Kara Senese

About Kara Senese

I am a strategic, empathetic, and results-driven Talent Acquisition executive with deep experience designing and executing enterprise TA strategies for mid-size through Fortune 10 organizations. I specialize in aligning talent strategy to business outcomes while building scalable, high-performing recruiting organizations that deliver in complex, fast-moving environments.I have led enterprise and international talent acquisition teams, supporting hiring across healthcare, technology, retail, franchise operations, distribution centers, and high-volume hourly call center environments. My leadership focus is on building operationally efficient, data-driven TA functions while maintaining a strong candidate and hiring leader experience.I am consistently tapped as the go-to leader for business-critical, high-impact, and high-stakes initiatives—including transformations, turnarounds, pandemic, and time-sensitive hiring challenges—where outcomes matter and execution must be flawless. I bring calm, clarity, and decisive leadership to complex problems, particularly when the business is under pressure.A core strength of mine is developing leaders and building bench strength. I have a strong reputation for coaching, sponsoring, and advancing talent, with multiple team members promoted into expanded leadership roles under my guidance. I believe the strongest TA organizations are built through trust, accountability, and intentional talent development.I am passionate about partnering with senior leaders, scaling modern TA operating models, advancing equitable hiring practices, and ensuring talent acquisition is viewed as a strategic advantage—not a transactional function.

Experience

1. Director, Talent Acquisition - Data & Analytics

   CVS Health

   Aug 2021 — Present

   I lead the TA strategy and execution for the Data and Analytics teams. These teams support multiple business segments: retail stores and pharmacy, PBM, HCM, Product, Specialty, Aetna insurance. My team, which consists of twenty eight people, support and consult hiring leaders to staff roles such as ML Engineers, Decision Scientists, Cloud Engineers, Data Scientists, Data Engineers, etc.

Education

• Loyola University Chicago

  BBA, Marketing

  1995 — 1999

Skills

• District Management
• Talent Management
• Conflict Resolution
• Team Leadership
• Loss Prevention
• Team Management
• Hiring
• Applicant Tracking Systems
• Driving Results
• Talent Acquisition
• Sourcing
• Leadership
• Time Management
• Training
• Performance Management
• Employee Training
• Profit
• Employee Engagement
• Store Management
• Temporary Placement
• College Recruiting
• Store Operations
• Team Building
• Management
• Human Resources
• Building Relationships
• Employee Relations
• Networking
• Internet Recruiting
• Interviews
• New Hire Orientations
• Retail
• Recruiting
• Succession Planning
• Visual Merchandising
• Merchandising
• Onboarding