Meet the Team
Sven Council, MBA, PHD Candidate, CEO & Managing Partner of Human Resources and Human Capital Management
Sven Council is the CEO and Managing Partner of Human Resources and Human Capital Management at C&H United. With over a decade of experience in human resources, organizational leadership, and workforce technology, Sven specializes in building, optimizing, and managing HR systems that align people, policy, and performance. Known for his hands-on leadership and technical expertise, he helps organizations modernize their HR infrastructure, strengthen compliance, and maximize the value of their Workday HCM systems.
Before founding C&H United, Sven served as a Human Capital Business Partner for FirstDay Foundation, a large nonprofit enterprise overseeing multiple affiliate organizations and more than 7,000 employees nationwide. In this role, he partnered directly with the Vice President of HCM, Chief Information Officer, and affiliate presidents to analyze and redesign core HR structures across the enterprise. Sven led cross-functional Workday initiatives that enhanced organizational efficiency, improved compliance with federal and state regulations, and reduced HR processing errors.
His accomplishments include optimizing Workday HCM business processes, building advanced eligibility rules, and configuring supervisory organization structures to ensure accurate position management and data integrity. He directed security role realignments to reduce access risk and improve audit readiness, coordinated enterprise-wide Workday recruiting and onboarding workflows, and developed training programs that increased end-user adoption and system understanding among managers and HR staff.
Sven also played a key role in developing enterprise HR governance frameworks, standardizing policies and procedures across multiple subsidiaries to minimize legal exposure and strengthen compliance. He used Workday analytics to build dashboards and predictive models that informed executive decision-making on turnover, engagement, and workforce planning. His Workday optimization efforts resulted in more accurate reporting, faster onboarding timelines, and significant cost avoidance related to regulatory compliance and administrative inefficiencies.
Earlier in his career, Sven served as a Human Resources Manager for Secure Civil Process, where he managed employee relations, staffing, and benefits administration while implementing HR policies that improved engagement and reduced compliance risks. His leadership in performance management, diversity training, and inclusion initiatives built a stronger organizational culture rooted in accountability and respect.
Sven is also a U.S. Army veteran, where he served as a Senior Human Resource Manager and Equal Opportunity Leader (EOL). He led compliance inspections, training programs, and case management under the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) program, ensuring federal and Department of Defense compliance across large military units. His background in leadership, policy enforcement, and team development continues to shape his disciplined, mission-driven approach to human capital management.
Sven holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Human Resource Management, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, and dual Associate of Applied Science degrees in Human Resource Management and Business Management. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Human Capital Management at Bellevue University, where his research focuses on workforce analytics, organizational learning, and the strategic value of human capital investments.
At C&H United, Sven leads all HCM consulting, policy development, and Workday optimization services. His approach blends technical precision with strategic insight, empowering clients to build HR departments that are structured, compliant, and ready for sustainable growth. He is passionate about helping organizations align their people strategy with their mission, believing that strong systems and stronger leadership build the foundation for lasting success.
