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Human Resources

CPO, Founder | Speaker | Advisor | Creating Thriving Workplaces Through People-First Leadership & Business Strategy

Marketing & Sales

Compensation Strategies

Aligning pay structures with organizational goals, market competitiveness, and employee value propositions involves defining, conducting, or creating:

- Market research to benchmark salaries
- Pay grades and ranges
- Job families
- Compensation philosophy
- Compensation policy
- Short and long-term incentive plans
- Pay equity
- Pay Transparency 

All these elements form a part of the total rewards system that enhances employee satisfaction and retention. This also ensures internal consistency, equity, and transparency while attracting and retaining top talent.

Health and Welfare Plans

Developing a comprehensive health and welfare plan requires balancing employee needs with organizational goals while complying with legal requirements. In addition to medical, dental, and vision coverage, it is essential to consider an organization's specific needs, such as concierge-level substance abuse treatment, maternity care, physical or mental wellness, preventative care, and long-term care. My expertise includes managing the Broker of Record RFP process, project management, and fully or self-insured products to Professional Employer Organization (PEO) options.

Retirement and Savings Plans

Creating a 401(k) plan involves designing a retirement and savings plan that supports employees' financial security and the organization’s goals for talent attraction and retention. Specialization includes RFP and project management for recordkeeper/trustee, Registered Investment Advisor, ERISA Counsel, and formation of an investment committee for governance.

Some areas of expertise:
- offering the appropriate 401(k) plan types—traditional, Roth, or a combination of both
- determine the level of matching contributions to incentivize employee participation, balancing the company’s budget with discriminationtesting
- selecting investment options that offer a range of risk profiles
- vesting schedules, 
- transparent communication around fees and the strategies behind choosing who pays them
- education and engagement programs 


HRIS and Systems Implementations

HRIS (Human Resource Information System) implementation involves a structured process to integrate a digital solution for managing HR activities such as payroll, employee data, benefits, and talent management. The key steps include:

- Assessing organizational needs
- Selecting the right HRIS platform and ensuring compatibility with existing systems
- Data migration from legacy systems
- Configuring workflows to fit the organization’s structure
- Customizing features like reporting and compliance tools
- Creating a comprehensive training strategy for HR teams and users
- Testing the system for functionality and resolving any issues
- Post-implementation, continuous support and system updates

Most systems like stand-alone ATS, LMS, Benefits and Timekeeping follow the same steps

Experienced CPO and business-driven HR strategist with a track record of transforming people operations to fuel organizational growth. Skilled in executive advisory, remote workforce optimization, data-driven talent strategies, and scaling HR in high-growth and professional services environments. Passionate about building high-performance cultures, driving equity and belonging initiatives, and aligning people strategy with business success.

I want to join your team! The Morgan Scott Group brings fractional and interim CPO services for startups and mid-sized organizations in various sectors. We offer confidential fractional CPO services tailored to each client's needs, focusing on cultivating a culture aligned with their brand. Our expertise includes strategic planning, defining organizational values and mission, performance management, succession planning, team-building, mentoring, and developing senior leadership teams.

Recent Projects:
Interim Chief People Officer: Engaged to assist a group of companies in the CPG sector recently acquired by Private Equity. Our role involved harmonizing organizational practices, implementing strategic initiatives, and providing senior HR leadership.

Compensation Consulting: Collaborated with a tech/entertainment company to redesign their short-term incentive plans and conduct an executive compensation review for their Compensation Committee.

Purpose, Vision, Mission, and Values Consulting: Supported a rapidly growing startup in the health and wellness sector to establish their core values and mission, guiding their future strategy.

Chief People Officer / Principal

With extensive experience in driving growth and facilitating organizational transformation, I specialize in defining effective operating models, bridging skill gaps across the organization, and guiding stakeholders through change initiatives.

I led the Talent Acquisition process overhaul, emphasizing innovation, best practices, and the development of a compelling value proposition. This involved crafting an employer's voice and leveraging social networking strategies to streamline recruitment processes, resulting in a significant reduction in time-to-fill and the successful internalization of all recruiting activities.

In alignment with our growth objectives and to meet compliance requirements, I spearheaded implementing programs in alignment with OFCCP guidelines. This initiative included a thorough review and rewriting of job descriptions to ensure inclusivity, integration of structured interview processes, and the enhancement of candidate and onboarding experiences. Additionally, I established robust campus recruiting initiatives and internship programs, fostering partnerships with universities in the LA area to attract talent.

In Total Rewards, I introduced the organization's first job grade and compensation guidelines and redesigned benefits programs. I devised strategies to promote mental health and substance abuse programs aimed at reducing costs and fostering positive behavioral outcomes, resulting in significant expense reductions.

Vice President Human Resources

Jackson Hole Group provides confidential advising to organizations on critical business, organizational, and executive issues.  Provided project-based human resources consulting to clients of a variety of sizes and sectors.

Consultant

As SVP of HR at Bebe during a turbulent period of CEO turnover, I focused on stabilizing operations and preparing the company for a potential sale. I advised the CEO on cultural alignment, organizational design, and M&A considerations. Implementing a Talent Acquisition strategy, I strengthened our Employment Value Proposition, streamlined recruitment processes, and boosted internal promotions. By introducing competency-based practices, turnover rates decreased significantly. Additionally, I spearheaded the establishment of bebe University for continuous learning. I managed various risk portfolios, including workers' compensation, serving as Secretary on the Board of Directors for Milestone Insurance Company.

SVP Human Resources and Risk Management

I worked with the divisional president to define and establish culture unique to the brand; facilitated brand management and target customer strategies; designed overall HR direction for the division including strategic planning, organizational values, and mission, performance management, succession planning, team-building, mentoring, and development of senior leadership team.

Head of Human Resources 2b bebe division (Startup)

Designed cost-effective, family-friendly, high-performance self-funded benefits and wellness plans, administered policies, and oversaw total rewards programs, HR operations, engagement, compensation, and benefits strategies. Ensured regulatory compliance, counseled employees and managers, and directed vendors for program/system development. Managed HRIS initiatives and client-facing HR Generalists and conducted job evaluations/salary surveys. Developed and maintained compensation and benefits strategies, established salary grades/structures, and designed corporate wellness programs to impact Health and Welfare Plan expenses positively. Prepared policies to ensure equitable and competitive compensation, assessed labor market trends, stayed updated on relevant legislation, and managed benefits, incentives, stock options, and bonus plan design, with knowledge of the IPO process and equity instruments. Conducted equity reporting for finance, including FAS123r, Black-Scholes, Binomial modeling, transfer agent, Insider reporting, and related SEC filings.

Health & Welfare Plan highlights:
▪	Reduced Health and Welfare claims expense by 6.8%
▪	Increased preventative care by 20%; immunizations and vaccines by 28%, and mammograms by 6%
▪	Achieved 13% mail order and 99% generic Rx fills
Designed program with the lowest out-of-pocket maximums and lowest levels of co-insurance relative to cost as compared to peer group companies

Sr Director Compensation, Benefits & Employee Engagement

Directed payroll, stock plan administration, risk management, and procurement groups.

Sr. Director Corporate Services

Directed payroll, stock plan administration, and risk management groups.

Director Shared Services

Manager Payroll

Charles Smith is a CPO, Founder at Morgan Scott Group in Los Angeles, CA. View their experience, skills and work history on Malakye — the professional network…

Charles Smith — CPO, Founder at Morgan Scott Group

Charles Smith

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