Vanessa W.

About Vanessa W.

A leader with strong experience leading, mentoring, and strategizing with managers in employee and labor relations issues in distribution, food manufacturing, higher education and rail industries. I have a solid record in driving change, reducing financial risk and mitigating exposure via case management. I currently hold my PHR. PRINCIPAL STRENGTHS: Leading and developing human resource employee and labor relations professionals, spreading employee relations expertise across organizations through effective policy development, relevant training across cross-functional teams, coaching and counseling, and assertive contract interpretation. Serving as subject-matter expert on Company Policies, exceptions, collective bargaining agreements and best practices. Monitoring investigations and mitigating charges, claims, grievances and allegations of unfair treatment and discrimination. Maintaining positive relationships with all levels of staff including senior level executives. Reducing union interference in unionized facilities by serving as a solid anchor for managers and human resources professionals, strengthening management skills, confidence and establishing appropriate relationships with labor representatives across the United States.

Experience

1. Plant Human Resources Manager

   Lala Branded Products, Llc

   Apr 2025 — Present · Omaha, NE, US

   Serve as a strategic business partner to executive leadership, aligning HR initiatives with organizational goals. Develops and executes HR strategy to support growth, operational excellence, and culture. Provide counsel on workforce planning, organizational design, and succession planning. Oversee employee relations, investigations, corrective actions, and conflict resolution. Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations. Manages HR policies, audits, and risk mitigation strategies. Lead, coach, and develop HR team members. Builds strong partnerships with operations, finance, and legal teams.Key Highlights Oversee all day-to-day human resources functions for a manufacturing facility supporting 194 employees. Administer provisions for the collective bargaining agreement and local addendum. Conduct and document employee investigations, providing clear, objective, and defensible investigation reports. Drove process improvements that achieved more than in cost savings across employee engagement activities and plant supply spending. Led the resolution of Paid Sick Leave Act grievances, mitigating substantial liability exposure and addressing broader operational concerns within the plant. Managed the duties and responsibilities of four HR staff members. Forged relationships with union leadership and union representatives and managed union contracts.

Education

• University of Nebraska

  Master’s of Public Administration, Organizational Development

  1992 — 1995

• Alternate Dispute Resolution, Creighton University

  Master’s, Arbitration and Negotiations

  2008