Nicole Roberts
HR Industry Analyst – Workforce Strategy & Innovation
nroberts@3sixtyinsights.com

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Nicole Roberts is an experienced HR strategist, executive advisor, and the Founder and President of People Solutions Group, a consulting and training firm focused on aligning people practices with business goals. With over 20 years of experience across high-growth, PE-backed, and mission-driven organizations, Nicole brings a unique blend of practical HR leadership, strategic foresight, and human-centered insight to every engagement. Nicole’s expertise spans strategic workforce planning, leadership development, change management, culture transformation, and talent advisory. She is especially skilled in helping organizations navigate complex transitions—including mergers, acquisitions, and rapid scaling—while maintaining a strong focus on culture and employee experience. In addition to her consulting work, Nicole serves as a faculty member for the Human Capital Institute (HCI), where she facilitates certification programs on Strategic Workforce Planning, Strategic Talent Acquisition, Coaching for Performance, and the Strategic HR Business Partner. Her work empowers HR professionals and business leaders to elevate their impact and align talent strategies with organizational outcomes. As a sought-after consultant, coach, and speaker, Nicole partners with founders, CEOs, and HR teams to build sustainable people strategies that drive performance. Her portfolio also includes HR technology advisory, executive coaching, and public speaking on resilience, leadership, and transformation. A breast cancer survivor and advocate for trauma-informed leadership, Nicole leads with empathy and authenticity. Her mission is to help organizations create environments where people feel valued, seen, and supported—because when people thrive, businesses do too.

#HRTechChat: David Edwards on the “Last Mile” from Data to Decisions

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In this episode of #HRTechChat, Nicole Roberts (Senior Analyst & Advisor, 3Sixty Insights) is joined by David Edwards—strategic workforce planning practitioner, advisor, and author of The Strategic Workforce Planning Handbook—for a candid conversation about the gap between SWP theory and the messy reality of execution. David explains why strategic workforce planning still suffers from an identity crisis (too many definitions, too many expectations), and why organizations keep getting trapped in short-term thinking that freezes out long-term capability building. Together, they unpack why chasing “perfect data” can be just as risky as oversimplifying, and why the real skill leaders need—especially as AI accelerates planning inputs—is judgment: knowing what’s decision-grade, what matters most, and what to do next. The conversation also tackles the evolving role of managers, […]

#HRTechChat: The Economics of HR – Speaking the Language of Business with Maria Scarangella

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In this episode of #HRTechChat, Nicole Roberts is joined by Maria Scarangella to tackle one of the most persistent challenges facing HR today: proving business value in a climate defined by cost pressure, efficiency mandates, and heightened executive scrutiny. Drawing on her 37-year career at GEICO—including leadership of a $2.5B P&L—and her current work building Marstella, Maria explains why HR risks losing its strategic seat when it speaks only in HR metrics instead of business outcomes. Together, they explore how quantifying the true cost of hiring, onboarding, training, and turnover can fundamentally change executive decision-making—from smarter workforce planning to more targeted investments in technology and development. Maria outlines why “a lot” is not a number, how lifecycle cost visibility creates accountability across leaders, and why […]

#HRTechChat: Jeff Smith of 15Five on Building Better Managers in the Age of AI

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In this episode of #HRTechChat, Nicole Roberts sits down with Jeff Smith, COO of 15Five, to unpack what it really takes to build better managers in an era of AI, constant change, and overflowing HR to-do lists. A psychologist by training with deep R&D and product experience, Jeff brings a rare lens on how organizations can redesign systems, expectations, and technology to truly support people leaders—not just measure them. They dig into the mounting pressure on HR and managers, the shift from “HR owns all people issues” to shared accountability, and why management has to be treated as a daily practice, not a one-time promotion. Jeff explains how tools like 15Five and Kona AI can turn everyday one-on-ones into continuous performance data, simplify review cycles, […]

Amplify Your Signal with Nicole Roberts

Amplify Your Signal | Nicole Roberts Podcast

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Amplify Your Signal, hosted by Nicole Roberts, is a podcast dedicated to elevating the voices of job seekers, professionals in transition, and individuals navigating career shifts. Each episode dives into the human side of career journeys — beyond résumés and job titles — to explore resilience, determination, and the drive to succeed. Through personal stories, expert interviews, and actionable advice, Nicole gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to pivot careers, embrace change, and find opportunities that align with their passions. Topics range from leveraging LinkedIn and networking to understanding hiring trends, leadership, and the future of work. Whether you’re in between roles, considering a major career move, or simply looking for inspiration to take the next step, Amplify Your Signal offers motivation, […]

3Sixty Insights #HRTechChat with Nicole Roberts, Vice President of People and Culture for MVAH Partners

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Nicole Roberts, vice president of people and culture at MVAH Partners, joined 3Sixty Insights for this episode of #HRTechChat. A member of the 3Sixty Insights Global Executive Advisory Council, Nicole started in her leadership role at MVAH a year ago, in March 2020 — just as the flurry of pandemic-related restrictions unfolded in the United States. The disruption profoundly affected the nature of her first several months on the job. On day one, for example, she took over internal employee communications. MVAH, a developer of affordable housing, has 7,000 units under its management across 15 states. The logistics around managing an already dispersed workforce suddenly under unprecedented, unique circumstances were significant and necessitated the expansion of her focus. Amidst all this, Nicole and her team […]