 and TN visas.
- Responsible for all employee relations represented by various demographics to bridge the gap between various cultures.
- Consultant to senior management on human resource matters.
- Advised managers on performance improvement and corrective actions.
- Worked closely with IT to develop automated performance appraisal process for better tracking and auditing purposes.
- Interfaced with payroll and overseas corporate office on employee changes and payroll/benefits administration issues.
Education
Bachelor of Science Degree - Organizational Behavior
University of San Francisco
Skills
- HR management
- Change Agent
- Corporate Restructuring
- HR and Payroll automated systems
- Consulting
- Negotiation
- Conflict resolution
- Workday
- ADP
- TriNet
- Kronos
- Paylocity
- Paycom
- Bamboo HR
- SuccessFactors
- Infinium
- Microsoft Office
- Windows
- Excel
- Outlook
- Employee engagement
Education Certifications Affiliations
- Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational Behavior, University of San Francisco
- SPHR Certification, up for renewal
- Green Six Sigma
- Project Management
- Statistical Analysis
- Mini-MBA
- Member, Society of Human Resources Management
Critical Skills And Qualifications
- Significant experience in HR management in healthcare, manufacturing operations, and biomedical/pharma organizations
- Experienced Change Agent through M&As, Corporate Restructuring
- Successful introduction and management of HR and Payroll automated systems
- Strong consulting, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills
- Proficient in Workday, ADP, TriNet, Kronos, Paylocity, Paycom, Bamboo HR, SuccessFactors, and Infinium
- Solid experience in Microsoft Office – Windows, Excel, Outlook
- Led numerous HR initiatives to help with retention and increased employee engagement
Timeline
Head of People
ICON Aircraft, Inc.
02.2022 - Current
Head of HR
Lonza Biologics
01.2020 - 03.2021
U.S. Country HR
Agilent Technologies
02.2019 - 01.2020
Senior HR Manager
ProZyme Inc.
06.2015 - 02.2019
Manager, HR
Daughters of Charity Health System
10.2005 - 02.2015
Human Resource Manager
Delta Products Corporation
06.1997 - 10.2005
Bachelor of Science Degree - Organizational Behavior
University of San Francisco
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