Since starting with the company in 2019, Nicole has quickly become essential to supporting Acara’s smooth contractor onboarding process. She perfectly embodies the professional growth opportunities offered at Acara.

In the latest edition of our “All In at Acara” series, meet Nicole Martines, Regional Operations Manager,  and learn how she utilizes her multitasking ability and client-facing expertise to deliver excellent client service and successfully bring new hires onto the Acara team.

A Colorado native

I was born and raised in Thornton, Colorado, just outside Denver, and I still live there today. I attended Front Range Community College in Westminster and obtained my Associate of Arts degree in 2015.

Getting her start

While I was in college, I worked in the administration office. My role included assisting students with enrollment and working in the call center. The position was very client-facing, and I truly enjoyed the meaningful interactions with students from different backgrounds and various stages of their lives. After graduating, I accepted positions with two hospitals where I worked as an administrative assistant. Eventually, I realized that these roles were neither my passion nor the best fit for me. As I began exploring alternative career opportunities, I saw a friend’s Facebook post advertising a position for which her company, Acara, was hiring. I reached out, expressing interest, and was sold after completing a few rounds of interviews. I could not pass up the family-friendly environment, the company values, and opportunities to grow and develop professionally while assisting candidates in meeting their career goals and clients in achieving their business goals.

Role and responsibilities

I am currently the Regional Operations Manager in the Western region of the United States. My day-to-day responsibilities include managing my direct team of onboarding specialists concerning onboarding new contractors and ensuring that paperwork, background checks, drug testing, and client-specific documentation are complete and accurate for a timely hire. I also assist with billing and aging discrepancies, aid in audits that are either internal or requested by other clients, and help contractors with escalations and updates. Finally, I consult with Acara’s account executives to ensure our client information is accurate.

Sometimes, there is not enough time in the day to complete these tasks. However, Acara’s corporate environment makes it possible. The high volume of engagement from senior leadership is extremely valuable. My Acara team is highly supportive, and being able to lean on one another when needed makes Acara a great company to work for. Additionally, my previous client-facing roles and ability to multitask allow me to delineate matters that need my full attention from those that can wait to be addressed.

Professional growth opportunities

When I started at Acara in 2019, I was a Staffing Coordinator. From there, I pushed myself to learn as much as possible and was promoted to Regional Operations Lead in 2021. In this role, my knowledge about “everyday processes” grew extensively beyond the interactions that staffing coordinators are involved in. I also took on more projects outside of onboarding. Now, I manage the West region onboarding teams and help implement best practices within the operations teams to keep them moving forward as changes within the company occur.

Navigating a changing industry

In response to the evolving industry landscape brought about by COVID-19, Acara proactively implemented internal adaptations to stay agile and relevant. I’ve observed a notable shift in the demand for specialized talent across various sectors, necessitating a transformation in the roles of talent acquisition professionals, compelling them to seek new candidate sources to ensure Acara maintains its position in the market and outperforms our competitors.

Life outside of work

When I’m not working, I typically spend time with my family. I share three wonderful children and two dogs, Apollo and Luna, with my husband. My family is truly my rock. They are my support team, “picking up” everything I can’t do day in and day out. Together, we enjoy camping, hiking, fishing, and hunting. We even plan trips on a whim to carve out more uninterrupted time together. Additionally, I am a singer in my church’s worship group, a crafter, and an avid baseball and football fan.