Karen Ketchmark

Experience

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  Alternative Resources Corporation

  Dec 1993 - Oct 2003

  • Director, Human Resources - Field Operations

    Jan 2000 - Oct 2003

  • Director, Client Services Delivery

    Dec 1993 - Dec 1999
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  Deluxe Corporation

  Jun 2004 - Aug 2010

  Vice President, Human Resource Strategy
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  Pearson

  Aug 2010 - Nov 2015

  Provided strategic direction and leadership for HR team, spanning Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions, with 4.5K employees. Managed total budget of $3.4M. Reported to President.* Merged 3 autonomously run geographies into 1 globally aligned organization; created and delivered complete end-to-end operation, consistently and worldwide, providing exams 24x7 with full support.* Transformed HR organization from traditional to strategic business partnership that enabled greater execution of impactful talent management solutions and programs, ultimately increasing productivity and employee retention.* Launched framework to facilitate long-range business planning, with cascading and aligned goals throughout business on annual basis, driving unified financial and operational outcomes.* Worked with leaders to translate long-range plans into specific and actionable goals that were communicated throughout organization, ensuring clear accountability to each individual employee.* Led due diligence and integration of key acquisitions, enabling integration of people, practices, and culture while supporting overall business outcomes.* Served as trusted confidant and advisor to President and other executive leaders, creating cohesive and effective leadership team. Show less

  • Senior Vice President, Human Resources - Professional Division

    Jun 2013 - Nov 2015

  • Senior Vice President, Human Resources - Pearson VUE

    Aug 2010 - May 2013
• 

  Pearson

  Jan 2018 - Jun 2023

  Directed budget of $6.5M and team (ranging from 24 to 55 people) that oversaw 9K+ employees (up to 29K during peak annually). Reported to President.* Led organizational design; advised senior leadership on strategic business decisions, relating to people, culture, and workflow, achieving fully optimized and cost-effective business operations.* Delivered all HR solutions within business units, consistently increasing financial returns, year-over-year, for division.* Guided creation and delivery of employee training, e-learning, and leadership development, elevating employee survey results, year over year.* Served as coach / confidant to President of division and members of senior leadership team, informing and strengthening business decisions related to key talent, implications, development, and succession.* Guided business leaders through organization workflow process, enabling critical shifts in business that improved employee morale and engagement.* Implemented shared services model in HR, reducing overall functional spend 65%.* Transformed HR generalist model to combination of local and shared services, introducing common guidelines and processes in all geographies, realizing cost savings of 35%.* Implemented offshore approach to hiring 20K exam scorers annually; initiated use of AI, reducing 4K+ labor hours.* Co-led 6-member team responsible to implement employee policy / practices for 24K employees, during COVID-19 Pandemic, establishing guidelines (specific vaccinations, compensation facility closures / reopening, furloughs,) and resolving associated employee relations matters across 80 countries.* Supported due diligence and integration of multiple new acquisitions, including joint venture between Pearson and American Council on Education to form GED Testing Service; successfully integrated people and practices, achieving expected delivery of exams and anticipated revenue generation. Show less Led global talent organization, including acquisition, total reward, learning and development, performance management, and succession planning. Managed team of 65 and budget of $12.8M. Reported to CHRO.* Headed creation and implementation of talent programs for 24K employees, building consistency in practices.* Designed and implemented transformational performance management and talent review methodology, enabling clarity and common understanding of what good performance ‘looks like’ and how to identify key talent.* Redefined total reward practices to align with newly formed performance management methodology, creating pay for performance culture and driving key financial results.* Equipped managers and employees for changes affecting performance management and pay, via workshops and information sessions, supporting adoption of new program (75%+ of population participating without error in year 1).* Transformed talent acquisition to shared services model, including offshore component; introduced automation, reducing overall spend 60%.* Drove talent review and succession planning with executive leadership team, enabling development of potential successors; ultimately had professionals ready to take on new roles with little to no gap in time. Show less

  • Senior Vice President, Human Resources - Assessment and Qualifications Division

    Dec 2015 - Jun 2023

  • Senior Vice President, Talent Center of Excellence (COE)

    Jan 2018 - Jan 2020