Anthea Rafique — People Operations Leader

About

Who I Am

I'm an innovative HR professional with a diverse background in HR strategy, people operations, and organisational scaling. I design and implement HR programmes that optimise employee engagement, reduce costs, and drive high-performing cultures.

My focus is aligning HR with business objectives, scaling HR functions for growing organisations, and introducing people-centric policies that improve retention and workforce effectiveness. From building HR infrastructure from scratch to navigating post-acquisition integration, I've done it across startups and enterprise environments.

10+

Years in HR & Ops

75+

Employees Scaled

92%

Engagement Lift

50%

PEO Cost Reduction

Key Achievements

Results That Matter

▶ Scaled HR functions from foundational to fully operational HR infrastructure for small-to-medium-sized companies, supporting up to 75 employees across multiple locations.
▶ Led HRIS implementation and automation, reducing manual administrative work by 30% and improving employee experience.
▶ Drove a 92% improvement in employee engagement through leadership development, targeted surveys, and responsive action planning.
▶ Reduced turnover by 15% through career growth paths, succession planning, and targeted retention strategies.
▶ Negotiated a 50% reduction in PEO overhead costs while maintaining competitive benefits packages.
▶ Designed and executed compensation benchmarking and pay equity initiatives, resulting in positive employee feedback and reduced pay disparities.
▶ Optimised multi-state compliance frameworks, reducing legal risk by 25% through proactive HR policy development.
▶ Strengthened DEI efforts, leading to more inclusive hiring practices and increased workforce diversity.

Experience

Where I've Been

July 2025 — Dec 2025 · Remote

HRBP (Contract)

DeepHealth AI

Supported HR leadership with post-acquisition integration of iCAD, aligning onboarding, compliance, and HR processes across global teams.
Oversaw US onboarding operations — offer packets, agreements, coordination with IT and Finance for Day-1 readiness.
Maintained and improved the Hiring Master Tracker, consolidating recruiting data and delivering weekly insights for Finance and leadership.
Coordinated full-cycle recruitment for technical and product roles, reducing time-to-hire by 15%.
Developed People Ops templates and programs including global Code of Conduct, PLM training comms, and feedback frameworks.
Co-facilitated global social-hour events across regions to drive engagement, inclusion, and team connection.

Jan 2022 — Dec 2024 · Houston, TX

People Operations Leader

Ingeron, Inc.

Designed and scaled HR operations from startup phase to a structured, high-functioning People Operations department.
Partnered with the executive team to align HR strategies with business goals, ensuring talent strategy supported growth and profitability.
Implemented a customised HRIS infrastructure, reducing administrative workload and enhancing employee self-service capabilities.
Developed succession planning and career pathing frameworks, improving leadership pipelines and internal mobility.
Led the transition to an asynchronous hybrid work model, maintaining business continuity and compliance.
Created company-wide engagement strategies, resulting in 92% participation rate in engagement surveys and action-driven improvements.
Drove comprehensive compensation and benefits strategy, ensuring market competitiveness and employee satisfaction.

Mar 2021 — Jan 2022 · Houston, TX

People Operations Generalist

Ingeron, Inc.

Built HR policies, onboarding programmes, and employee handbooks from the ground up, ensuring compliance across multi-state operations.
Led multi-state payroll processing, bonus plan design, and commission structures.
Partnered with finance to optimise HR budgets and workforce planning, aligning with company growth projections.
Spearheaded DEI programmes, increasing representation and inclusive hiring practices.

2019 — 2021 · Houston, TX

Executive Legal / HR Assistant

Phonoscope, Inc.

Partnered with HR leadership to improve workforce planning, compliance, and employee record management for 200+ employees.
Led initiatives to modernise contract and record-keeping processes, improving accuracy and HR operational efficiency.
Assisted with employee relations matters, supporting resolution strategies and compliance with labour laws.

2017 — 2018 · Houston, TX

Legal Assistant

Polland & Associates

Streamlined legal forms and created new forms on a case-by-case basis, increasing efficiency in legal processes.
Analysed cases, created motions, and assisted with trial prep across civil, criminal, and juvenile cases.
Collaborated with attorneys to create documents for 178 existing cases, ensuring accurate and timely preparation.

2014 — 2016 · Houston, TX

Technical Writer (Contract)

J. Connor Consulting / Cameron LNG / Cheniere Energy

Developed HR and compliance documentation including safety policies and workforce guidelines for a $10B liquefaction project.
Led cross-functional teams to improve communication between HR, engineering, and project management.

Technical Skills & Systems

Tools I Use

HRIS

Prism ADP iCIMS

Performance & Engagement

CultureAmp Lattice 360 Reviews Slack Personio 15Five

Payroll & Compliance

Insperity (PEO) Questco (PEO)

Project Management

Asana SharePoint MS Teams JIRA

Education & Credentials

Background & Certifications

Certificate, Human Resources Management

Cornell University · Ithaca, NY
Certified Trauma Informed Workplace Advocate

The Wounded Workforce
Bachelor of Arts, English — Creative Writing (Dean's List)

University of Houston · Houston, TX
Active Member

TroopHR

Contact

Let's Talk

Whether you need a People Ops leader, an HR consultant, or just want to connect — I'm always up for a conversation about building better workplaces.

Based in Houston, TX. Open to remote and hybrid roles nationwide.

anthea.rafique@gmail.com

Anthea A. Rafique