Director, Global People Services
Durham, NCNutanix
- Leading global People Services operations for a cloud and AI infrastructure enterprise, advancing shared services strategy, HR technology, and AI integration across the People function.
North Carolina ·
HR Executive · Global Operator · AI Leader
Mark
Thompson.
HR Operations, Transformation, and Shared Service Delivery at global scale.
A senior HR Operations executive with over two decades building world-class HR service delivery models across more than 40 countries, supporting workforces from 7,000 to 50,000 employees. I specialize in operational transformation, shared services design, and AI-enabled HR strategy that produces measurable results.
By the Numbers
Two decades. Measured in outcomes.
0+
Years Leading Global HR Operations
0
Countries Stood Up in 60 Days Post-Spin
0+
Employees Supported at Peak Scale
0%
Workday Payroll Accuracy Sustained
0%
Case Volume Reduction via ServiceNow AI
$0K+
Saved Through Automation and Vendor Optimization
About Mark
Where operational rigor meets human-centered leadership.
I have spent over twenty years building the HR operations infrastructure that large enterprises rely on to run at scale. My work sits at the intersection of global shared services, workforce technology, and operational transformation. When I inherit a broken or nonexistent system, I do not just optimize it — I architect the people infrastructure that lets a business grow without breaking.
My approach is data-driven, accountable, and built around the employee experience. I lead diverse global teams, deploy platforms like Workday and ServiceNow, and deliver improvements you can measure in SLA compliance, resolution speed, cost, and satisfaction. Today I am extending that foundation into AI strategy and governance, building the capability to align the people function with where business is heading next.
Core Competencies
Global HR OperationsWorkday HCMServiceNow HRAI-Enabled HR StrategyHR Shared Services DesignPost-Spin and M&A IntegrationPayroll OperationsTiered Support Models (Tier 0–3)Process AutomationChange ManagementVendor ManagementPeople Analytics & KPI DashboardsCOE EnablementOperational TransformationGlobal Team LeadershipAPAC · EMEA · Americas · LATAMAI GovernanceAgentic AIDuke CAIO ProgramGlobal HR OperationsWorkday HCMServiceNow HRAI-Enabled HR StrategyHR Shared Services DesignPost-Spin and M&A IntegrationPayroll OperationsTiered Support Models (Tier 0–3)Process AutomationChange ManagementVendor ManagementPeople Analytics & KPI DashboardsCOE EnablementOperational TransformationGlobal Team LeadershipAPAC · EMEA · Americas · LATAMAI GovernanceAgentic AIDuke CAIO Program
Duke CAIO ProgramAgentic AIAI GovernanceAPAC · EMEA · Americas · LATAMGlobal Team LeadershipOperational TransformationCOE EnablementPeople Analytics & KPI DashboardsVendor ManagementChange ManagementProcess AutomationTiered Support Models (Tier 0–3)Payroll OperationsPost-Spin and M&A IntegrationHR Shared Services DesignAI-Enabled HR StrategyServiceNow HRWorkday HCMGlobal HR OperationsDuke CAIO ProgramAgentic AIAI GovernanceAPAC · EMEA · Americas · LATAMGlobal Team LeadershipOperational TransformationCOE EnablementPeople Analytics & KPI DashboardsVendor ManagementChange ManagementProcess AutomationTiered Support Models (Tier 0–3)Payroll OperationsPost-Spin and M&A IntegrationHR Shared Services DesignAI-Enabled HR StrategyServiceNow HRWorkday HCMGlobal HR Operations
Career Experience
Shaped by scale, complexity, and the courage to build from scratch.
Current
Recent Leadership
Global Director of HR Operations
Raleigh, NCRalliant
- Built the global HR operations function post-spin across 41 countries in 60 days.
- Established Tier 0–3 support for 7,000–8,000 employees; achieved 91–95% SLA compliance on 36,000+ annual cases; cut resolution time by 17.7 hours per case; reduced escalations by 57%.
- Integrated ServiceNow AI workflows for a 60% case-volume reduction; redesigned 25 workflows; authored 445 knowledge articles.
- Led a global team of 25 to a 5.18/6.0 CSAT in a brand-new organization; built a COE framework and a 13-KPI dashboard.
People Operations Projects Lead
Cary, NCCyncly
- Reported to the Chief People & Culture Officer as a member of the People Leadership Team.
- Led a global team of ~25 People professionals across Canada, Brazil, the UK, Germany, France, and India.
- Drove culture, talent management, employee relations, DEI, and HR technology optimization across regions.
Director, HR Operations
Newark, NJPanasonic North America
- Led Payroll and HR Operational Services for 25,000 employees across 9 business entities and 60,000 annual transactions.
- Reduced case resolution time by 43% and lifted first-contact resolution from 65% to 93% within 12 months.
- Stood up a centralized HR Operations Center consolidating 14 business-unit operations.
- Sustained 97% Workday payroll accuracy and 100% on-time payments for two consecutive fiscal years across 14 entities; automated 67 HR processes.
Progressive HR Shared Services Leadership
Research Triangle Park & Morrisville, NCCisco
- 14+ year arc from HR Support Specialist to Americas Advanced Care & PMO Leader, Regional Center Leader, and Global Operations & Capabilities Leader.
- Led a virtual HR team across North America and LATAM supporting ~50,000 employees.
- Managed outsourcing vendors to an average NPS of 70; cut processing times by 50% and data gaps by 25%.
- Drove attrition from 80% to 15% during the pandemic; built an intake website with API integrations; raised quality 15% and customer satisfaction 40% through process and scoring redesign.
Early Career
HR and Payroll Specialist roles
Durham, NCFidelity Investments
- Resolved highly sensitive HR and payroll matters for major enterprise clients and served as a team subject-matter expert on process improvement.
Transformation Stories
Solving the problems that don't come with a playbook.
6 min read
Building a Global HR Function in 60 Days: The Ralliant Story
A Fortune 500 spin-off with no HR operations framework, 41 countries, and a 60-day clock. Here is how the infrastructure got built.
Read Case Study
5 min read
97% Payroll Accuracy: Rebuilding Trust at Panasonic
Payroll errors erode trust faster than almost anything in HR. Here is the Workday and process rebuild that changed the numbers across 14 entities.
Read Case Study
6 min read
From 80% Attrition to a Service Engine: Scaling HR Delivery at Cisco
A pandemic-era team in freefall and a service model under strain. Here is how empowerment, not extra management, turned it around.
Read Case StudyOperating Philosophy
HR Operations is not a back-office function. It is the infrastructure that decides whether people can do their best work.
When I inherit a broken system, I do not see a problem. I see the architecture that has not been built yet.
Build for scale and design for the human being at the same time. The best operators do both.
The Statement
I believe operational excellence is a form of care. Systems are not abstractions — they are the difference between an employee who trusts their company and one who does not. Every accurate paycheck, every resolved case, every process that simply works is a promise kept to a real person. That belief shapes what I build, and it shapes how I lead. I have spent over two decades proving that you do not have to choose between rigor and humanity. The strongest operations are built on both.
How I Lead
01
Build the architecture, then trust the people in it.
When my team at Cisco faced 80 percent attrition during the pandemic, the easy move was to add layers of management. I did the opposite. I gave my most experienced people real authority and let them direct the work. We scaled without bloating the structure, and attrition dropped to 15 percent. I lead flat, I lead through ownership, and I trust the people closest to the work to do it well.
02
See the whole board and the next move.
I am as comfortable in the executive strategy session as I am in the workflow detail. That range is what lets me translate a broad vision into a system that actually runs. I do not hand leadership a concept and hope it lands. I build the operating model, instrument it, and connect every moving part back to the business outcome it serves.
03
Lead with empathy, decide with data.
Empathy tells me what my people and the workforce need. Data tells me whether we are delivering it. I hold both at once. I build the dashboard and the KPI framework on day one, not after the fact, because I want the team measured on outcomes they can see and proud of numbers they earned.
04
Make the people around me better.
Over a 14-year arc at Cisco, I watched people I coached get promoted into roles they did not think they were ready for. Developing talent is not a side effect of my leadership — it is the point. I create environments where people feel safe to stretch, and I measure my own success partly by how far the people around me go.
05
Stay steady when everything is changing.
Spin-offs, consolidations, post-merger integration, a pandemic. I do my best work when the ground is moving. Change rewards leaders who bring calm judgment and a clear plan, and that is the posture I hold when the stakes and the uncertainty are highest.
I do not need to claim these things. The people who worked closest to me say them in their own words.
What Leaders Say
Trusted by the people who worked closest to me.
"One of the most strategic, forward-thinking leaders I have partnered with in HR Operations. He sees the big picture and the intricate details, then turns both into scalable solutions, and he leads with intention, empathy, and critical thinking."
Credentials
A lifelong commitment to excellence, curiosity, and leadership growth.
01
University of Richmond
B.A., Health & Sports Science with Sports Business Administration
Richmond, VA · Division I Football · University of Richmond Black Alumni Network
02
Duke University · Fuqua School of Business
Chief AI Officer (CAIO) Program
In Progress
03
SHRM-SCP
Senior Certified Professional
In Progress
04
Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt
Cisco
05
Agile Scrum Master
Simplilearn
06
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Workplace
USF Corporate Training & Professional Education
07
Career Coach Certification
Transformation Academy
08
Executive Leadership & Customer Experience Strategy
LinkedIn Learning
09
AI Application Building (Vibe Coding)
Lovable
Let's Connect
Open to executive leadership, advisory, and transformation conversations.
Whether you are a recruiter, a CHRO, or a founder who needs an HR function built from the ground up, I would welcome the conversation.