Heather McDonald

heatherdmcdonald944@[Link]
412-915-9441
[Link]

I’m a results-driven HR leader with over 25 years of experience in several industries. I

have over 20 years of experience in talent acquisitions, employee relations,
organizational development, succession planning, and employee/leadership training.
I’ve led union negotiations to ratify contracts and I have extensive employee relations
experience. Working with companies that range from 300 employees to 40,000
employees comes with ease. I’ve worked in both union and non-union environments
with Fortune 500 organizations. I’m a servant leader with a history of managing team
members to achieve greater productivity and to help employees advance within the
organization.

Employee Relations ♦ Succession Planning ♦ Union & Non-Union Negotiations ♦

Benefits ♦ Talent Management ♦ Professional Development ♦ Leadership
Coaching ♦ Policy Guidance ♦ Staffing

Professional Experience

Novelis Aluminum, Uhrichsville, Ohio

Manufacturing union facility. Over 30k employees worldwide privately owned
Human Resources Manager March 2023 to January 2024

• Developed and implemented a recruitment strategy to hire and

retain top talent. We brought in over 150 people in a 12-month period and
retained 72% of the people.
• Provide support for over 450 employees, 350 union members and
100 salary employee to ensure a positive work experience.
• Led high performance team to create a good culture for all
employees to interact with the team on the floor and have activities that the
employees can participate in.
• Created attendance policy, Drug & Alcohol policy for the facility.
 • Implemented Apprenticeship program for union employees that
would make them state certified within 4 years.
• Strategic business leader with proven skills in leading affective
teams that build trust and makes employees feel comfortable.
• Led succession planning to determine areas of strength and
opportunities to improve the team and insure growth.
• Delivered training that both salary and hourly team members took
take part in on subjects such as the CBA as well as policies and procedures.
• Listen to employees concerns and appropriately suggest solutions
to ensure communication between leadership and team members.
• I’ve worked with all levels of management to ensure union
grievances were handled in a timely manner within the NLBR guidelines.

Pixelle Specialty Solutions, Chillicothe, OH

Manufacturing facility with high revenue, union facility. Over 3,000 employees and 3
union contracts
Human Resources Manager Nov. 2020 thru March 2023

• Oversaw the talent review and succession planning process

for the Chillicothe operations. Communicated regularly with leaders to
ensure implementation of established gap closure and related talent
recommendations. Manpower planning and management: lead in the talent
acquisition process in interviewing coordination and hiring of
qualified job applicants, particularly for managerial, exempt, and
professional roles.
• Responsible for Identifying and implementing corporate culture
enhancing practices and activities that promote associate engagement,
appreciation, and recognition.
• Oversee and enforcement environmental and safety programs and
ensure compliance with reporting requirements.
• Conduct and/or support accident/incident investigations to discover
root causes and implement countermeasures as well as maintain good employee
relations.
• Oversee associates’ relations programs including investigations,
disciplinary actions, and terminations.
 • Manage unemployment procedures and required correspondences.
• Manage pay practices and programs to include performance
appraisal system, merit & promotional increases ensuring comprehension by
associates.
• Manage workers compensation and main liaison with TPA, BWC,
etc.
• Serve on the Chillicothe Mill negotiating team and as
administrator of the labor agreement and work rules at all steps of the
grievance procedure, including arbitration of labor disputes.
• Coordinates labor relations activities with legal counsel.
• Train all levels of management and supervision on the
application and interpretation of labor agreement.
• Coordinates, develops, and ensures a sound labor relations
program.
• Serving as a lead representative with union officials pertaining
to management's decisions regarding disciplinary actions, promotions,
demotions, transfers, separations, layoffs, grievances, contract
administration, and other related matters.
• Oversees the administration of the hourly job evaluation
program and salaried performance management program.
• Assesses performance evaluation results, identify trends/gaps,
and develop/implement communications and training programs to
continuously improve.
• Serve as resource to leaders and employees to address
performance issues, benefit and compensation issues, policy interpretation,
organizational structure changes, and other human resource matters.
• Active participant and partner in the development and
implementation of Continuous Improvement (CI) initiatives.
• Deliver and coordinate overall internal communication needs
with corporate human resources function including issues of benefits &
compensation, corporate policies, and other issues as directed.
• Oversees and manages the execution of the talent acquisition
program to collaborate with hiring managers to secure and meet required
staffing needs in a timely manner. Recruit, interview, screen, and
recommend personnel for positions at the mill leadership level.
 • Consults with leadership on human resources issues such as
discipline, grievances, training, staffing, promotions, transfers and other
similar matters.
• Serves on the Safety Advisory Committee, providing input
toward the development and implementation of an effective safety program
for the prevention of injuries and an effective fire prevention program
throughout the mill.
• Develops, implements, and conducts training programs for all
levels of mill-based employees. Develops or assists in developing and
implementing organizational development programs.

USG (United States Gypsum), Aliquippa, PA

Manufacturing facility 3.3 billion in revenue, operating worldwide with 2,400 employees.
Regional Human Resources Manager Feb. 2020 thru Nov. 2020

• Provided support to 3 facilities, one in WV and 2 in PA.

• Traveled to all 3 facilities to ensure proper process and procedures
were followed and they were consistent throughout the company.
• Interview candidates for open positions.
• Conduct employee benefit meetings during open enrollment.
• Strategic development for all positions and reviewed whom should
be advancing.
• Provide training on safety and audit the safety programs.
• Conduct quarterly audits of all safety policies and procedures.

Dresser NGS (Natural Gas Solutions) Bradford, PA

Manufacturing facility 1.5 billion revenue, operating worldwide with 500 employees.
Human Resources Manager Nov. 2018 thru Aug. 2019

• Led union negotiations to achieve a successful contract that will

ensure profitability and sustainability.
• Serving as Human Resource manager, developed plant objectives
and human resource processes and procedures to be facilitated to over 300
employees’ plant wide.
 • Write policies and procedures through effective planning, analysis
then communicate it through the various levels of management.
• Ensure the execution of key plant HR initiatives and processes
to drive continuous improvement in all areas of Human Resources to
include organization effectiveness, staffing, labor and employee relations,
performance management, training and development, benefits, employment
practices and legal compliance.
• Provide support through coaching and educating managers,
supervisors on problem solving, policies, procedures and good business
practices.
• Support organizational change and continuous improvement
through LEAN business practices and ensure successful change management
when situations are addressed.
• Guide team through strategy and manage overall culture at the
plant and maintain a positive labor/employee relations environment.
• Lead the talent management efforts including succession planning,
competency development, process planning, career planning, retention efforts,
and development activities throughout the plant.
• Lead and direct plant HR activities to support the achievement
of plant performance metrics in the areas of Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost,
Productivity & People.

Calfrac Well Services, Smithfield, PA

Hydraulic fracturing with 750,000 million revenue, operating in 4 countries with 3,500
employees.
Sr. HR Advisor Feb. 2017 thru July 2018

• Served as internal business consultant and played a key role on the

leadership team regarding human capital management. Travel between
Pennsylvania, Colorado, North Dakota, and Arkansas to ensure best business
practices were being followed.
• Managing over 3,000 employees to ensure all policies and
procedures were communicated.
• Partner with HR colleagues and business unit leaderships on the
talent review and succession planning processes including identification of high
potentials and development opportunities which include special projects, lateral
and upward movement.
 • Work with business unit(s) on strategic workforce design and
collaborate with Talent Acquisition. Assist with the strategies for recruiting,
staffing and management training program to meet headcount models and goals.
• Manage the HRIS system to ensure employees are being
evaluated, reviewed and promoted when applicable. Worked with ADP and
UltiPro software systems. Direct, coach and mentor supervisors to ensure great
leadership.
• Conducted several investigations related to employee relations,
terminations, EEOC, harassment, etc and recommended resolutions. Facilitate
the performance review cycle, ensuring that the process is understood and
monitored the progress throughout the cycle.
• Partner to facilitate compensation decisions, offers and employment
packages.
Leadership role in change and culture management initiatives that
result from acquisition or divestiture, employee engagement survey or other
change initiatives.
• Conduct meetings pertaining to open enrollment and advise
employees of benefits and options that they could utilize.
• Communicating the vision and goals of the company out to the
employees and make sure it’s all being met and understood. Visited well sites to
ensure support to all levels of employees and ensuring great customer service
throughout the organization is a goal.

Primanti Bros., Pittsburgh, PA

Restaurant with 5 million in sales operating in 7 states with 32 locations and 2,200
employees.
Human Resources Manager Jan. 2016 thru Feb. 2017

• Provided all Human Resource needs for all 32 locations across 7

states making sure employees were educated on their benefit packages.
• Conducted Open enrollment sessions for all 32 locations 2 times
the month prior to open enrollment for each location to ensure proper
communication about employee benefits.
• Negotiated benefit plans and structure to ensure the company and
the employees were getting best benefits and service.
 • On boarding, processing new hire, Updating ADP (Workflow),
Scheduling Drug screenings and background checks done for more than 15
employees on average per week.
• Answering questions from all levels of management to ensure
proper compliance with HR laws, Processes and Procedures.
• Placing advertisements on all forms of social media, Snagajob,
Indeed, Craigslist etc. Reconciling all accounts that may have issues with
benefits, I-9 Verifications.

The Kraft Heinz Company, Pittsburgh, PA

Consumer good company with 26.23 b in revenue operating all over the world with
39,000 employees.
Human Resources Manager Jan. 2015 – July 2015

• Managed benefits team and led the administration of health

benefit plans to ensure compliance with HIPAA and other regulatory
requirements; maximized accuracy of information, approved billing
statements, handled benefits provider relationships, and implemented plan
revisions.
• Administered educational communication plans related to
Employee Benefit offerings designed to inform participants and facilitate
maximum utilization/satisfaction with program offerings.
• Served as a liaison for five insurance carriers regarding claims,
issues, concerns confronting employee participants, resolved issues rapidly.
• Collaborated with senior executives to increase focus on
performance management; substantially maximized employee work
contributions and proactively addressed potential performance-related issues,
using proven human resources management methodologies.
• Partnered with leadership teams to effectively communicate
business strategies, goals, values, and performance expectations, ensuring
corporate profitability while maintaining legal compliance.

United States Steel Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA

Steel company with 12.25 Billion revenue with 30,000 employees worldwide.
ERP Associate – Employee Pensions & HIPAA Compliance 2000 thru 2015
 • Act as a liaison for over 30,000 employees pertaining to union
questions, policies and procedures and ensure compliance.
• I visited over 8 locations throughout the country during the year
each year to ensure proper policies and procedures are being followed.
• Maintained over 30,000 employee files to ensure HIPAA laws
and regulations were being properly followed; provided ongoing support to
management and staff, answering questions and offering solutions focused
on improvements to record keeping.
• Prepared pension paperwork for retirees at various plants;
calculated pension figures for new retirees for over 30 per month. Audited
over 50 employee’s paperwork and financial records to ensure accuracy and
compliance. Conducted in-depth research and analysis to carefully reconcile
accounts, resolving issues favorably.
• Administrative Assistant for 5 General Managers 2008-2010,
• Credit Analyst 2002-2008
• Pension Administrator 2000-2002

The Peer Group, McKeesport, PA

Telemarketing company no longer in business
Human Resources Manager 1989 thru 2000

• Interviewed candidates for 100+ positions working out of new

company locations; played a key role in establishing offices in Uniontown and
Johnstown, PA to increase client base and customer satisfaction.
• Boosted efficiency by conducting training sessions with 40 to 50 new
and current employees; provided hands-on training that resulted in cost reductions related to
procedural improvements.

• Successfully planned and coordinated departmental projects, award &

recognition programs, and job fairs; introduced semi-annual reviews and an effective
mentoring program to improve employee retention and performance.

• Served as a valued liaison for the Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and New
Jersey offices, making certain that all work was performed systematically and within the
guidelines of the organization.

Education & Additional Information

Masters of Science – Human Resource Management
La Roche University, Pittsburgh, PA GPA 3.2

Bachelor of Science- Business Administration

La Roche University, Pittsburgh, PA GPA 3.6

Certification:
HR Generalist Certified

Computer Skills:

Ultimate Software, Dayforce, Kronos, ADP, Oracle, SharePoint, Equifax, Liberty Mutual
Claim Trac, Wage Works, Workday, Global Data Warehouse. All formats of Microsoft
Windows, PowerPoint, Excel, Word, HP Quality Center, Cognos Impromptu, Outlook
and Lotus Notes

Professional Organizations:

Member – SHRM (Society for Human Resources Management)