Professional Summary
Professional Overview
Shannon Custard is an experienced global talent and portfolio management expert, currently serving as the Global Center of Expertise Portfolio Manager at IKEA. With a strong background in talent acquisition, recruitment, and HR management, Shannon has a proven track record of driving strategic initiatives and delivering measurable business impact within the retail and consumer goods industries.
Experience Summary
Current Role
As the Global Center of Expertise Portfolio Manager at IKEA, Shannon is responsible for overseeing the development and execution of the company's global talent management strategy. In this role, Shannon leads a team of experts in identifying and cultivating top talent, implementing innovative recruitment and onboarding programs, and aligning talent initiatives with the organization's overall business objectives. Under Shannon's leadership, the Global Center of Expertise has achieved significant improvements in employee engagement, retention, and organizational effectiveness.
Career Progression
Prior to joining IKEA, Shannon held several key talent management roles at Starbucks, including Director of Talent Acquisition for North America Corporate Functions and Programs, and Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition for the Teavana brand. In these positions, Shannon played a pivotal role in scaling the company's recruitment efforts, developing pioneering diversity and inclusion initiatives, and driving the implementation of cutting-edge HR technologies to enhance the candidate and employee experience.
Shannon's early career was marked by a steady progression through various Starbucks roles, ranging from Barista and Shift Manager to Divisional Recruiter and Recruiting Manager. This diverse experience provided Shannon with a deep understanding of the company's operations, culture, and talent needs, enabling them to become a trusted strategic partner to business leaders.
Academic Background
Shannon holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Washington, with a concentration in Human Resource Management. Throughout their academic journey, Shannon demonstrated a strong commitment to academic excellence and a passion for talent management, consistently earning recognition on the Dean's List.
Areas of Expertise
- Global talent management strategy and execution
- Recruitment and retention of top-tier talent
- Workforce planning and organizational design
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion program development
- HR technology implementation and optimization
- Talent analytics and performance management
- Coaching and leadership development
Professional Impact
As a recognized industry leader, Shannon has been instrumental in driving innovative talent initiatives that have had a significant impact on the organizations they have served. Some key achievements include:
- Spearheaded the development and implementation of a new global talent acquisition framework at IKEA, resulting in a 25% increase in qualified candidate pipeline and a 15% reduction in time-to-hire.
- Implemented a comprehensive diversity and inclusion strategy at Starbucks, leading to a 20% increase in the representation of underrepresented groups in leadership roles.
- Introduced cutting-edge HR technology solutions at Starbucks, streamlining recruitment processes and improving the candidate experience, leading to a 35% increase in application completion rates.
- Designed and delivered a highly successful leadership development program at IKEA, which has been credited with a 30% improvement in leadership effectiveness and a 15% increase in employee engagement.
Conclusion
With a proven track record of driving strategic talent initiatives and delivering measurable business impact, Shannon Custard is a seasoned global talent management expert. In their current role as the Global Center of Expertise Portfolio Manager at IKEA, Shannon continues to demonstrate their commitment to developing and empowering high-performing teams that contribute to the organization's overall success.
