National Louis University

Triton College

Talent Acquisition Consultant  -  passionate about plant based and vegan CPG

Onboarding Support: Responsible for creating accounts on the Promomash platform during the onboarding process for new clients. Ensure a smooth and efficient timeline to help clients achieve success.
 
Promotion Management: Responsible for adding promotions from brands or broker spreadsheets of promo submission forms. Handle internal promo plans and calendars, making sure all promotions are accurately represented on the platform.
 
Excel Proficiency: Utilize Excel to manage administrative support tasks, efficiently handle the brand's requirements, and assist relationship managers in delivering world-class service to clients.
 
Collaborative Client Support: Work closely with clients and relationship managers, and play a vital role in maintaining their promotional plan and account on the Promomash platform. Effectively listen and communicate with clients and internal stakeholders.
 
Deduction Knowledge: Familiarity with deductions contributes to a comprehensive understanding of client needs and potential areas for improvement.
 
Project Management: Strong project management skills to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, prioritize responsibilities, and meet deadlines effectively.
 
Organization and Communication: Exceptional organizational skills ensure that all client-related documentation, data, and information are well-maintained and easily accessible. Strong written and verbal communication skills promote value when interacting with clients and colleagues.

Promomash

Trade Promotion Support Specialist/Trade Analyst

Complete spoilage, sampling, and temperature checks as required.

Follow department procedures for preparing, storing, rotating, and stocking of products.

Replenish store products with backstock and new Receiving.

Support national, regional, and store programs via resets and attractive displays.

Provide excellent customer service, and address the needs of customers in a timely and effective manner.

Perform opening, mid, and closing duties, and ensure accuracy of signs and pricing.

Whole Foods Market

Whole Body Team Member/Tier 1 Culture Champion/June Employee of the Month

Ecommerce Team Member

Led the customer service department fielding order calls, emails, and online customer inquiries.

Managed and mentored 2 direct reports.  

Performed complex problem resolution for issues such as order damages, lost orders, and dissatisfied customers.

Filed damage reports with UPS and USPS and recouped over $ 4,000 via insurance claims.

Wrote over 100 SOPs to document all processes and procedures.

Assisted Marketing in maintaining the Shopify website.

Merz Apothecary

Customer Service Manager/Ecommerce

I match the best talent with mission driven companies in the natural/organic consumer packaged goods industry.  I source, screen and present candidates to startups/emerging/scaling/high growth brands.  My specialization is working with plant based, alt protein, upcycled, sustainable/regenerative agriculture focused brands.

● Partner with hiring managers to develop the most effective recruitment process and strategy for each role.
● Create job requisitions and job postings to attract the most qualified talent on ATS, traditional and college job boards.
● Source passive candidates for hard to fill roles via LinkedIn Recruiter, Indeed, Boolean logic.
● Create screening questions, conduct phone/video interviews, and provide candidate slates to hiring managers.
● Utilize ATS talent pool as well as tap into personal network of 4500+ connections.
● Function as a brand ambassador for the client and provide an exceptional candidate experience.
● Update hiring managers weekly on job progress, present reports, and solutions to current challenges.
● Placed well suited motivated candidates with well-known food and beverage CPG (consumer goods) companies nationwide.
● Sourced and screened over 200 candidates for brand ambassador roles with Aspire Drinks.
● For a Director level role with a startup, I sourced 100 candidates, presented 11 candidates, 1 of the candidates was hired and is still retained.

I have also advised job seekers on how to go about their job search and share opportunities when available.

Flowering Fields Recruiting

Business Owner - Talent Acquisition Consultant/Recruiter

I creatively sourced and presented highly qualified candidates to high growth scaling clients in Natural CPG and other industries. Clients and candidates were nationwide, with some roles being remote while other were hybrid or onsite.

●	Was responsible for up to 10 specialized requisitions for various clients simultaneously, while also assisting colleagues with sourcing and screening candidates.
●	On average 100-200 candidates were sourced and contacted per role.
●	Utilized ATS/applications for additional talent resources as well as tapping into my personal network of connections which in turn increased the talent pipeline.
●	Updated hiring managers weekly on job progress, present reports and candidate lists when requested.
●	Placed 20+ candidates with well-known CPG companies nationwide including Good Belly, CAULIPOWER, NadaMoo!, MUSH, Clio Snacks, Farmers Fridge, Vital Farms.
●	Assisted colleagues with roles for: The Jackfruit Company, HOPE Foods, Ripple, A2 Milk, Gotham Greens, Serenity Kids and Safe + Fair Company.
●	Filled various entry level to VP roles in Operations/Production, QC/Food Safety, Sales and Marketing.
●	Attended local CPG events sponsored by Chicagoland Food and Beverage, FoodBytes and Naturally Chicago.
●	Established extensive relationships with CPG companies and contacts in the Natural industry.
●	Created various lists of startup and venture capital companies to aid with candidate search and for prospecting new clients.

Creative Alignments

CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) Agency Recruiter

As a talent acquisition department of one, I was responsible for sourcing, recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and training hourly remote brand ambassadors in 10 geographic areas, averaging 150+ hires per year. I consulted with regional managers regarding their hiring needs to determine the strategy, timeline, and qualifications needed.  I also managed and coached 25 hourly brand ambassadors in 6 states.

● Negotiated market-based hourly pay rate with President, increased minimum rate from $15 to $17/hour, resulting in quality hires and higher retention rate.
● Implemented and developed a Career/Jobs page with a built-in job application.
● Joined 200+ brand ambassador groups on Facebook to recruit top candidates with no ad cost, resulting in 50% more candidates.
● Recruited and performed onboarding process for 150+ hourly hires per year in 10 geographical regions.
● Implemented and developed a brand ambassador referral program.
● Successfully managed regional monthly product campaigns, for 10-15 clients at a time.
● Actively pursued potential clients and partnership opportunities at trade shows to aid with business development, resulting in a continued revenue stream for the company.
● Managed Firebrand’s social media profiles on Facebook and LinkedIn. Posted articles about new trending products, current clients, sustainability initiatives, grocery chains, and recruitment ads.

Firebrand Marketing

National Talent Acquisition Manager/Recruiter , Team Leader and Market Manager

I was responsible for sourcing, recruiting, hiring, onboarding and training and coaching 10 hourly remote brand ambassadors in Seattle metro area and Northern California.  I also was a Regional Manager responsible for the Pacific Northwest.

● Wrote job descriptions and posted positions via Craigslist for hourly brand ambassadors in OR, WA and CA
● Conducted phone and in-person interviews, contacted references, and sent offer letters.
● Hired, trained, coached, and managed 10 brand ambassadors.
● Resolved issues and conflicts between brand ambassadors and stores.
● Utilized Dropbox and for HR files and Promomash for demo schedules.
● Effective communication increased brand ambassador engagement and retention.
●	Supported existing business accounts and acquired new vendor relationships with Whole Foods, New Seasons, Market of Choice, Target, PMIDPI (largest independent natural foods broker) and UNFI (nationwide natural foods distributor). Gained additional retail accounts and increased sales by connecting with buyers and store personnel in person and via cold calling. Efforts achieved increased shelf space and additional, consistent purchase orders.
●	Generated weekly reports and dashboards to summarize my teams’ activity for management highlighting sales information per region. Audited and tracked product inventory per account.
●	Designed exhaustive Sales Support Reference Library on DropBox for management which included sales spreadsheets, employee dashboards, marketing materials, distributor applications, promotional calendars for grocery chains, product photos and labels, broker reports, distribution reports, master spreadsheet for all national accounts and potential new business.
●	Authored PowerPoint presentations for sales team to present to potential clients showcasing company mission, current sales accounts, and product features.

Bitsy's

Regional Talent Acquisition Manager, Team Lead and Sales Manager

I was hired by brands to demonstrate, promote and sell various natural food, beverage and skincare products at various grocery and department stores as well as trade shows and special events.


●	Demonstrated, promoted, and sold natural food and beverage products at Whole Foods, Mariano’s, New Seasons Market, Market of Choice, Zupan’s and local independent stores and co-ops. Performed demos for luxury skincare and cosmetic products at Sephora, Macy’s, and Nordstrom.
●	 Food and beverage demo experience includes BluePrint Juice, Purely Elizabeth Granola, Dang Foods, Bhakti Chai, Choice Tea, Dr. Praeger's, Toby's Dips, Health Ade Kombucha, Brew Dr. Kombucha, The Better Bean, Pok Pok Som, Peeled Snacks, Organic Valley, Good Belly, Nutpods, Biena Snacks, Taza Chocolate.
●	Skincare demo experience includes Philosophy, Dr. Hauschska, Dr. Dennis Gross, Aubrey Organics, Nourish Organics, Dermanew, Tweezerman, Astara.
●	Built new relationships with customers by offering a memorable experience that provides a story, a sample, and one on one attention. Provided product knowledge and educated store employees to encourage product promotion to customers after demos have been completed.
●	Duties included providing product samples and demoing proper usage, conducting inventory count before and after demos, merchandising shelves and replenishing stock when necessary. Maintained positive and communicative relationships with relevant store contacts and discussed new products and any issues. Reported demo sales and customer and employee feedback to clients in a timely manner.

Phaedra Fields

Independent Contractor- Field Marketing for Nat/Org Food/Beverage/Skincare Brands

●	Performed invoice and commission reconciliation and contacted clients to resolve billing issues.
●	Managed and distributed quarterly point of distribution reports to 80+ food/beverage clients.
●	Maintained office calendar and scheduled meetings.
●	Created a variety of Excel spreadsheets to aid Office Support, Account Managers and President.
●	Composed office procedure documents to aid employees for out of office coverage and time off policies.

When client Godiva Chocolate visited the office, I made chocolate covered bacon that was a huge hit!

Signature Specialty Sales & Marketing

Food Brokerage Office Administrator

●	Researched and audited natural and organic product information obtained via sales reports from grocery stores, cleaned info so it could be used in consumer trend reports. 
●	Wrote "Green Scene" articles for newsletter, discussing client products and trends.
●	Created and managed in house sustainability initiatives(houseplants for employees desks, handmade shopping bags, natural cleaning products for office, double sided printing setting), monthly food and beverage tastings, and lunch n learns with industry leaders.

SPINS

Natural & Organic Product Expert

I created natural face and body care products as well as upcycled soy candles.  All products are gluten free and vegan.

Phaedra Fields, SHRM-CP