Julia Tapia

Capitalize on the opportunity to lead forward-thinking U.S.-based human resources while partnering with executives to drive strategic business decisions and execute all tactical and targeted initiatives. Recognized as a key driver of the continuing evolution of the company’s U.S. vision. Serve as a trusted consultative leader tasked with partnering with, guiding, and advising U.S.-based management, and provide subject matter expertise on employee issues to drive organizational growth. Implement talent and / or performance management, compensation and benefit programs. Act as a key change agent while designing, developing, and executing high-level projects; working with leaders to conceptualize and create new capabilities; and promoting ongoing best practices. Provide integral insight on analytics, policies, and data management, as well as on and offboarding and employment law compliance. Deliver dynamic results that support key organizational goals. Continually introduce process and system improvements to boost effectiveness and timely delivery of services, and motivate and mentor peers on key policies, procedures, and compliance. ♦ Serve as the Lead for HOYA Surgical Optics in the U.S. ♦ Direct HSOU’s Safety Program for Chino Hills and Irvine sites. ♦ Collaborate with legal counsel to consistently ensure compliance. ♦ Keep flexible and up-to-date on all industry and / or market trends. ♦ Administer U.S.-based systems, including ATS, ADP, and compliant LMS. ♦ Partner with Country Manager on all strategy and plan development efforts. ♦ Prepare annual and quarterly budgets, monitor expenditures, and analyze trends. ♦ Initiate, write, and execute all U.S.-based SOPs, training, and program management. ♦ Implement a new ATS and onboarding system from the ground up to improve efficiency. ♦ Deploy communications strategies to reinforce initiatives and improve team engagement.

Strategically steered beneficial alliances among key business leaders, including from Refinery, Recycling, Marketing, Corporate Office, and Terminal locations for influential strategic and operational initiatives. Directed a multi-site human resources team for employee recruitment, training / development, and relations, as well as compensation, workforce planning, wellness, and systems implementation. ♦ Developed and implemented a new companywide employee training program. ♦ Drove the implementation of a web-based performance management application. ♦ Partnered with site leaders to build and sustain staff morale to avoid union infiltration. ♦ Launched a new “Manager Fundamentals” training program to improve manager effectiveness.

Partnered with the US Country Manager in driving strategic business decisions and executing on strategic and tactical initiatives. Ensured activities and initiatives were flexible and conducive to increasing business results while mitigating risks. Provided consultation and delivery of HR programs and services.

Spearheaded the design, development, and implementation of global corporate- and manufacturing-centric human resources strategies, including collaborating with management to evaluate key needs. Conceptualized and developed targeted training strategies and programs to meet operational requirements, and led employee engagement programs while promoting positive employee relations. Consistently adhered to all policies, procedures, and practices while serving as a “go-to” resource for management and liaison to legal teams to mitigate risk. Upheld knowledge of all current labor laws. Noted as a critical liaison for international employees, including providing ramp-up resources and managing organizational change during the consolidation of Japanese and Swiss plants into a Monrovia location. Developed or enhanced workforce planning, recruitment / talent management, organizational effectiveness, and performance management, as well as training / development communication programs. ♦ Competitively negotiated vendor contracts to save substantial company costs. ♦ Reduced agency temp employee mark-up fees by 15% via new rate negotiations. ♦ Deployed the STAAR employee handbook to reduce liability and promote equality. ♦ Proactively ensured an organizational culture that enabled employee development. ♦ Partnered with a corporate compensation team to structure new hire compensation. ♦ Established new ATS from needs analysis through to contract negotiations and launch. ♦ Led a 360-degree review program and coached directors on feedback and key strategies. ♦ Coached senior leadership and middle management on complex human resources issues. ♦ Introduced the organization’s first-ever Affirmative Action (AA) Program as an AA Officer.

Leveraged broad scope of industry knowledge toward optimizing human resources functions, including driving all recruitment, training, and employee relations, as well as investigations as required. ♦ Ensured the seamless, issue-free physical location to a Camas, WA site. ♦ Led effective informational meetings and promoted continuous communication. ♦ Rebuilt the recruitment program throughout the business unit to acquire top-notch talent.

Delivered excellence in strategic project leadership while promoting standardized business practices across four (4) facilities in California and Mexico. Led a team of three (3) employees in meeting goals. Directed all human resources, including workforce planning, recruitment, talent management, and employee relations through compensation, benefits, safety, payroll, and regulatory compliance. Cost-effectively administered a department budget. Partnered with facilities’ senior managers to align human resources and business strategies. Mitigated risk by liaising among internal and external teams. ♦ Reduced outsourced labor costs 40% by negotiating vendors’ fee mark-ups. ♦ Developed all policies and procedures, as well as a updating a union handbook. ♦ Recognized as a change management lead for a PeopleSoft to Kronos migration effort. ♦ Passed an internal audit of a new safety program at a La Mirada facility to reduce accident rates and workers’ compensation costs, improve employee morale, and minimize liability. ♦ Spearheaded the restructuring of a Tijuana-based facility’s compensation, including aligning salary and non-exempt structure with U.S. standards; defining title, pay, and grade changes; negotiating pay increases; creating a communication plan; and rolling out change within deadline and in-budget while maintaining employee morale. ♦ Led the implementation of Oracle ERP in Los Angeles and Tijuana facilities, including significantly improving accounting compliance and reporting efficiency.