THANALACHMY KARUNANITHY (THANA)
Summary
Experienced HR professional in the education sector with a proven track record of collaborating successfully with faculty, researchers, senior management, line managers, and stakeholders at all levels. Demonstrated expertise in strategic manpower planning and budgeting, talent acquisition and retention, performance management, talent development, team collaboration, HR policy development and management, employee engagement, HR technology integration, and HR administration. Skilled communicator with a career objective focused on driving growth and creating positive work environments. Committed to building strong relationships and taking a collaborative approach to align HR initiatives with the organizational vision, ultimately adding value to HR KPIs and increasing business agility.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Manager, Human Resource & Development
Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS)
01.2023 - 05.2024
- As the head of human resources, I was responsible for various functions such as recruitment, compensation and benefits, change management, HR administration, global HR support, employee relations, training and development, HR strategy, employee engagement, and leadership
- I oversaw the seamless operation of all HR functions and played a key role in driving organisational change initiatives and fostering a harmonious work environment
- Additionally, I managed a team of three HR professionals and ensured compliance with HR regulations
- Successfully sourced and selected top-tier talent for MDIS Singapore and key positions at overseas campuses such as MDIS Uni-campus Malaysia, MDIS Tashkent, and MDIS Dushanbe-Tajikistan
- Managed robust employee compensation and benefits programs, encompassing salary appraisals, and comprehensive benefits packages
- Provided instrumental support in driving and communicating organisational change initiatives (merging of schools from 14 to 4 schools), facilitating smooth transitions for relocation, and mitigating resistance
- Streamlined HR administrative processes, including meticulous record-keeping, strategic manpower planning and budgeting, payroll management, and efficient HR systems and database oversight
- Delivered unwavering operational support for international campuses, encompassing recruitment, policy review, and procedural enhancements
- Proactively managed and resolved various employee conflicts and grievances and fostered a harmonious work environment
- This entailed close collaboration with the Education Services Union (ESU) on employee matters
- Pioneered comprehensive employee training and development programs to elevate organisational competencies and knowledge base
- Planned and executed impactful HR strategies and initiatives aligning with institute goals and objectives
- Spearheaded annual Employee Engagement Surveys and meticulously crafted action plans for continuous improvement
HR Manager/HR Business Partner (Contract)
National University Health System
06.2022 - 08.2022
- As an HR Manager/HR Business Partner at NUHS, I was responsible for overseeing the HR office and ensuring the smooth operation of all HR functions
- This included managing employee relations, recruitment, performance management, manpower budgeting etc
- I also worked closely with department heads to develop and implement HR strategies aligned with the organisation's goals and objectives
- My role required strong communication and leadership skills to support and engage employees effectively
Temp Senior Officer / Snr HR Executive /Assist Manager / HR Manager / HRBP / Manager (People and Student Relations)
Nanyang Technological University
03.2006 - 02.2022
- I worked with the leadership team at NTU-SCELSE to help improve how the Human Resources and Graduate Studies departments operate
- This included updating policies and processes to support the organisation's goals for the next five years
- I also looked at ways to make the departments run more smoothly and efficiently, and I supervised teams that handled graduate studies, HR, and corporate administration
- Throughout my role, I supported stakeholders at all levels with a proactive and consultative approach to a full spectrum of HR functions
- This included managing manpower budgeting and HR audits, recruitment and selection, onboarding, service-related matters, and offboarding
- I also oversaw performance management, training and development, talent management, and engagement activities
- Additionally, I developed HR policies and standard operating procedures and contributed to change management, HR technology integration, and digitisation & automation
- Lastly, I handled other HR operational matters, such as generating data, statistics, and management reports and supervising and mentoring a team
- Developed an online handbook for three staff categories, Faculty, Research, Management and Support Staff
- Participated and contributed to WORKDAY System implementation; Phase 1 module: Basic HR system and Phase 2 modules: the Performance Management System and Training and Development System
- Facilitated the employee engagement survey for Research Staff categories
- Engaged senior researchers in various group discussions and brainstorming sessions, gathering feedback and suggestions and presenting it to NTU management for further evaluation and support
- Developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and forms for the SCELSE and led the execution of all policy and system changes
- Implemented an e-filing system for the department in SCELSE, which not only led to a significant reduction in paper usage but also streamlined data/information management, enhancing efficiency and productivity
- Collaborated with the IT unit and introduced an electronic security access system in SCELSE, which not only drastically reduced the printing of manual forms but also minimised the processing time from 5 days to just 1 day, significantly improving efficiency and time management
- Introduced various employee engagement activities in SCELSE, such as interest groups and festive and cultural celebrations, which enforced the fellowship and bonding between faculty, researchers, and staff from over 30 countries
Education
Specialist Diploma - Career Counselling
Republic Polytechnic
Singapore 03.2023
Graduate Certificate - Social Science (Professional Counselling)
Swinburne University of Technology
Australia06.2016
Postgraduate Diploma - HR And Organisational Development & Change
Singapore Human Resource Institute (SHRI)
Singapore06.2010
Bachelor of Arts (Hons) - Administrative Management
University of Lincoln
United Kingdom06.2003
Advanced Diploma - Administrative Management
Thames International
Singapore09.2001
Skills
- Talent Acquisition & Retention
- Performance Management
- Talent Development & Management
- HR Policies Development & Management
- Leadership & Coaching
- HR Data Analytics & Reporting
- Employee Relations & Engagement
- Team leadership, Teamwork & Collaboration
- IT Skills – Microsoft Office, Office 365, HRIS
- HR software - Workday, SAP-Success Factor, Times Software
- Other software - SAP-Concur, Purchasing ARIBA
- Decision-making
- Verbal and written communication
Personal Information
- Available: Immediate
- Nationality: Singaporean
Languages
English
Bilingual or Proficient (C2)
Tamil
Elementary (A2)
Malay
Upper intermediate (B2)
Timeline
Manager, Human Resource & Development
Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS)
01.2023 - 05.2024
HR Manager/HR Business Partner (Contract)
National University Health System
06.2022 - 08.2022
Temp Senior Officer / Snr HR Executive /Assist Manager / HR Manager / HRBP / Manager (People and Student Relations)
Nanyang Technological University
03.2006 - 02.2022
Specialist Diploma - Career Counselling
Republic Polytechnic
Graduate Certificate - Social Science (Professional Counselling)
Swinburne University of Technology
Postgraduate Diploma - HR And Organisational Development & Change
Singapore Human Resource Institute (SHRI)
Bachelor of Arts (Hons) - Administrative Management
University of Lincoln
Advanced Diploma - Administrative Management
Thames International
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