Melissa Symanski

About Melissa Symanski

I graduated from the Ithaca College, Roy H. Park School of Communications with my Bachelor\'s degree in Communication Management and Design. I earned my Master’s degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at the Harvard Extension School, and I am working in Talent & Organizational Development at Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Inc.

Experience

1. Senior Talent and Organizational Development Specialist

   Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH)

   Oct 2023 — Present · Waltham, MA, US

   Acting Organizational Development Lead for Talent Development Team Serve as an internal Organizational Effectiveness consultant, partnering with the CEO, Principals, and Division and Region Heads to design workforce and organizational structures that supported business strategy, including clarifying leadership roles, decision rights, and accountability. Lead firmwide workforce assessments to understand current-state capabilities and future skill needs, using surveys, interviews, focus groups, and employee experience data to inform leadership decisions related to development, retention, and succession. Designed and delivered a 2-day, in-person Supervisory Leadership Development program focused on building foundational people leadership skills for new managers. Program-manage strategic talent pipeline initiatives, including SGH\'s national internship program, by defining workforce goals, establishing governance, coordinating cross-functional stakeholders, and providing regular updates to executive leadership. Supervise the onboarding and project work of Talent Development Coordinators and interns while improving tools, learning frameworks, and delivery approaches to better support long-term workforce capability building. Support operating model design incorporating Agile principles such as clear ownership, rapid feedback, and continuous improvement.

Education

• Ithaca College

  Bachelor's Degree, Communications Management & Design

• Harvard Extension School

  Graduate Certificate, Organizational Behavior

• Harvard Extension School

  Master's degree, Industrial and Organizational Psychology

Skills

• Advertising
• Microsoft Word
• Management
• Graphic Design
• Powerpoint
• Microsoft Excel
• Social Media
• Leadership
• Project Management
• Adobe Indesign
• Event Planning
• Public Speaking
• Salesforce
• Social Networking
• Research
• Social Media Marketing
• Facebook
• Adobe Illustrator
• Pardot
• Customer Service
• Writing
• Fundraising
• Event Management
• Photoshop
• Strategic Communications
• Editing
• Problem Solving
• Microsoft Office