Bryan Fernández Rodríguez

Organizational Psychologist with 10+ years' experience leading Employee Relations and HR Operations across LATAM and North America. Expertise managing sensitive investigations, performance interventions, and compliance oversight while coaching managers to ensure fair and consistent employee experience.

Background developing policies, advising on labor law alignment, and resolving escalated cases with Legal, HRBPs, and executive leadership. Proven ability to lead multicultural teams, influence at all levels, and drive continuous improvement in HR service delivery and operational excellence.

Director of People Operations at Software Mind (formerly number8) (2020-04 – 2025-01)

Led the People Operations department, implementing strategic HR initiatives and improving efficiency through data-driven decision-making. Focused on optimizing processes, enhancing employee experience, and aligning HR operations with business goals. Led the People Operations team supporting 350+ employees across LATAM and the U.S., reporting directly to the CEO and C level roles, and enabling rapid organizational growth from ~80 to 350+ employees by supporting operational scaling, governance maturity, and audit-ready HR processes.

• Designed a ticketing system using Jira with SLA segmentation based on case complexity (e.g., payroll inquiries vs. contract renewals).
• Developed, updated, and standardized HR policies ensuring alignment with LATAM labor compliance requirements and company audit standards, enhancing regulatory readiness and reducing operational risk.
• Actively participated in SOC 2 certification processes, supporting HR process documentation, evidence preparation, and audit requirements.
• Supported post-audit follow-up activities, including corrective and preventive action plans (CAPA), addressing findings related to HR processes and documentation.
• Supported case documentation, disciplinary action, and employee coaching in coordination with People Business Partners and Legal.
• Advised managers in conflict resolution, progressive discipline and policy interpretation, ensuring consistent application across multiple countries.
• Conducted root cause analysis and proposed automation and process streamlining across core HR services.

Recruitment Manager at Software Mind (formerly number8) (2019-01 – 2020-04)

Managed and expanded the recruitment function, scaling the team and refining hiring strategies to support rapid company growth. Ensured efficient hiring processes and fostered a strong, motivated team.

• Rebuilt and scaled the recruitment team from scratch; developed training, metrics, and international sourcing strategy.
• Led performance reviews and implemented interview process redesign, fostering hiring alignment across stakeholders.

Senior HR Generalist at Software Mind (formerly number8) (2018-03 – 2019-01)

Provided HR support to business leaders, aligning talent strategies with company objectives. Focused on compliance, talent acquisition, and employee engagement.

• Advised U.S.-based managers on employee relations, misconduct cases, performance interventions, and offboarding.
• Supported onboarding, engagement, and retention strategies for distributed teams.

Senior IT Recruiter at Software Mind (formerly number8) (2015-12 – 2018-03)

Led IT talent acquisition efforts, ensuring the organization attracted and retained top technical talent. Developed and standardized recruitment processes to improve efficiency and quality.

• Co-developed the company's Recruitment and Selection Process.
• Achieved the best recruitment performance of 2017, surpassing key metrics.
• Designed the company's performance management model for my Master's thesis.

HR Operations Consultant at Alimentos Pro Salud (2018-10 – 2018-12)

Supported HR operations and leadership decision-making within a regulated food manufacturing environment, with a strong focus on compliance, documentation, and audit readiness. Partnered closely with the Integrated Management Systems (IMS) team to align HR processes with audit requirements, document control standards, and internal regulatory frameworks.

• Supported the standardization of HR documentation (employee files, policies, and core HR processes) under compliance and audit preparation criteria.

Talent Acquisition Specialist / Internal QMS Auditor at Grupo STT (2014-04 – 2015-04)

Managed end-to-end recruitment processes for large enterprise clients, including Walmart and HP, in high-volume and regulated service environments. Acted as Internal QMS Auditor (ISO 9001), supporting internal audits, documentation reviews, and corrective action follow-up (CAPA).

• Collaborated with internal stakeholders to ensure HR and recruitment processes aligned with quality management and compliance standards.

Human Resources Assistant at Corrugados Belén (Global Packaging Group) (2013-07 – 2014-04)

Supported core HR operations in a manufacturing environment, including recruitment, employee files, payroll support, and labor compliance. Participated in ISO 9001 quality system processes, including documentation updates, internal audits support, and coordination with operational leaders.

• Gained early exposure to plant-level HR operations, labor relations, and compliance-driven processes.

Master's Degree in Work and Organizational Psychology – University of Costa Rica (2018)

Business Analytics – Cambridge University (2021)

Specialization in Project Management – Costa Rica Institute of Technology (2016)

Licentiate in Psychology – Universidad de Iberoamérica (2013)

Bachelor's Degree in Psychology – Universidad Latina de Costa Rica (2012)