Maria Perez

MARIA G. PEREZ, PHR, CPP
2230 NE 56th Place, #202
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
Cell: 954-646-8732
Email: mariagoretti@comcast.net

SUMMARY
Senior-Level Human Resources Professional with extensive generalist and specialist experience in corporate environments. Proven leader, communicator, problem solver, strategic and tactical planner. Areas of expertise include designing and executing innovative, cost-effective and value-added compensation and benefits programs, HRIS, payroll, policy formulation, training and development and ability to integrate Human Resources function into the business. Bilingual English and Spanish both verbal and written. Proven skills in:

• Employment and Staffing
• Employment Law
• Multi-State Payroll
• Computer Software
• Employee Relations
• Sarbanes Oxley (SOX)
• Change Management
• Employee Incentive Programs
• Process Improvement
• Benefits Management
• Strategic Planner
• Risk Management

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
MUVICO ENTERTAINMENT LLC, Fort Lauderdale, FL 1999 – 2009
Growing chain of premium, megaplex motion picture theaters in the US operating in 14 locations in Florida, Maryland, Illinois and California with revenues exceeding $125M.

Senior Human Resource Manager (2008 – 2009)
Compensation & Benefits Manager (2000 – 2008)
Payroll & Benefits Administrator (1999 – 2000)

Reported to Vice President, General Counsel and directed all aspects of human resources and payroll for 1,500 hourly, management and corporate employees. Supervised Payroll Manager, Human Resource Assistant and had dotted line supervision over Theater Administrators. Adopted policies and procedures which reduced company turnover to range 30% lower than industry average.
• Assumed Human Resources Director level duties following restructuring.
• Created and maintained Human Resources and Payroll departments, centralizing and controlling human capital costs.
• Selected, maintained and communicated all company benefits from health insurance to 401(k).
• Oversaw payroll for entire circuit and maintained third party ADP Enterprise payroll system for accuracy and controlling payroll costs.
• Implemented and maintained HRIS/Payroll, Workforce Management and applicant tracking systems streamlining and standardizing the employee lifecycle.
• Generated training programs and materials which supported the company slogan to provide “the world’s premier movie experience”.
• Streamlined recruiting process including identifying required materials for selecting the best fit employees.
• Instituted policies and procedures for SOX compliance, Risk Management, Workers Compensation and Auditing leading to below average claims for a high turnover business.
• Facilitated two successful union aversions, preventing unionization of projectionists.
• Established and executed compensation programs and policies instituting standardization.
• Created and provided Ad Hoc reports to company leadership and sites.
• Received HR Excellence Award 2004 and 2007 from South Florida Business Journal.
• Honored with Human Resources Best Practices Award, Employee Recognition, Human Resource Association of Broward County.

CRC PRESS,Inc. Boca Raton, FL 1997 – 1999
Publishing group which specializes in producing technical books in engineering, science mathematics, business and information technology.

Human Resources Administrator (1998 – 1999)
Payroll & Benefits Administrator (1997 – 1998)

Reported to Vice President, Human Resources. Supervised Payroll Administrator and Human Resource Assistant for international company of 200+ employees.
• Acquired British company and administered payroll and human resources functions uniting foreign and domestic employees.
• Executed all employee human resources and payroll functions from recruiting potential new hires to termination.
• Maintained and processed ADP PC Windows payroll and FLX HRIS computerizing a previously manual task, reducing errors and streamlining the employee experience.
• Provided Vice President of Human Resources with statistical research regarding position control, compensation and found alternative ways of recruiting hard to fill positions.

INFORMATION BUILDERS, New York, NY 1996 – 1997
Privately held software company and world leader in Web Business Intelligence solutions ranked among top 50 independent companies with $300M in revenue and 30 years of experience.

Payroll Coordinator
Processed changes for multi-state payroll of 1700+ employees. Maintained all payroll and personnel records, and attendance database. Communicated with employees, administrators, managers and related outside agencies to fulfill the day to day duties of the department.

DOW JONES & COMPANY, INC., Jersey City, NJ 1989 – 1996
Provider of global business and financial news, information, and insight through newspapers, newswires, magazines, the Internet, indexes, television, and radio.

Payroll/Business Office Administrator (1995 – 1996)
Payroll Accounting Clerk (1989 –1995)

Oversaw operation of site payroll office using Tesseract in-house payroll system. Processed full-time and part-time payroll for 900+ employees. Produced and processed reports and journal entries, proofread and edited payroll documentation, maintained records for all US and expatriates. Supervised accounting clerk and interfaced with employees and management on payroll matters.

EDUCATION/TRAINING/PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Associate in Applied Science (AAS), Accounting and Finance, New York University, New York, NY
The Newly Appointed Human Resource Manager, University of Michigan
Professional in Human Resources (PHR), Human Resources Certification Institute
Certified Payroll Professional (CPP), American Payroll Institute
President, Human Resource Association of Broward County (HRABC)
Founder and President, Broward County Association of Payroll Professionals (BCAPP)
Member, Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), American Payroll Association (APA),
Staffing Management Association (SMA)

OTHER SKILLS
ADP Enterprise (HRIS & Payroll System), Infor Total Workforce Management (Workbrain)
Virtual Edge (Applicant Tracking System), Microsoft Dynamics GP (Great Plains)
Microsoft Office Suite: MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, MS Word, MS Outlook, ESOL Instructor