Traci Russo

Strategic HR and Talent Development Leader with 15+ years of experience designing and managing talent programs, succession planning processes, and leadership development initiatives. Proven success in partnering with senior leaders and HR teams to align role profiles, competency models, and assessment tools with organizational strategy. Adept at leveraging analytics to drive data-informed talent decisions, improve succession readiness, and deliver actionable insights to executive leadership.

Recognized for operational excellence, program innovation, and building scalable frameworks that strengthen talent pipelines and organizational performance.

Core Achievements

• Directed NIQ’s NExT Talent Program, managing succession planning, performance reviews, and leadership development for 30+ associates across US & India.
• Partnered with executives to design competency models and career pathways, ensuring alignment with evolving organizational needs.
• Implemented KPIs and analytics to measure program effectiveness, translating insights into actionable improvements for senior leadership.
• Worked with cross-functional teams and vendor relationships to deliver scalable onboarding, training, and assessment programs.
• Contributed to $19M+ in annual revenue by optimizing analyst performance through structured development and talent planning.

MBA Marketing & Finance: University of Connecticut

Bachelors English & Psychology: University of Connecticut