Manufacturing
Professional Services
Retail
Technology, Information and Media

Natalie Romero

Fractional Talent Acquisition Leader | Technical & Executive Recruiting Expert | Builder of Scalable

About Me

Fractional Talent Acquisition Leader with 15+ years of experience building, scaling, and transforming recruitment functions for high-growth SaaS, retail tech, and multi-industry organizations. I combine senior-level TA strategy with hands-on recruiting execution, designing the talent systems companies need, while also personally sourcing, assessing, and closing the critical hires that move the business forward. I’ve built entire talent acquisition functions from the ground up, introduced structured hiring, implemented ATS systems, created DEI-informed scorecards, redesigned interview loops, and partnered with CEOs and founders as a strategic advisor. At the same time, I remain deeply hands-on: sourcing senior engineers, product leaders, commercial executives, and niche technical talent across all levels. My work consistently reduces time-to-hire, improves candidate experience, and elevates hiring quality. Prior to shifting into fractional work, I led recruiting teams, executed executive searches, implemented Lever end-to-end, optimized systems, and improved hiring efficiency by 35% through better workflow design and automation. I support clients on both strategic and execution-level engagements, including TA audits, process redesign, ATS setup, employer brand development, DEI hiring frameworks, executive search strategy, and hands-on sourcing for priority or hard-to-fill roles. My approach blends operational excellence with a human, collaborative style that helps companies hire smarter, faster, and with intention.

Jurisdiction

Canada | United States

Notable Employer

  • Senior Talent Partner/HRBP at Shopify

Experience

Seniority LevelDirector
Years of Experience15-20 years
Current StatusActive
Cardata - Manager, Talent Acquisition & People ProgramsCardata
2022 - 2025

Led talent acquisition across all functions while building scalable systems, modernizing hiring operations, and partnering closely with C-suite and department heads. Built the talent acquisition function from the ground up, introducing structured hiring, role kickoffs, interview loops, scorecards, dashboards, and hiring playbooks. Owned full-cycle recruitment across technical, sales, operations, and executive roles, reducing time-to-fill by 35% while improving quality of hire. Acted as a strategic advisor to hiring managers by clarifying competencies, aligning on role expectations, and coaching on inclusive and performance-based interviewing. Designed targeted sourcing strategies for niche technical roles with low inbound pipelines. Introduced AI sourcing and automation tools to reduce admin work and accelerate candidate identification. Built dashboards and reporting for time to fill, pipeline health, hiring velocity, DEI metrics, and manager effectiveness to support executive decision making. Built and facilitated interview certification training, strengthening hiring manager capability. Partnered closely with leadership to align people programs with company goals including revenue growth, expense management, and talent capacity planning

Senior Talent Partner/HRBPNotableShopify
2018 - 2022

Transitioned into a dual role to better support evolving team needs, taking on technical hiring responsibilities while continuing HRBP work during the shift. Managed full-cycle recruitment for highly specialized technical roles and non technical roles. Coached and advised hiring managers on interviewing best practices, candidate selection, and compensation decisions, leading to more structured, equitable, and data-driven hiring. Designed and implemented training programs for hiring managers on interviewing techniques and sourcing strategies, increasing hiring efficiency and reducing bias in the selection process. Created the first HRBP function for early talent, designing performance review and onboarding programs for interns and new grads. Supported leaders in Product, R&D, and Engineering with workforce planning, coaching, and employee lifecycle processes. Designed and implemented a structured internship performance review process, ensuring consistent feedback and clear development plans, improving intern satisfaction and retention.

Recruitment Program ManagerLinamar
2015 - 2018

Managed full-cycle recruitment for 300+ co-op students annually and corporate roles (engineering, finance, executive), improving hiring efficiency and intern-to-full-time conversion rates. Built strong university partnerships and recruitment campaigns that boosted employer brand and offer acceptance rates. Mentored and coached early-career professionals on career development, performance, and workplace integration, boosting intern satisfaction and retention. Provided actionable recruitment insights and workforce data to leadership, informing planning and hiring decisions. Led global ATS implementation, including testing, training, and rollout, improving system adoption and process efficiency across locations.

Education

Degree of LanguagesYork University
1997 - 2001
Diploma of Human Resources ManagementSheridan College
2008 - 2010

Certification

Total Certifications1

Executive Coaching Certification

The Academies

2025

Skills

Core skills0
Languages2

Languages

English
French