Valeriya Chunikhin

About Valeriya Chunikhin

Growing a business is hard. HR shouldn’t make it harder.I work with small and mid-size businesses that need expert HR support and strategic growth guidance without hiring full-time. I help founders and leaders build their teams, implement practical people systems, and develop partnerships that create real business impact.In my career, I’ve built HR systems from the ground up: hiring, onboarding, payroll, benefits, and core people processes. I’ve partnered with leadership to structure teams, manage performance, and navigate organizational change - all while ensuring compliance across multiple jurisdictions to reduce risk and keep operations running smoothly. I’ve also explored and developed strategic partnerships, identifying opportunities, negotiating agreements, and implementing initiatives that strengthen business growth and stakeholder relationships.In addition to working with businesses, I also support individuals as a career consultant and resume advisor, helping professionals clarify their direction, position their experience, and confidently move to the next step in their careers.If you’re a founder, leader, or professional looking for HR support, strategic growth guidance, or career coaching - send me a DM. I’m happy to see how I can help.

Experience

1. Director of People Operations and Parnerships Outreach

   United Help Ukraine

   Jul 2023 — Present

   Led end-to-end HR and people operations while supporting organizational growth through strategic partnerships across the U.S. and Ukraine. Served as a trusted advisor to leadership, building scalable HR infrastructure and external relationships to support a growing, mission-driven organization- Owned the full HR function, including compliance, payroll, benefits, HR systems, and employee relations, ensuring consistent and compliant people operations across multiple geographies- Built HR processes and policies from the ground up, enabling the organization to scale efficiently while maintaining a positive employee experience- Led talent acquisition and workforce planning efforts, supporting rapid team growth and improving hiring outcomes through streamlined onboarding and structured recruitment processes- Designed and managed compensation and benefits programs aligned with budget constraints, market benchmarks, and organizational values- Partnered closely with executive team on organizational design, performance management, and change initiatives to support business objectives- Developed and implemented performance management and development frameworks that improved engagement, accountability, and retention- Drove inclusive people practices to foster a respectful, supportive, and high-performing workplace- Established and managed strategic partnerships with vendors, service providers, and external organizations to expand hiring pipelines, improve service delivery, and support operational scalability-Identified and negotiated partnership opportunities that enhanced the organization’s market positioning among leading nonprofits, improved cost efficiency, and contributed to fundraising growth- Acted as a cross-functional connector between leadership, operations, and external partners to support sustainable growth and long-term workforce strategy.

Education

• Tampere University

  Master's Degree, Social Sciences

  2004 — 2006

• Murray State University

  non-degree, Journalism and Mass Communication

  2002 — 2003

• H. S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University

  Master's Degree, Linguistics

  2000 — 2005

Skills

• E-Procurement
• Localization Testing
• Interviews
• E-Verify
• Screening
• Hiring
• Coordination
• Payroll Services
• I-9 Compliance
• Software Documentation
• Resource Mapping
• Talent Acquisition
• Onboarding
• Localization
• Hris
• HR Policies
• IT Recruitment
• Staffing Services
• Human Resources
• Vendor Management
• Temporary Placement
• Internet Recruiting
• Databases
• Active Ts/Sci Clearance
• Employee Relations
• Manuals
• Globalization
• Quality Assurance
• Translation
• Project Management
• Language Teaching
• Performance Management
• Recruiting
• Benefits Administration
• Technical Translation
• Linguistics
• Proofreading
• Resource Management
• Internationalization
• Website Localization