Nydia Santos

About

Operations & project management leader with 30+ years of experience coordinating complex, multi-stakeholder projects and driving operational efficiency in fast-paced environments. Known for exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and proactive risk mitigation through clear documentation and communication across executive, client, and cross-functional teams. Bilingual in English and Spanish, with experience spanning manufacturing, distribution, design/project management, and FDA-regulated quality environments.

Experience

• Manager, Design Project Management · Veritiv Corporation12-01-2021 – 09-01-2025

  • Served as the operational right hand to senior leadership and key communication bridge between the executive team and project staff — managing a team of 10 project managers and coordinators across multi-million-dollar accounts, translating leadership vision into clear actionable plans, and ensuring priorities, timelines, and deliverables moved forward without requiring constant executive direction • Owned stakeholder communication across clients, upper management, and cross-functional teams — managing expectations, securing buy-in, and ensuring no communication fell through the cracks • Proactively identified risks, shifting priorities, and potential issues before they escalated — devising mitigation strategies and adjusting plans to keep projects and leadership commitments on track • Redesigned the project intake process by convening cross-functional team managers and PMs to collectively review new and returning projects — establishing prescreening rules that reduced a 60-minute meeting to 30 minutes, generating approximately $23,000+ in annual savings across 13-16 salaried attendees; created a supporting dashboard to streamline facilitation, capture decisions in real time, and maintain historical reference notes • Designed and implemented a comprehensive PM onboarding framework — including a dynamic Smartsheet checklist with embedded hyperlinks, a mentor/SME competency verification model, and a structured check-in cadence; enhanced existing role documentation to incorporate MS Teams and Microsoft Copilot, creating a single source of truth that received unanimously positive feedback from new hires • Identified a gap in meeting documentation consistency and implemented Microsoft Copilot for automated meeting minutes — standardizing the process and ensuring accountability across all project communications

• Senior Project Manager, Design Center · Veritiv Corporation12-01-2012 – 12-01-2021

  • Managed complex, multi-million-dollar design projects across multiple sales offices — independently prioritizing competing demands and delivering quality results on time and within budget • Identified workflow inefficiencies and proactively implemented process improvements using Salesforce, Workfront, Smartsheet, and Box — increasing team visibility, reducing burnout, and improving delivery consistency • Developed and presented executive-level progress reports, quarterly updates, and strategic summaries — translating complex project data into clear, concise communication for leadership and stakeholders • Managed scope changes, client expectations, and contingency planning with composure and sound judgment — consistently preserving trust and relationships under pressure • Supported customers and internal teams in formulating project briefs and scopes — demonstrating strong active listening, problem-solving, and collaborative communication skills

• Sourcing Manager · Veritiv Corporation12-01-2009 – 12-01-2012

  • Managed sourcing specialists and vendor relationships supporting multi-million-dollar accounts — overseeing documentation, RFQs, RFIs, and RFPs with precision and follow-through • Designed and implemented an estimating system model adopted across Chicago and regional locations — demonstrating systems thinking and initiative beyond the scope of the role • Evaluated supplier proposals and negotiated cost reductions — exercising sound judgment and strategic thinking on behalf of leadership

• Materials Manager · PartyLite Manufacturing12-01-2005 – 12-01-2008

  • Led a nine-person team through a full ERP system implementation (MS Dynamics AX) — completed on time, under a year, with zero interruption to daily business operations • Managed all aspects of production planning, inventory control, purchasing, and logistics — handling complex, competing priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment • Developed and delivered bilingual (English/Spanish) training programs for new systems and procedures — demonstrating communication versatility and commitment to team enablement • Coordinated cross-functional resources for material qualifications and supplier approvals — serving as a trusted operational hub across departments

• Quality Assurance Manager · PartyLite Manufacturing12-01-1999 – 12-01-2005

  • Led a team of seven across inspection, product improvement, complaint resolution, and documentation systems • Built a finished goods inspection program that drove Distribution Center returns below 0.15% — demonstrating process ownership and measurable impact

• Quality Assurance Manager · Centeon, LLC (CSL Behring)12-01-1996 – 12-01-1998

  • Led FDA-regulated QC operations and designed systems to address regulatory findings — demonstrating composure, precision, and accountability in high-stakes environments

• Supervisor, Incoming QA · SoloPak Pharmaceuticals12-01-1994 – 12-01-1996

  • Managed incoming inspection across three facilities; developed training programs and modified sampling plans to maintain quality standards

• Supervisor, QA Compliance · Wesley-Jessen Corporation (CIBA Vision)1987 – 1995

  • Developed and implemented quality systems and SOPs for a new manufacturing facility; monitored workflow and trained QA and manufacturing teams

Education

• DePaul UniversityCertificate, Quality Management
• DePaul UniversityBusiness Administration

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