David Watts

Principal & Fractional HR Advisor

Fractional HR leadership and strategy built on integrity, discipline, and results, for growing organizations nationwide.

Principal, WattsUp HR

Proven Outcomes

Strategy that shows up in the numbers

David connects people strategy to measurable business results. Two engagements that define how he works:

20+

Years of HR Leadership

Two decades of HR leadership success across healthcare, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, and nonprofit organizations.

Industries Led Through Change

From Dartmouth Health to Simon Pearce to Kendal at Hanover, David has led HR through healthcare, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, and nonprofit settings.

David WattsFractional HR AdvisorNorthern New England · Serving clients nationwide

About David

Fractional leadership grounded in values

David Watts is the Principal of WattsUp Human Resource Solutions (wattsuphr.com), which provides fractional HR leadership and HR strategy consulting services from Northern New England to clients nationwide.

WattsUp is a values-forward firm, focused on integrity, authenticity, discipline, fairness and excellence.

He has twenty years of success in healthcare, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, and other spaces, including employment at Dartmouth Health, Simon Pearce and Kendal at Hanover, as well as officer-level leadership roles at several non-profit organizations.

David earned a Master of Science degree in Labor Studies from the University of Massachusetts and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology (industrial/organizational concentration) from the University of Connecticut. He completed a one year Chief Human Resource Officer program at the Aresty Institute of Executive Education at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, in 2024, and maintains a Senior Certified Professional certification from the Society for Human Resource Management.

Ready for your business to thrive?

Most businesses don't stall because of their market. They stall because of people.

You already know your people drive your results. You just don’t have the time or the in-house expertise to build the systems that get the most from them. That’s where I come in. As your fractional HR leader, I install proven HR strategy and systems that are repeatable, scalable, and built for your business.

Areas of Expertise

Where David creates the most value

Deep specialization across the full spectrum of human resources leadership, with an eye always on retention, engagement, and performance.

Fractional and Interim HR Leadership

WattsUp steps in when a company needs effective interim HR leadership, an organization has outgrown its existing HR capacity, or a CEO needs senior HR advice without hiring a full-time executive.

HR Function Stabilization

WattsUp can create a defined engagement for an organization experiencing turnover, inconsistent practices, compliance concerns, loss of confidence in HR, or a backlog of unresolved employee-relations matters.

Strategic People Projects

Succession planning, organizational design, executive recruitment, workforce strategy, investigations, leadership development, and post-merger integration.

Does your business struggle with…

The challenges that quietly cap your growth

Attracting and retaining the right people?

The talent who can actually drive your business results, and the systems to keep them.

People processes that don't run efficiently?

Hiring, onboarding, performance, and pay that should run like clockwork, but don’t.

A culture that's undefined, or dividing the team?

Misalignment and disorder that quietly erode engagement and profit.

If any of these sound familiar, you’re not alone. Businesses of every size face them, and David is ready to help you overcome them.

Questions, Answered

Working with David Watts

What does David Watts do?

David is the Principal of WattsUp Human Resource Solutions and a SRV HR advisor. He provides fractional HR leadership and HR strategy consulting, acting as an outsourced HR executive for growing organizations. He is based in Northern New England and serves clients nationwide.

Who does David work with?

He works with companies across healthcare, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, and other industries, as well as non-profit organizations, that need experienced HR leadership without the cost of a full-time hire.

What are David's areas of expertise?

David focuses on three areas: fractional and interim HR leadership, HR function stabilization, and strategic people projects such as succession planning, organizational design, executive recruitment, workforce strategy, investigations, leadership development, and post-merger integration.

Where is David located?

David is based in Norwich, Vermont, and serves clients nationwide.

What is a fractional CHRO and how can one help my business?

A fractional CHRO, or fractional HR leader, is a senior HR executive who works with your business part-time, giving you experienced people strategy without the cost of a full-time hire. It is ideal for companies that feel the weight of HR decisions but do not yet need a full-time HR executive on staff.

How do I start working with David?

Schedule a free discovery call below. David will learn about your business and HR challenges, then outline how WattsUp Human Resource Solutions, powered by SRV HR, can help.

Let's Talk

Schedule time with David

If you’re ready to build repeatable, scalable people operations that produce results, let’s start the conversation.