Hello, I'm Stephanie Willis.
Global Talent Acquisition leader with 20+ years of experience building and scaling recruiting functions across life sciences, healthcare, technology, and professional services. Proven record of leading high - performing teams to deliver on ambitious hiring goals while also advancing TA strategy during periods of growth, transformation, and M&A. Skilled at strengthening in - house recruiting capabilities, driving measurable improvements in hiring effectiveness, and enhancing candidate and stakeholder experience. Trusted partner to executive leadership with expertise spanning global program management, workforce planning, ATS / HRIS implementation, and TA operations across the Americas, EMEA, and AsiaPac.
Details
- Professional CategoryHuman Resources, & People Management
- Location
- Years of Relevant Experience20+ years
- Seniority LevelDirector
- Consulting Rate (Hourly)100
Headline
Global Talent Acquisition Leader | Building High-Performing Teams | Driving HR Strategy, Operational Excellence & Workforce Growth
Experience
Director, Talent Acquisition – Global Program Management
ICON plc – Global Clinical Research OrganizationJuly 2021 - November 2024• Established and led the Global TA Program Management Office, supporting 300+ recruiters across the Americas, EMEA, and AsiaPac.
• Directed global initiatives such as M&A integration, compliance harmonization, TA audits, and vendor management, strengthening TA infrastructure and enabling scalable growth.
• Partnered across HR, IT, Legal, Finance, and compliance functions to ensure TA operations both aligned with organizational priorities and effectively supported cross - functional workflows.
• Led global process harmonization across three legacy ATS platforms post - M&A; partnered with HR, IT, and business leaders to evaluate vendors, align requirements, and support the enterprise - wide ATS selection process.
• Expanded Gartner survey program beyond corporate TA to insourced staff augmentation teams; analyzed new hire / manager feedback and translated results into actionable insights for recruiters, TA leadership, and executives.
• Enhanced and adapted the corporate HireVue program for insourced recruiting teams by streamlining processes, developing training, piloting test markets, and advocating adoption to improve efficiency and recruiter effectiveness.
• Managed LinkedIn Recruiter and Talent Insights program, ensuring effective use across teams, coaching recruiters on best practices, and translating data into insights that strengthened sourcing effectiveness, candidate engagement, and leadership decision making.
• Directed global background screening program redesign, harmonizing policies and vendors across regions to strengthen compliance, ensure consistency, overall cost, and enhance candidate quality assurance.
Director, DOCS Recruitment
AmericasFebruary 2019 - July 2021• Directed recruitment delivery for the Americas, achieving 1 , 000+ annual placements for pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device clients.
• Partnered with senior leadership on workforce planning, RFPs, bid defenses, and client business reviews.
• Served as global lead for ATS implementation and enhancements including requirements gathering, rollout, and training.
• Regional compliance lead for background screening and labor law adherence.
Director, Talent Services
Elligo Health Research – Clinical Research StartupMarch 2017 - February 2019• Built HR and TA infrastructure from the ground up, scaling headcount by 300% in 12 months.
• Developed policies, recruiting tools, and implemented HRIS / ATS systems to support rapid growth.
• Enhanced benefits, background screening, and compliance programs.
• Created internal Talent Services portal to streamline access to HR tools / resources.
Recruiting Manager
Carenet Healthcare Services – Healthcare Contact CenterMarch 2016 - March 2017• Directed high - volume hiring of 50 – 200 employees per month across multiple sites.
• Designed sourcing plans, managed vendor relationships, and enhanced onboarding programs.
• Partnered with leadership on workforce planning, recruiter training, and compliance.
Director, Global Recruiting
Chiltern – Global Clinical Research OrganizationMay 2013 - March 2016• Led global recruiting teams across U.S., Europe, and Asia; doubled effectiveness within one year.
• Designed and implemented global TA strategies aligned with corporate growth.
• Supported M&A recruiting integration and workforce compliance initiatives.
Senior Recruiter
Rackspace Hosting – Technology ServicesJanuary 2011 - March 2013• Full - cycle recruiting for technical IT roles (software engineers, system administrators, systems operations) as well as non - technical roles (sales, marketing, customer support).
• Developed TA dashboards and maintained SharePoint for recruiting pipelines and
reporting.
• Partnered with department heads on compensation, workforce planning, and compliance.
Manager, Global Recruiting
INC Research – Global Clinical Research OrganizationNovember 2007 - December 2010• Directed recruiting across Americas, EU, and APAC.
• Led ATS / HRIS implementations, training, and process rollouts.
• Partnered on immigration, contingent workforce, background screening, and compliance.
• Recognized for Acquisition Integration Team (2009) and Pandemic Preparedness Program (2010).
Branch Manager / Clinical Research Territory Manager
Kelly Scientific Resources – ScientificSeptember 1998 - November 2007• Built and scaled staffing operations, achieving profitability in 6 months; awarded 'Start - up Branch of the Year.'
• Directed multi - branch operations supporting clients across the Southern U.S., consistently exceeding revenue and margin targets.
• Created a national recruiter training program and supported multiple HRIS / ATS launches.
• Recognized with Special Recognition Award (2004) and Pinnacle Award (2006).
Industry
- Administrative and Support Services
- Consumer Services
- Hospitals and Health Care
- Professional Services
Specific Jurisdictions That I'm Qualified In or Can Cover
United States: Texas
Language(s)
- English
- German
Education
University of Texas at San Antonio
DegreeBiology -
Professional Membership / Certification
SHRM
I am interested in
- Professional / Business Networking
- Career Opportunities
- Providing Services based on my Expertise