Karen Boden
Wentworth Point,Australia
Summary
Dynamic Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist with 15 years of experience in specialist and high-volume recruitment. Proven ability to effectively partner with stakeholders and attract top talent in the Construction, Vertical Transport, oil & gas, mining, professional services, and Government sectors. Reputation as a trusted people advisor, handling employment relations, workplace planning, engagement initiatives, communication strategies, change management opportunities, and end-to-end recruitment management and mobilization. Commitment to ongoing professional development demonstrates genuine interest in understanding people's behaviors, drivers, sensitivities, emotions, and thought processes. This understanding is pivotal to serving as a Trusted Advisor for any organization. Actively supports a workplace that celebrates diversity and inclusion while engaging staff in philanthropic and social activities to achieve high levels of engagement across all areas of the business. Focused on fostering positivity and openness within the workplace, recognizing that excellent recruitment processes are the foundation of a strong organizational culture.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist
KONE Elevators
Sydney, NSW
05.2021 - Current
- Reduced time-to-fill for critical roles by cultivating strong relationships with hiring managers and understanding their specific needs.
- Negotiated competitive compensation packages with selected candidates, ensuring alignment with company budget constraints and internal equity standards.
- Championed the use of data-driven decision-making within talent acquisition team, utilizing various analytics tools to identify trends and pinpoint areas for improvement.
- Increased quality of hires through meticulous candidate screening, interviewing, and assessment techniques.
- Optimized job postings for search engine visibility, driving increased traffic to company career site.
- Streamlined internal interview processes, creating a more consistent and structured approach to candidate evaluation across the organization.
- Mentored junior recruiters on best practices in sourcing strategy development and effective interview techniques, elevating overall team performance.
- Expanded candidate pool by leveraging social media platforms, job boards, and networking events to attract top-tier talent.
- Managed vendor relationships with external recruiting agencies, ensuring cost-effective and efficient partnership agreements.
- Improved candidate experience by providing timely feedback and clear communication throughout the hiring process.
- Spearheaded diversity initiatives within the organization by partnering with affinity groups and attending targeted recruiting events.
- Led recruitment efforts for high-profile executive searches, collaborating closely with senior leadership teams to identify ideal candidates.
- Created a robust talent pipeline by proactively identifying passive candidates through headhunting techniques and referrals.
- Conducted in-depth market research and analysis to identify industry trends, benchmarking company performance against competitors.
- Collaborated with HR team to develop a comprehensive onboarding process for new employees, improving retention rates.
- Developed customized training programs for hiring managers on topics such as behavioral interview techniques and unconscious bias awareness in the selection process.
- Developed tailored recruitment marketing campaigns to strengthen employer brand and attract diverse candidates.
- Acted as brand ambassador to educate candidates on culture, career growth, benefits, and advantages of working for company.
- Sourced and screened candidates for Type roles and worked with hiring managers to coordinate interviews, offers, and onboarding.
- Evaluated resumes, interviewed, and presented qualified candidates to hiring managers and solicited feedback to refine recruiting strategy.
- Provided regular updates to hiring managers and HR staff on recruitment activities and progress.
- Conducted telephone and in-person interviews to assess candidate experience and qualifications.
- Developed and maintained strong working relationships with executives, HR team, and hiring managers to foster partnerships that produced consistent results.
- Created and distributed job postings on job boards, corporate career sites and social media networks to increase reach.
- Collaborated with hiring managers to determine job requirements and understand departmental needs.
- Developed and maintained applicant tracking system, tracking all job openings, applicants and interviewing activity.
- Partnered with departmental managers to ascertain hiring needs and subsequently provide candidate recommendations.
- Assisted with writing job postings and job descriptions for boards.
- Pre-screened resumes prior to sending to corporate hiring managers for consideration.
- Completed human resource operational requirements by scheduling and assigning employees.
- Administered employee benefits programs and assisted with open enrollment.
- Generated and analyzed reports to monitor employee engagement and attrition trends.
- Created and delivered HR training sessions to staff, managers and executives.
- Worked alongside global business leader to deploy new training strategies.
- Improved office efficiency by effectively managing internal communications and correspondence.
- Developed and implemented onboarding and orientation programs for new employees.
- Collected and analyzed information to monitor compliance outcomes and identify and address trends of non-compliant behavior.
- Reduced expenses by analyzing compensation policies and implementing competitive programs while ensuring adherence to legal requirements.
- Developed and monitored employee recognition programs.
Talent Specialist
Transport For NSW, N.S.W. Government
01.2021 - 03.2021
- I was responsible for attracting & sourcing Talent - Middle Management roles, for Transport for N.S.W in the Chief
- Customer Office for Talent Partnerships, Network & Assets & Customer Coordination and Service Delivery ( CCSD)
- Established and maintained exceptional stakeholder relationships with all Senior Hiring Managers
- Full 360 recruitment from advertising, shortlisting, interviewing, Pre-employment checks
- Draft of LOO to onboarding, full cycle candidate data
- Identifying Silver medallist candidates & talent pipelining
- Achievements
- Provided a quality and skilled labour force meeting all set KPI’s within 30 days from Date of Requisition
- Successfully achieved fill rate per intake to 100%
People Attraction Advisor
Allianz Insurance Group
12.2020 - 01.2021
- The Big 4 – General Insurance Companies, Working remotely from Sydney recruiting for Allianz Call Centre based in Adelaide S.A
- I was responsible for attracting
- Talent in S.A.- for Customer Service call centre Agent roles, which also included back fill of roles to support the operations of their Covid affected Call centre based in India (Trivandrum)
- Established and maintained exceptional stakeholder relationships with all Senior Hiring Managers
- Organised and managed 15 individual Assessment Centres online via WebEx, resulting in 45 candidates placed
- Full 360 recruitment from advertising, shortlisting, interviewing, Pre-employment checks
- Draft of LOO to onboarding, full cycle candidate data
- Achievements
- Provided a quality and skilled labour force meeting all set KPI’s within 30 days from Date of Requisition
- Successfully achieved fill rate per intake to 100%
Talent Acquisition Consultant
KPMG, One of the Big
01.2020 - 04.2020
- Based in the Barrangaroo office (Sydney) I was responsible for managing the account for Enterprise, External Audit-
- Nationally for Australia for Senior Accountants/Assistant Managers/Managers/Directors
- Established and maintained exceptional stakeholder relationships with PIC’s, Partners & Senior Hiring Managers
- Providing advice and assistance to support managers in the effective recruitment of staff, including offering advice on innovative attraction, recruitment, and selection approaches
- Implemented weekly open roles & new hire report(s), complete with candidate tracker & visa update tracker of international hires
- Proactively participating and providing consultancy support to stakeholders in the end to end selection process including job design, evaluation, sourcing, screening, and assessment
- Reviewing job descriptions submitted by managers and providing advice to target the talent required to meet organisational needs
- Organised and ran a State by State monthly recruitment meeting with Partners & Senior Hiring Managers, providing a status update of candidates and costs to the business on visas for international hires; driving agendas on what the recruitment needs of the business are now and in the next 6 months to correlate with recruitment forecasting
- Respond to enquiries and action recruitment activities in line with agreed timeframes
- Monitoring the end to end process to ensure compliance with Company Standards and Policy requirements
- Contributing to the development and implementation of best practice recruitment and selection skills programs; delivering coaching and training
- Assisting with the development and implementation of recruitment strategies, initiatives, and programs
- Preparing accurate and timely documentation and undertaking quality assurance of recruitment and job design and evaluation processes
- Curriculum Vitae
Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist
Allegis Global Solutions
02.2019 - 06.2019
- Sourcing and recruiting volume & full end-to-end recruitment of corporate white-collar roles, from job advertising video & online, sourcing, screening, interviewing, pre-employment checks to issuing of contracts, Hiring Manager engagement, full cycle candidate data management & monthly reporting
- Providing coaching and mentoring to recruitment team members
- Achievements
- Successfully implemented and rolled out a new recruitment strategy nationally, which involved “an always on” approach to recruitment, being pro-active rather than reactive to meet the business’s volume needs & to build a quality job ready National & International talent pipeline
- Provided a quality and skilled labour force meeting all set KPI’s within 30 days from Date of Requisition
- Successfully achieved fill rate per intake to 100%, Post Group & StarTrack), Based in Sydney, managing StarTrack accounts across Queensland, South Australia, WA, and the Northern Territory
- Managing a small recruitment team of coordinators across volume recruitment and full end-to-end recruitment blue/white collar roles, including job advertising (video and online), sourcing, resume screening, interviewing candidates and conducting pre-employment reference and personality checks
- Overseeing the issuing of contracts and full cycle candidate data management
- Continuous and effective hiring manager + stakeholder engagement (25+), providing transparent communications such as weekly recruitment updates, discussions on forecasting, and assisting with training
- Built and maintained ‘Trusted Advisor’ relationships with Senior Manager, Hiring Managers and Line Managers
- Achievements
- Successfully achieved 100% Fill rate of recruitment of high-quality candidates across Queensland, South Australia
- Western Australian and the Northern Territory
- Provided a quality candidate experience through constant communications, face to face interviews, and pre- employment checks (including medical including D&A, and police checks)
- Reduced time to fill rate from 38 days to 26.7 days
- Successfully recruited for StarTrack Darra call centre, placing quality candidates, and meeting all intakes 100%
- Talent Acquisition Partner, RPO (In-House) | Customer Contact Centre - Brisbane (Government Account: Australia Post
- Group & StarTrack)
Allegis Global Solutions
05.2017 - 02.2019
- Full responsibility for overseeing a large Government account (Australia Post Group; governed under the Australian
- Postal Corporation Act 1989) which involved high quality, high volume recruitment for Australia Post and StarTrack
- Sourcing and recruiting a large volume of blue-and white-collar roles, from job advertising video and online, sourcing, screening, interviewing, to running assessment centres, pre-employment checks to issuing of contracts
- Built and established exceptional trusted advisor relationships with line management and team managers, senior management, and stakeholders
- Meeting and greeting candidates on their first day at the Customer Contact Centre in Brisbane CBD
- Full cycle candidate data management
- Provided a quality candidate experience by constant and effective communications through an 8 step/6 week process, which included a cognitive ability test, behavioural based phone interview, APTA call centre behavioural test, assessment centre-phone role plays, face-to-face interviews, and 3 pre-employment checks (medical including D&A, police check, and 2 reference checks)
- Organised and managed 48 individual Assessment Centres in house across 16 days, resulting in 210+ candidates placed
- Implemented and oversaw the rollout of new recruitment process and enthusiastically and influentially trained 15
- TM’s with new process of Engagement centre
- Promoted diversity and inclusion by recruiting the first legally blind candidate into the call centre
- Recruitment for StarTrack Darra Queensland call centre
- Assisted Melbourne with their recruitment timeline for customer contact centre
- Assisted StarTrack with their recruitment in the blue collar and white-collar space
- Monitor and report (monthly) on recruitment activity and outcomes to key stakeholders and senior business partners
- Achievements
- Trained and educated 21 Team Managers by rolling out unconscious bias training
- Successfully recruited first legally blind candidate into the call centre, resulting in an in-house photo shoot reachingillion+ legally blind people, enhancing my client’s profile in the marketplace of being a valued and supportive diversity employer
- Achieved a 100% fill rate of recruitment of high-quality candidates, 210 plus quality staff, with a high percentage being seconded to other areas within the business in just 9 months
- Curriculum Vitae
Recruitment Coordinator
Allegis Global Solutions
10.2016 - 05.2017
- Retained staff and decreased previous attrition rate from 34% to 16% within first 90 days
- Created a quality candidate experience which enhanced the clients brand name in the marketplace, , RPO (In-House) Sydney | StarTrack Nationwide Recruitment Project (Australia Post Group), Government Account: Australia Post Group & StarTrack, Solely supporting 8 recruiters and recruiting for 56 locations across Australia, for StarTrack Warehouses/Air & Road
- Facilities Nation Wide, and City & Country
- Providing both blue-and white-collar candidates, all forms of candidate care and administrative support associated with a candidates’ application process through to, and including, their onboarding
- Creation of Requisitions in Taleo for roles
- Liaising with candidates regarding pre-employment checks, medical confirmations (via Injury Net/Fit2work), Police checks, Survey360 reference checks
- Sending LOO’s and first day details, conducting Vevo checks & RTWA checks and Fair Opportunity Letters
- Management and coordination of a high volume of candidates, from drivers, freight handlers and fleet controllers, to general managers, sales manager, business analysts, operations administrators
- End to end recruitment and candidate management to ensure the ongoing success of the project
- Achievements
- Successfully achieved fill rate per intake to 100%
- Provided a quality and skilled labour force, meeting KPI’s within 30 days from Date of Requisition
Resourcing Advisor + Mobilisation Coordinator
Downer EDI
Perth, WA
01.2016 - 06.2016
- Perth (Engineering, Construction & Maintenance), Managed the performance of an operational team of 20 recruiters across the Gorgon Barrow Island project; Gorgon is one of the world's largest LNG projects and is the largest single resource project in Australia's history
- Creating KPI’s, coaching and developing the team to achieve their required performance levels, operations process standards & business objectives
- Mentored and empowered my team to develop, grow and elevate their relationships with stakeholders & building their own self-confidence
- Delivered effective daily morning pre-start meetings with an emphasis on project status updates, new operational requirements, changes to processes & procedures, and reinforcing operational practices & policies
- Achievements
- Successfully achieved fill rate per intake to 100%
- Provided a quality and skilled labour force, meeting KPI’s within 30 days from Date of Requisition
- Mobilisation Coordinator, Wheatstone OSBL LNG Project
- CB
Downer EDI Perth
10.2015 - 01.2016
- Mobilisation and rostering of personnel to Wheatstone OSBL LNG Project
- Creating KPI’s and conducting performance reviews
- Coaching and developing Supervisors, helping them lead engaged teams to achieve required performance levels, operations process standards and business objectives
- Lead and role model a culture of safety, consistent with the business’s safety leadership values, managing compliance to safety, health, and environment
- Conduct morning pre-start meetings & afternoon de-briefs, with an emphasis on health & safety to team, updating them with the latest changes
- Processing supplier invoices/reconciliations and vendor disputes for mine site
- Main point of contact for vendor enquiries, creation, posting and processing of invoices into SAP for goods receipt, payments & processing of invoices
- Achievements
- Successfully achieved fill rate per intake to 100%
- Provided a quality and skilled labour force, meeting KPI’s within 30 days from Date of Requisition
- Mobilisation Coordinator, Gorgon LNG Project | Engineering, Construction & Maintenance
Curriculum Vitae
08.2015 - 10.2015
Logistics Coordinator
Orica Mining Services
WA
10.2014 - 04.2015
- Sourcing and recruiting a high volume of skilled personnel (blue and white collar) for large scale Oil & Gas
- Construction (SMP) on the Barrow Island Project Far North WA (FIFO); Gorgon is one of the world's largest LNG projects and is the largest single resource project in Australia's history
- Mobilising personnel including booking all travel, flights, accommodation, and transport to and from site
- Organising site access and inductions; ordering PPE, checking relevant tickets and certifications
- Booking medicals and processing HR administration
- Sending out contracts and offer letters (LOO)
- Setting new starters up on the system for HR and Payroll
- Dealing with all related mobilisation and basic HR administration required
- Managed the performance of an operational team of 5, including coaching & developing personnel
- Creation of jobs on seek.com and postings on LinkedIn, PUP & exporting candidate applications via job site portal
- Phone screening, interviewing candidates, performing reference checks and background checks
- Vevo checks & RTWA checks, booking skills testing and training
- Achievements
- Provided a quality and skilled labour force, which contributed to 2Million site hours of (LTI) Loss Time Injury free record at the Chevron Operated Gorgon Project in Western Australia, Administrator Onsite (FIFO) 26:9, ) Drill & Blast Operations, Mobilisation and rostering of 300 personnel to (5) Fortescue Metals Group, Iron Ore Mine sites in the Pilbara, WA
- Managed the performance of 5 supervisors; creating KPI’s and conducting performance reviews
- Coaching and developing Supervisors, helping them lead engaged teams to achieve required performance levels, operations process standards and business objectives
- Lead and role model a culture of safety, consistent with the business’s safety leadership values, managing compliance to safety, health, and environment; conduct morning pre-start meetings & afternoon de-briefs, with an emphasis on health & safety to team, updating them with the latest changes
- Processing supplier invoices/reconciliations and vendor disputes for 5 mine sites
- Main point of contact for vendor enquiries, creation, posting and processing of invoices into SAP for goods receipt, payments & processing of invoices
- Creating daily stock inventory reports for the customer (for 5 separate mine Sites-Solomon, Christmas Creek, Cloud
- Break, Port Headland & Abydos)
- Achievements
- Successfully mobilised 300 personnel to 5 mine sites monthly, Fly in Fly out ( FIFO)
Project Support Officer and Data Specialist
Activ Foundation, NFP
Wembley, WA
02.2014 - 09.2014
- Providing business support to the Project Team to successfully identify critical document data in various regional locations throughout WA
- Maintaining client database, resulting in the conversion to a new improved data base for all disabled patrons of WA
- Achievements
- Ensured timely and efficient delivery of critical data for project success and completion
Data Entry Specialist & Document Controller
Transportation Services and Billing Group, Natural Gas Pipeline
Perth, WA
06.2006 - 07.2013
- Complied with all regulatory obligations as set down by the Independent Market Operator (IMO)
- Resolve Unaccounted for Gas to maintain integrity of Gas Measurement System
- Analyse and correct live data daily from the field (of gas transported along the 1600km pipeline) from Dampier North
- WA to Bunbury South West WA
- Act as the central point for customer and stakeholder liaison with respect to billing/nominations/deliveries, and contractual queries
- Assisted project teams in driving completion of deadlines through monitoring QA, maintaining cost effectiveness, invoicing, and managing supporting documentation
- Develop, update, and publish operational manuals + procedure documents
- Register and revise documents using E.D.R.M.S
- For quality control & issuance of documents and drawings
- Developed, created & managed an asset register for company telecommunications devices which included Satellite
- Phones, laptops, and mobiles
- Curriculum Vitae
Assistant Branch Manager + Home Loan Lender
Commonwealth Bank of Australia, CBA
Sydney, NSW
01.2003 - 06.2006
- Achievements
- Increased sales and market share for the sole WA Gas provider to 17 independent gas companies, by delivering accurate data analysis and contract service excellence, One of the Big 4 Australian Banks, Providing day to day management, training, and coaching & development of 20 branch personnel
- Organising and managing all loan applications & documentation; carrying out complete processing procedures for home loan applications including analysing client’s employment status and financial data (current debts, monthly expenses, assets & liabilities etc.)
- New business development and raising brand awareness; networking with industry professionals and actively working to grow our reach
- Encouraging referrals from client’s family and friends to increase client numbers
- Undertaking needs analysis with clients to better understand their requirements and capacity to borrow; sourcing the best loan for clients
- Developed staff and individual KPIs and targets, conducted regular meetings with staff, and created development plans as and when required
- Data entry of client file information, and undertaking admin tasks to maintain system compliance
- Provide customers with savings tools and investment options
- Telemarking and cold calling
- Communicating and educating clients, and guiding them through the loan process with a high degree of support and availability to answer any client concerns
- Document collection and loan writing
- Ensure compliance to NCCP for consumer products
- Achievements
- Successfully over-achieved Monthly Home loan target of $4.8 million by 44%
- Successfully over-achieved Personal Loan Monthly Target of $480,000 by 83%
- Experience gained in a strictly monitored Government Institution, (being Government owned until privatisation in
Education
Work Pro Certified - WHS & EEO Modules 1+10, Project Management Training, DBNGP
Orica Mining Services
01.2007
Workplace Train the Trainer and Assessor - Banking, Leadership in the Workplace, Managing with Insight
Commonwealth Bank
01.2000
Skills
- Client-focused solutions
- Qualitative and quantitative methods
- Advanced data analytics
- FIFO experience
- Organisation and facilitation of Assessment Centres
- Learning and Development (L&D)
- Analysing training requirements
- Meeting strict project deadlines
- Recruitment transformation
- Change leadership planning
- Judgement & confidentiality
- Presenting insights
- Relationship management
- Change models
- Public speaking
- Employee relation knowledge
- Interpersonal skills
- Communication skills
- Project initiatives
- Strategic problem-solving
- Organisational skills
Recommendations
- James Geraghty, Project Manager, Transport Partnerships Innovation Regional & Outer Metropolitan (ROM), Thank you very much Karen. Your guidance, efficiency & professionalism has been greatly appreciated. Most impressive has been your ability to the candidates to put them at ease & promote a positive experience for all involved.
- Dana Bentley, Partner Enterprise, KPMG Melbourne, Karen, thank you for your support and thank you for all the outstanding work you've done with me.
- Emma Longbottom, National Talent Acquisition Manager at KPMG Sydney, When you first joined the team, I said we really needed someone who could give Enterprise all the love and attention they needed, and you have exactly done that! The level of customer service you have provided to the business and candidates has been amazing, illustrated by the awesome feedback you have received. You've been a great addition to the team, and I'll miss the positive vibes you always bring to our team meetings.
Personal Information
Citizenship: Australian Citizen
Licence
C Class Licence + Vehicle
Accomplishments
Sourced and recruited 50+ electrical apprentices for ANZ, using video interviewing, pre-screening,assessment testing using PAPI assessing Maths, English and verbal reasoning skills testing
Hired on average 100-130new hires per year consistently.
Reduced time to hire to 45days
Excelled in Hiring Manager and candidate feedback with an average score of 4.8 out of 5
Successfully offered 9 candidates in 1 day
Ran the KONE elevators Brand Ambassador team for ANZ across the last 2 years highlighting and promoting KONE a great place to work on LinkedIn , Glass Door and Seek and driving attraction to our brand
Certification
PAPI certified (Pyschometric Testing)
Train the Trainer
Professional Leadership
Timeline
Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist
KONE Elevators
05.2021 - Current
Talent Specialist
Transport For NSW, N.S.W. Government
01.2021 - 03.2021
People Attraction Advisor
Allianz Insurance Group
12.2020 - 01.2021
Talent Acquisition Consultant
KPMG, One of the Big
01.2020 - 04.2020
Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist
Allegis Global Solutions
02.2019 - 06.2019
Allegis Global Solutions
05.2017 - 02.2019
Recruitment Coordinator
Allegis Global Solutions
10.2016 - 05.2017
Resourcing Advisor + Mobilisation Coordinator
Downer EDI
01.2016 - 06.2016
Downer EDI Perth
10.2015 - 01.2016
Curriculum Vitae
08.2015 - 10.2015
Logistics Coordinator
Orica Mining Services
10.2014 - 04.2015
Project Support Officer and Data Specialist
Activ Foundation, NFP
02.2014 - 09.2014
Data Entry Specialist & Document Controller
Transportation Services and Billing Group, Natural Gas Pipeline
06.2006 - 07.2013
Assistant Branch Manager + Home Loan Lender
Commonwealth Bank of Australia, CBA
01.2003 - 06.2006
Work Pro Certified - WHS & EEO Modules 1+10, Project Management Training, DBNGP
Orica Mining Services
Workplace Train the Trainer and Assessor - Banking, Leadership in the Workplace, Managing with Insight
Commonwealth Bank