JOSHUA A. HOPKINS
Stafford
Summary
Results-driven human resource management professional and military veteran with eligibility for top-secret/SCI security clearance. Leveraging over 27+ years of proven experience in personnel management, human resources acumen, and trend analysis to provide decisive leadership, exemplary management, and informed guidance. Skilled in initiating organization-wide policies, formulating strategic plans, and leading cross-functional teams to achieve mission objectives. Directly overseeing personnel, resources, budgets, property, and training requirements. Dedicated leader passionate about enhancing employee experiences and development. Successfully directing HR operations for small, medium, and large organizations, leading employee affairs, engagement, retention, performance management, and benefits compensation. Experienced in coaching and steering human resource teams ranging from 5-60 members as a consultative business partner who understands business goals and recommends innovative approaches, policies, and procedures. Collaborative communicator focused on building relationships, consistently exceeding objectives, and empowering high-performance teams. Recognized for providing senior-level guidance, fostering innovation, and ensuring continuous operational improvement.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
Work History
Staff Operations Officer
FGS-LLC (Contractor the Marine Corps)
09.2023 - Current
- Maintain Accountability of the Vandegrift Team personnel and daily actions. Ensuring everyone is on task and completing mission requirements in prescribed timeline.
- Act as an advisor to the Branch leadership, keeping leadership informed of potential calendar conflicts, late assignments, or leadership requirements.
- Excellent communication skills, daily interact with service, joint and agency senior level personal, such as O6, General Officer, SES and IC community leadership in written or oral presentations.
- Implement plans and concepts to enhance the Marine Corps and Navy’s strategic warfighting advantages.
- Established, coordinated, and task intelligence requirements for collection to further analysis and influence future Marine Corps / DoD protection measures.
- Act as an internal coordinator and task manager for the branch.
- Orchestrated agendas and set priorities to achieve long-term HQMC, DC I, and NSP's objectives relating to great power completion.
- Managed the strategic alignment, analytical rigor, and functional consistency of briefings and presentations related to Naval Strategy Pannel (NSP) objectives and campaigns.
- Evaluated and refine strategic communications to ensure coherence with NSP goals.
- Managed the implementation of after-action items across various stakeholders, including HQMC, MARFORs, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
- Responsible for calendar management and deconfliction, as well as working closing with the Joint Matters Section to ensure that the branch meets their requirements.
- Coordinated engagements with key entities across the defense spectrum, fostering unified strategic initiatives and ensuring cohesive efforts among HQMC, OPNAV, Combatant Commands, and the Joint Chiefs.
- Planned and managed the facilitation of high-level dialogues to synchronize strategies across the Marine Corps, Navy, and wider DoD.
- Experience in organizing complex issues into decision points and gaining consensus among team members and groups on resolving controversial or unprecedented issues.
- Created, managed, and focused divisional quarterly and long-term goals in alignment with DCI and Director guidance.
Senior Executive Assistant to the Commandant of the Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
05.2019 - 07.2023
- Performed the duties as senior executive assistant to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General David H Berger.
- Executed a travel budget through the Defense Travel System for a 4-Star general and his staff, a $500,000 plus budget.
- Processed travel expenses and reimbursements for executive team and senior management group.
- Provided sound administrative support in processing all correspondence for the Commandant of the Marine Corps office, which included the reviewing, assigning, and monitoring all documents in various task management systems.
- Provided administrative assistance, such as writing and editing emails, drafting memos, and preparing communications on the executive’s behalf.
- Spearheaded and coordinated all outgoing correspondence ensuring compliance with service policy guidelines.
- Organize meetings, including scheduling, sending reminders, and organizing catering when necessary.
- Managed complex calendar scheduling with focus on proper allocation of executive availability.
- Coordinated all visitor planning and logistics for outside personnel meetings with the Commandant.
- Mentored and advised 40+ employees, enlisted and officers.
- Security manager, initiated security investigations, submitted visit request, managed access to open storage areas and a SCIF.
Deputy Director of Human Resources / MOS Specialist / Advocacy
United States Marine Corps
08.2018 - 05.2019
- Provided a senior enlisted voice and advocacy for Human Resources in one of the largest Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) populations of over 6,000 personnel in the Marine Corps.
- Coordinated all training for the Occupational Field where regularly managed school seats for the various courses taught at Military Occupational Specialty awarding school.
- Spearheaded the Human Resources educational updates and course contest working group and energetically participated in the development, review, and revision of individual training standards, course descriptive data, and programs of instruction.
- Contributed to the improvement of a multitude of systems that streamlined the day-to-day operations of the Marines serving the Administrative Military Occupational Specialty.
- Managed all budget programs for all official travel for the Directorate over $100K.
- Invigorated the Military Occupational Specialty field and provided timely and accurate knowledge to the community.
- Sought out by peers and subordinates looking for mentorship or career guidance.
- Through leadership and diligence provided a significant impact on an incredibly large and dynamic population, ensuring maximization available school seats and balancing the needs of the Service with the needs of the individuals through regular interaction with the Human Resource field.
Senior Human Resources Officer
United States Marine Corps
01.2015 - 08.2018
- Served as the Command Deck Senior Enlisted Human Resource Marine for the largest operational command in the Marine Corps, provided guidance that led to the mastering of diverse and often daunting tasks associated with administrative demands for a 3-Star command.
- Through leadership, provided mental agility and intellectual capacity to handle a diverse range of complex topics, effectively prioritizing issues and appropriately tasking subordinates to do the necessary staff work that led to sound decisions.
- Provide honest and willingness advise even when disagreeing.
- Ensured all written correspondence had been reviewed for correctness and acted upon, if necessary, but all interested staff sections.
- Facilitated employee relations, benefits administration and performance management initiatives to support workforce needs.
- Served as the single control point for all incoming tasks from USPACOM and HQMC via the Task Management System (TMS), Marine Corps Action Tracking System (MCATS), and the Department of the Navy Tracker (DONTRACKER) and delegated to command staff sections
Human Resources Manager
United States Marine Corps
02.2013 - 01.2015
- Supervised the management and assignment of over 7,000+ personnel throughout the command.
- Ensured the efficient and effective operation of the G-1, Manpower and Operations sections by ensuring seamless coordination and integration of manpower and operational tasking and tracking between higher and lower commands.
- Managed the daily operations and workflow for the Human Resources Office supporting over 7,000+ personnel.
- Highly regarded Human Resource Specialist and was sought out for advice by superiors and peers.
- Demonstrated tremendous achievement in the application of HR principles, policies, and practices under a high-volume workload, supervised, and trained a diverse team who supported a 1 Star Level organization.
- Provided a highly energetic and aggressive approach to Human Resources and leadership challenges resulting in sound and comprehensive solutions to defuse potential problems.
- Maintained payroll and benefits for employees in various locations and diminished financial discrepancies through expert program management.
- Facilitated onboarding sessions and on-the-job training for new hires, bolstering employee job position knowledge and skillset.
Human Resources Manager
United States Marine Corps
07.2010 - 02.2013
- Supervised the daily operations of Customer Service Branch, ensuring efficiency, professionalism and economy of management.
- Ensure internal control procedures within the Customer Service Branch were in accordance with Marine Corps Administration Analysis Team (MCAAT) Checklist.
- Lead, instruct and provide MOS training to over 40 administrative clerks.
- Manage Pay, Promotions, Legal, Service Record Maintenance, Education, BCP and Awards processes to ensure Marines were properly serviced in an efficient and timely manner.
- Review, monitor, and ensure correctness for all personal requests submissions via Marine Online and ensure all received documentation were accurately prepared and monitored through completion into the Marine Corps Total Force System.
- Provide leadership, training and guidance to ensure the proper health and welfare for the Marines within the section.
- Oversaw and provide support to the College Loan Repayment program and manager of the Transfer of Education Benefits (TEB) program.
- Maintained payroll and benefits for employees in various locations and diminished financial discrepancies through expert program management.
- Facilitated onboarding sessions and on-the-job training for new hires, bolstering employee job position knowledge and skillset.
Operations Directorate Senior Enlisted Leader
United States Marine Corps
07.2006 - 07.2010
- Performed the duties and responsibilities as the Operations Senior Enlisted Leader due to combat zone operational necessity effectively.
- Provided sound advice and counsel to executive leadership regarding operations in the Horn of Africa area of Operations that contributed to stability in the region.
- Supervised the tracking of all missions and personnel movement within the 2.8M square mile area of operation.
- Reviewed, coordinated and executed over 25 separate concept of operations (CONOPs) during deployment to the Horn of Africa.
- Established procedures, guidelines and business rules for the task force task tracker, calendar, CONOPs and brief collator in order to orchestrate daily activities for the Task Force.
- Acted as the primary manpower manager for a 900 manned jointly maned Army command.
- Played a vital role as the Operations Senior Enlisted Leader in the death of high level HVI.
- Served in on-call capacity for last-minute or late-night taskings from leadership.
Administrative Specialist
Various locations around the world
01.1996 - 07.2006
- Administrative specialists perform personnel, clerical, and administrative duties incident to general and operational administration utilizing manual and automated information systems.
- The duties involve administrative, managerial, and technical skills.
- Personnel administration and retention Marines are required to learn clerical and administrative procedures, office management, personal computer skills (personnel and pay database retrieval and word-processing), preparation and use of military publications and correspondence, preparation of orders and directives, and the use of filing systems and record keeping.
- Sorted, opened, and routed incoming correspondence and deliveries to help senior leaders respond quickly to business and customer requirements.
- Maintained supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level and ordering new supplies when inventory runs lows.
- Worked on behalf of senior leaders to complete project requirements according to schedules and within budgetary limitations.
Education
Master of Professional Studies - Political Management
George Washington University
Washington, DCCertificate of Completion - Project Management Professional Training
PMProLean
Frederick, MDBachelor of Arts - Political Science
American Military University
Charles Town, WVMaster's Certificate in Project Management
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA05-2026
Skills
- Project Management
- Workplace Relationship Management
- Human Resource Management
- Executive Level Advisor
- HR Policies
- Employee Retention
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Analytical Research Skills
- Meticulous attention to detail
- Team Leadership Expertise
- Proficient Problem Solving
- Systematic Workflow Optimization
Security Clearance
Top-Secret/SCI
Specialized Military Training
- Security Management Training
- Joint Special Operations Forces Senior Leaders Crs
- Administrative Clerk Training
- Senior Enlisted Legal Training
- Airborne
- Marine Combat Training
- United States Marine Corps Senior Enlisted PME Training
- Senior Enlisted JTPME Training
- Senior Noncommissioned Officer Advanced DEPWF Training
- USMC Foreign Disclosure Officer Crs
- Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt
- Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape
- Defensive Driving
- Record Management
- Advance Personnel Administrative Training
- Amphibious Warfare
- Warfighting Skill Program
- Postal Clerk
- U.S. Embassy Security Guard Training
Timeline
Staff Operations Officer
FGS-LLC (Contractor the Marine Corps)
09.2023 - Current
Senior Executive Assistant to the Commandant of the Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
05.2019 - 07.2023
Deputy Director of Human Resources / MOS Specialist / Advocacy
United States Marine Corps
08.2018 - 05.2019
Senior Human Resources Officer
United States Marine Corps
01.2015 - 08.2018
Human Resources Manager
United States Marine Corps
02.2013 - 01.2015
Human Resources Manager
United States Marine Corps
07.2010 - 02.2013
Operations Directorate Senior Enlisted Leader
United States Marine Corps
07.2006 - 07.2010
Administrative Specialist
Various locations around the world
01.1996 - 07.2006
Master of Professional Studies - Political Management
George Washington University
Certificate of Completion - Project Management Professional Training
PMProLean
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science
American Military University
Master's Certificate in Project Management
University of Virginia
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