Julie Pepin is the Organizational Development and Talent Management Director at Balcan Innovations. She oversees the company’s recruitment, talent acquisition, and corporate workforce strategy. Julie is also responsible for internal communications and organizational development initiatives such as performance management, learning strategies, leadership development, employee engagement, and organizational design. HR also comes within Julie’s purview as the business partner for the executive leadership members and their respective teams. Julie wears many different hats in her role at Balcan Innovations.
Julie credits much of her ability to traverse these various responsibilities to her background in organizational psychology. Born and raised in Montreal, Julie first completed a B. Com in Marketing at HEC-Montreal. After gaining a few years of experience in that field, she decided to pursue a bachelor’s in psychology at Concordia University before completing a master’s in industrial-organizational psychology at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. “Organizational psychology appealed to me in understanding human behavior. It is a scientific background, so I tend to be very fact-based and like to have objective decision-making. Whenever I look at a problem, it becomes a bit of a research project as I analyze and understand it. In that sense, my psychology training serves me quite well now in my work,” explains Julie.
Julie’s analytical skills are an asset at Balcan Innovations, a company with diverse offerings and production processes. Balcan Innovations is a plastic packaging organization with 1300 employees, eight facilities in Canada and the US, and worldwide shipping. Products include packaging for industrial materials, food, boat wrapping, and insulation. Balcan is in a stage of significant transformation, so much of Julie’s role includes overseeing change management initiatives. Julie joined Balcan in June 2022 and was looking for punctual help filling employee positions when a colleague connected her with Défis RH. “One of our employees worked with Jessie before she joined Balcan and put me in contact with her. Operation needs are still happening even when you don’t have the resources, so I was grateful when Défis RH stepped in to help us,” explains Julie.
Balcan’s products have substantial seasonality, with higher demand in specific months requiring new production lines or 24/7 operation. Due to increased client demand, Julie requires recruitment support in these months but hesitates to hire another full-time recruiter when the work will often dissipate once the busy season ends. “Défis RH is perfect because they’re like an elastic. It allows me to have my core team, and Défis RH helps us out when there’s a need, and they’re always there to support us,” says Julie. Julie appreciates Défis RH’s efficiency and adaptability to the unique needs of Balcan Innovations. “It is important for our recruitment service providers to understand our reality and the workings of the facilities where they’ll be recruiting. We conduct site visits and ensure they meet the main stakeholders in our various plants. Défis RH has truly made an effort to understand our business,” states Julie. Défis RH’s willingness to take the initiative amidst Balcan’s organizational changes has been valuable for Julie, such as creating custom recruitment trackers for her team. In addition to offering outsourcing services in times of need, Défis RH also plays the role of headhunting firm for Balcan Innovations for harder-to-fill positions. “In both capacities, they are very helpful. So far, all the Défis RH employees I have met are very professional, reliable, and conscientious. In terms of customer service, it is A+,” says Julie.
Julie looks forward to continuing Balcan’s partnership with Défis RH: “I see it as an ongoing conversation. I have had discussions with Jessie, and I know they can support us in many ways. Their services have been great, and they will continue to evolve.” Please get in touch with us if you want to learn more about our valuable collaborators.
