Ashley Grant

Ashley Grant -❖- ❖ Frisco, Texas PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY Versatile Administrative, HR, and Operations professional with 10+ years of experience across benefits administration, payroll, project/program management, executive support, accounting, client relations, marketing, and communications. Proven success reducing benefits costs by 20%, improving operational efficiency by 30%, accelerating delivery timelines by 20%, and boosting engagement through multi-channel campaigns. Skilled technical editor and proofreader with 99%+ accuracy. Known for strong emotional intelligence, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to manage competing priorities with precision and professionalism. CORE COMPETENCIES Communication & Writing: Copywriting, editing, proofreading, fact-checking; AP/Chicago/MLA/APA and in-house style adaptation; executive presentations; data storytelling; consistent tone/brand voice. Project & Program Management: End-to-end lifecycle (scoping, estimating, budgeting, staffing, scheduling, risk, execution, QC, delivery, invoicing); agile coordination; OKR/KPI reporting. HR / Benefits / People Ops: Multi-state benefits administration; open enrollment; vendor/carrier management; HRIS auditing (ADP, Paychex, Workday); onboarding, training, mentorship; SOP/policy development; employee engagement. Operations & Finance: Accounts receivable (invoicing, coding, deposits, collections), reconciliations, close activities; ledgers/aging/POs; records/CRM management; inventory procedures. Compliance & Governance: ACA, EEO, ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, FMLA; documentation, handbook and crisis-plan maintenance; quality assurance; regulatory alignment. Marketing & Brand Management: Brand identity/storytelling; multi-channel campaign planning and analysis; SEO/Google Analytics; audience strategy. Collaboration & Leadership: Cross-functional partnership, stakeholder management, conflict mediation, coaching/mentorship, meeting & event planning. Work Style & Strengths: Active listening, adaptability, attention to detail, analytical/critical thinking, problem solving, prioritization, organization, confidentiality/discretion, customer focus, empathy, integrity, innovation, resourcefulness, calm under pressure, sense of urgency, time management. TECHNICAL SKILLS Adobe Acrobat • Adobe Creative Suite • Asana • Bill.com • Canva • ERP tools • Google Analytics • Google Workspace (Docs/Sheets/Slides/Forms) • HRIS: ADP, Paychex, Workday • LexisNexis • Microsoft Access • Microsoft Office/365 (Excel—power user; Outlook; PowerPoint; Word) • Microsoft Project • Microsoft Teams • QuickBooks (Desktop & Online) • SAP • SharePoint • Trello • Visio • AI tools WORK EXPERIENCE Intellectual Property Illustration, Flower Mound, Texas Executive Assistant / Project Status Manager / Operations / HR & Benefits / Client Relations / Accounting / Proofreading / Marketing, Jul 2011 - Oct 2024 Finance & Operations • Ensured billable time and sales tax accuracy for payroll/billing; calculated, coded, and sent invoices; posted checks/ACH in QuickBooks for completed and WIP projects; processed bank deposits. • Performed month-end/quarter-end/year-end billing, reconciliation, inventory, and close procedures; completed write-offs, refunds, journal entries, deductions, and short-payment corrections. • Reconciled ledgers, statements, POs, aging and account reports; researched missing payments and managed collections. • Created/improved records management tools; maintained accurate CRM, HR, accounting, and project data; built reports and audits for corrections. • Spearheaded digitization initiatives, reducing document retrieval time by 60%. • Oversaw high-volume shared inbox (~50 emails/hour) with SLA < 1 hour (typically ~30 minutes); first point of contact for clients/vendors/visitors. Project/Program Management • Managed 20-30 projects/cases per day from conception to completion under tight deadlines; coordinated cross-functional resources; tracked timelines, budgets, and deliverables. • Full lifecycle ownership: proposals, cost estimates, planning, staffing, scheduling, time & milestone tracking, execution, status reporting, risk identification/mitigation, delivery, invoicing. • Implemented new PM software, improving team efficiency by 30% and reducing delivery times by 20%. • Monitored, analyzed, and reported OKRs/KPIs across benefits, marketing, communications, and revenue. HR, Benefits, & People Operations • Administered multi-state benefits (medical/dental/vision/life/disability/retirement); primary contact for carriers/vendors. • Implemented benefits management system that streamlined enrollment/administration and achieved 20% cost savings. • Audited HRIS data (ADP/Paychex/Workday) for accuracy/compliance; maintained SOPs, policies, benefits docs, handbooks, crisis plans, and training manuals. • Ensured compliance with ACA, EEO, ERISA, COBRA, HIPAA, and FMLA. • Recruited and selected candidates; wrote job descriptions; interviewed/onboarded/trained/mentored colleagues; served as a tenured leader and trusted resource on policies and standards. • Partnered across teams to resolve escalations with empathy and professionalism; strengthened retention and engagement. Executive Assistant/Client Relations & Results • Supported hundreds of B2B customers across project lifecycles; moderated conflicts and aligned expectations to ensure satisfaction. • Increased client retention by 30% and improved satisfaction by managing responsive, high-volume communications. • Maintained complex calendars for deadlines, client meetings, and company events for multiple managers/leads; planned onsite/offsite meetings, conferences, and special events. Quality, Compliance, & Documentation • Proofread/QC’d technical illustrations and text with 99%+ accuracy; reviewed patent applications; issued revision guidance to a team of 20+ creators. • Updated/maintained legal, HR, and project documentation; ensured regulatory compliance and minimized risk. • Collected data and defined metrics to create internal reports, summaries, training materials, client communications, newsletters, blog posts, and executive presentations. Marketing & Communications • Wrote and edited copy for web, social, and email; developed and directed multi-channel campaigns that boosted web/social engagement by 50%. • Presented creative work to leadership and external stakeholders; applied SEO/Google Analytics to inform messaging and channel selection. • Generated campaign performance reports with insights for future planning; upheld brand identity and consistency in tone and messaging. Denton Record-Chronicle, Denton, Texas Advertising Account Representative, May 2009 - Dec 2010 • Posted payments and ran collections on unpaid accounts; ensured billing accuracy across 500+ monthly ad orders and 200+ contracts. • Drove 20% revenue growth by building client relationships; improved ad performance 15% using market trend analysis. • Maintained thorough records and documentation to ensure continuity. Hour Personnel Services / University of North Texas IT and Decision Sciences, Denton, Texas Administrative Assistant II (Contract), Nov 2008 - Dec 2008 • Co-led departmental communication strategy to improve employee engagement and information access. • Guided student employees to improve task management and performance. Brooks and Associates Public Relations, Howe, Texas Public Relations Assistant, May 2008 - Sep 2008, Aug 2005 - Jun 2006 Public Relations Intern, Sep 2004 - Dec 2004 • Increased media exposure 35% via strategic communication plans and tailored press releases. • Led a rebranding project with hundreds of presentations, elevating brand aesthetics and impact. • Conducted market/competitor research; used editorial/media calendars to plan coverage and events. • Interviewed, hired, supervised, and trained interns to raise team performance. University of North Texas Center for Student Development at Discovery Park, Denton, Texas Graduate Assistant Director, Jan 2008 - Jul 2008 • Implemented and promoted programs aligned to campus needs; wrote successful proposals for increased funding and new projects. • Directed assistant staff and coordinated project execution; analyzed engagement data to enhance event strategy. • Developed website content and produced the campus newsletter. EDUCATION University of North Texas, Denton, Texas Master of Arts: English • Early Start Graduate Scholarship Recipient • Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society Austin College, Sherman, Texas Bachelor of Arts: English, Music Composition • Merit Scholarship Recipient