Amanda Hawthorne Penharlow, PHR
Director of People & Culture at Managed Solution- Claim this Profile
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Bio
Stephen Russell
Above all else, Amanda is a people person. Her happy demeanor and outgoing personality made her an amazing candidate for Security Receptionist at our Rancho Bernardo Data Center. Unfortunately while I enjoyed having her on my team, when a position in Human Resources opened up, I not only give her up, but strongly recommended her for the position. Since then, she has continued to grow with redIT and now leads the HR department. Amanda is an asset to the company as a whole and makes great effort to grow any role that she is in.
Stephen Russell
Above all else, Amanda is a people person. Her happy demeanor and outgoing personality made her an amazing candidate for Security Receptionist at our Rancho Bernardo Data Center. Unfortunately while I enjoyed having her on my team, when a position in Human Resources opened up, I not only give her up, but strongly recommended her for the position. Since then, she has continued to grow with redIT and now leads the HR department. Amanda is an asset to the company as a whole and makes great effort to grow any role that she is in.
Stephen Russell
Above all else, Amanda is a people person. Her happy demeanor and outgoing personality made her an amazing candidate for Security Receptionist at our Rancho Bernardo Data Center. Unfortunately while I enjoyed having her on my team, when a position in Human Resources opened up, I not only give her up, but strongly recommended her for the position. Since then, she has continued to grow with redIT and now leads the HR department. Amanda is an asset to the company as a whole and makes great effort to grow any role that she is in.
Stephen Russell
Above all else, Amanda is a people person. Her happy demeanor and outgoing personality made her an amazing candidate for Security Receptionist at our Rancho Bernardo Data Center. Unfortunately while I enjoyed having her on my team, when a position in Human Resources opened up, I not only give her up, but strongly recommended her for the position. Since then, she has continued to grow with redIT and now leads the HR department. Amanda is an asset to the company as a whole and makes great effort to grow any role that she is in.
Credentials
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PHR
HR Certification Institute - HRCIJan, 2016- Nov, 2024
Experience
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Managed Solution
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United States
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Information Technology & Services
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1 - 100 Employee
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Director of People & Culture
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Oct 2015 - Present
Leads the People & Culture strategy at a 75-person IT services firm with employees in states across the US. Proud to have helped build a dynamic, hybrid work culture that was recognized as a Best Place to Work in 2022 by the San Diego Business Journal and as a Top Workplace by the SD Union-Tribune in 2020. Successfully meets organizational staffing goals, recruiting and onboarding positions ranging from intern to VP, including hard-to-fill technical roles. Increased process efficiency… Show more Leads the People & Culture strategy at a 75-person IT services firm with employees in states across the US. Proud to have helped build a dynamic, hybrid work culture that was recognized as a Best Place to Work in 2022 by the San Diego Business Journal and as a Top Workplace by the SD Union-Tribune in 2020. Successfully meets organizational staffing goals, recruiting and onboarding positions ranging from intern to VP, including hard-to-fill technical roles. Increased process efficiency and candidate engagement by implementing process automation and structured recruiting workflows, allowing HR and hiring manager to focus more on the humans in front of them. Analyzed employee survey data to provide meaningful, data-driven recommendations for strategic HR initiatives, including flexible scheduling and remote work policies (before Covid-19 made it the norm!). Leveraged available state/local funding programs to support training of new hires and existing staff, winning a $50k training reimbursement grant through the state of California and multiple On-the-Job-Training funding awards totaling $100k+. Coached new and experienced managers on a broad range of employee situations, coordinating with outside legal counsel as necessary. Managed ADA-related accommodation requests and leaves of absence, including FMLA/CFRA, navigating a complex landscape of local, state, and national regulations. Designs and administers a robust benefits program to meet the needs of a diverse and geographically distributed population. Show less Leads the People & Culture strategy at a 75-person IT services firm with employees in states across the US. Proud to have helped build a dynamic, hybrid work culture that was recognized as a Best Place to Work in 2022 by the San Diego Business Journal and as a Top Workplace by the SD Union-Tribune in 2020. Successfully meets organizational staffing goals, recruiting and onboarding positions ranging from intern to VP, including hard-to-fill technical roles. Increased process efficiency… Show more Leads the People & Culture strategy at a 75-person IT services firm with employees in states across the US. Proud to have helped build a dynamic, hybrid work culture that was recognized as a Best Place to Work in 2022 by the San Diego Business Journal and as a Top Workplace by the SD Union-Tribune in 2020. Successfully meets organizational staffing goals, recruiting and onboarding positions ranging from intern to VP, including hard-to-fill technical roles. Increased process efficiency and candidate engagement by implementing process automation and structured recruiting workflows, allowing HR and hiring manager to focus more on the humans in front of them. Analyzed employee survey data to provide meaningful, data-driven recommendations for strategic HR initiatives, including flexible scheduling and remote work policies (before Covid-19 made it the norm!). Leveraged available state/local funding programs to support training of new hires and existing staff, winning a $50k training reimbursement grant through the state of California and multiple On-the-Job-Training funding awards totaling $100k+. Coached new and experienced managers on a broad range of employee situations, coordinating with outside legal counsel as necessary. Managed ADA-related accommodation requests and leaves of absence, including FMLA/CFRA, navigating a complex landscape of local, state, and national regulations. Designs and administers a robust benefits program to meet the needs of a diverse and geographically distributed population. Show less
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KIO
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Mexico
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IT Services and IT Consulting
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700 & Above Employee
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HR Manager
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Aug 2013 - Sep 2015
Responsible for US talent management strategies at an international IT services company with two San Diego facilities and 60+ US employees. Successfully supported strong business outcomes during a time of significant change: acquisition, executive team turnover, and rapid expansion of US operations. DEPARTMENT HEAD: Promoted twice in two years. Responsible for policy/handbook review, compliance, compensation strategy, & annual HR budget. Hired, supervised an HR Specialist. Developed… Show more Responsible for US talent management strategies at an international IT services company with two San Diego facilities and 60+ US employees. Successfully supported strong business outcomes during a time of significant change: acquisition, executive team turnover, and rapid expansion of US operations. DEPARTMENT HEAD: Promoted twice in two years. Responsible for policy/handbook review, compliance, compensation strategy, & annual HR budget. Hired, supervised an HR Specialist. Developed policies to increase retention & employee satisfaction, and improve company profitability. BUSINESS PARTNER: Performed needs analyses to identify and remedy gaps in skills, training, and job functions. Worked with management to develop & communicate career-pathing programs. HR TECHNOLOGIST: Developed proficiency in multiple HR Information Systems (SuccessFactors, Paylocity, Zenefits); mastery of compensation software (Payscale Insight); and a strong knowledge of LinkedIn recruiter tools, CATS Applicant Tracking System, SurveyMonkey analytics, & Google Apps. RECRUITMENT+ONBOARDING: On-boarded 40+ employees and temps, ranging from entry- to executive-level. Reduced reliance on outside recruiting. Oversaw pre-hire activities: employee background checks; international visa procurement (TN, H1B, Green Card); and verification of work eligibility through E-Verify. CULTURAL CHAMPION: Reduced turnover 37%. Restructured time-off policies; instituted a workplace bullying policy; and increased positive responses on the Great Place to Work survey from 68% (2013) to 92% (2015). Planned all staff events. TRAINING+DEVELOPMENT: Implemented reimbursement policy for professional development & certification. Developed means to track employee certification, training metrics. BENEFITS SPECIALIST: Executed two successful open enrollment periods. Responsible for plan selection; employer contribution rate determination; and communication efforts. Implemented online benefits enrollment/management tool.
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Security Receptionist
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Dec 2012 - Aug 2013
redIT supports the global IT community with private, customizable cloud services and data centers in the southwestern U.S. and Latin America. redIT enables its clients to focus resources on what drives their competitive advantage – not the distractions of owning and managing IT. -Professionally interfaced with clients as brand ambassador and customer-service representative. -Managed facility access in accordance with SSAE‐16 audited security procedures. -Provided high-quality… Show more redIT supports the global IT community with private, customizable cloud services and data centers in the southwestern U.S. and Latin America. redIT enables its clients to focus resources on what drives their competitive advantage – not the distractions of owning and managing IT. -Professionally interfaced with clients as brand ambassador and customer-service representative. -Managed facility access in accordance with SSAE‐16 audited security procedures. -Provided high-quality, high-level support to marketing, facilities, network-operations, and accounting departments. -Wrote, revised, and XHTML-formatted training articles and procedural outlines for publication on internal Wiki.
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Education
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2014 - 2019
University of California, San Diego
Extension Program - HR Certificate, Human Resources Management and Services -
2008 - 2012
University of California, Davis
Bachelor of Science, Human Development
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