Melissa Austin, MSOD
Melissa Austin is a seasoned Human Resources executive with 25 years of experience supporting organizations across Fortune 500, private equity, and privately owned business environments. She brings a rare combination of strategic HR leadership, hands‑on operational expertise, and deep knowledge of employment law and compliance. Melissa uses her extensive background to design and implement customized HR programs that fit the unique needs of each client.
Throughout her career, Melissa has supported a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, engineering, warehousing and distribution, co‑packaging, supply chain, home healthcare, property management, and e‑commerce. Her experience spans both U.S. and global operations, including work with teams in Canada, Mexico, and Scotland.
Melissa currently partners with small to mid‑sized companies as a fractional HR leader, providing strategic guidance and day‑to‑day employee relations support. She builds foundational HR infrastructure for growing organizations — including policies, employee handbooks, onboarding programs, and HR compliance processes. Her work also includes integrating performance management systems, creating compensation and benefits programs, and developing talent management and leadership development frameworks.
A hallmark of Melissa’s approach is her ability to streamline HR processes, dramatically reducing the time leaders spend on administrative tasks and compliance reporting. She has successfully led multiple acquisitions, including asset and stock purchases, and has directed HRIS and payroll implementations for platforms such as SAP, UKG Pro, ADP, Peoplesoft, Ascentis, and SAP payroll. Her background includes managing large HR and payroll teams, sustaining “zero‑lawsuit” environments, improving retention rates, and driving multimillion‑dollar cost savings through benefits and insurance negotiations.
Before launching her consulting practice, Melissa held executive HR roles including Chief Human Resources Officer, Vice President of Human Resources, Director of Human Resources, and Division HR Manager for a Fortune 250 global manufacturer. She has built HR departments from the ground up, created organization development programs, facilitated executive strategy sessions, led global workforce planning initiatives, and implemented large‑scale change management efforts.
Melissa earned both her Bachelor of Arts in Organization Communication and her Master of Science in Organizational Development from Queens University of Charlotte. She has maintained her Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification for more than a decade and has completed extensive training in leadership development, change management, Lean methodologies, Six Sigma, and high‑performance team leadership.
Today, Melissa continues to serve as a trusted advisor to business owners, executives, and HR teams — helping organizations strengthen compliance, elevate culture, and build scalable people programs that support long‑term growth.
Melissa Austin is a seasoned Human Resources executive with 25 years of experience supporting organizations across Fortune 500, private equity, and privately owned business environments. She brings a rare combination of strategic HR leadership, hands‑on operational expertise, and deep knowledge of employment law and compliance. Melissa uses her extensive background to design and implement customized HR programs that fit the unique needs of each client.
Throughout her career, Melissa has supported a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, engineering, warehousing and distribution, co‑packaging, supply chain, home healthcare, property management, and e‑commerce. Her experience spans both U.S. and global operations, including work with teams in Canada, Mexico, and Scotland.
Melissa currently partners with small to mid‑sized companies as a fractional HR leader, providing strategic guidance and day‑to‑day employee relations support. She builds foundational HR infrastructure for growing organizations — including policies, employee handbooks, onboarding programs, and HR compliance processes. Her work also includes integrating performance management systems, creating compensation and benefits programs, and developing talent management and leadership development frameworks.
A hallmark of Melissa’s approach is her ability to streamline HR processes, dramatically reducing the time leaders spend on administrative tasks and compliance reporting. She has successfully led multiple acquisitions, including asset and stock purchases, and has directed HRIS and payroll implementations for platforms such as SAP, UKG Pro, ADP, Peoplesoft, Ascentis, and SAP payroll. Her background includes managing large HR and payroll teams, sustaining “zero‑lawsuit” environments, improving retention rates, and driving multimillion‑dollar cost savings through benefits and insurance negotiations.
Before launching her consulting practice, Melissa held executive HR roles including Chief Human Resources Officer, Vice President of Human Resources, Director of Human Resources, and Division HR Manager for a Fortune 250 global manufacturer. She has built HR departments from the ground up, created organization development programs, facilitated executive strategy sessions, led global workforce planning initiatives, and implemented large‑scale change management efforts.
Melissa earned both her Bachelor of Arts in Organization Communication and her Master of Science in Organizational Development from Queens University of Charlotte. She has maintained her Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification for more than a decade and has completed extensive training in leadership development, change management, Lean methodologies, Six Sigma, and high‑performance team leadership.
Today, Melissa continues to serve as a trusted advisor to business owners, executives, and HR teams — helping organizations strengthen compliance, elevate culture, and build scalable people programs that support long‑term growth.
