HR Specialist

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a HR Specialist based in United Kingdom.

As an HR Specialist, you will serve as a senior point of contact for complex and sensitive employee cases across the EMEA region. You will take ownership of escalated HR matters from investigation through resolution, ensuring employees and clients receive accurate, compliant, and empathetic support. The role combines hands-on case management with customer-facing communication across tickets, email, and calls. You will collaborate closely with Payroll, Operations, Legal, Compliance, Finance, and regional teams to resolve challenging issues. Beyond resolving individual cases, you will identify recurring problems and strengthen processes, documentation, and guidance. This is an international, remote-first environment where you can make a meaningful impact while continuing to grow your HR expertise.

Accountabilities

• Act as a senior escalation point for complex and sensitive employee cases across EMEA.
• Take full ownership of cases that cannot be resolved by Level 1 or Level 2 HR teams, ensuring timely and effective resolution.
• Manage escalations covering employment contracts, onboarding, leave, payroll, benefits, employee relations, and offboarding.
• Investigate complex issues thoroughly, assess potential risks, identify root causes, and determine appropriate resolution paths.
• Provide clear, accurate, and empathetic support to employees and clients through tickets, email, and phone or video calls.
• Handle sensitive conversations professionally, helping to de-escalate concerns and maintain strong stakeholder relationships.
• Partner with Payroll, Operations, Legal, Compliance, Finance, and regional stakeholders to resolve cross-functional HR matters.
• Maintain complete, accurate, and well-organized case documentation across ticketing and HR systems.
• Identify recurring issues and trends within escalated cases and contribute to preventative solutions.
• Create and improve HR processes, guidance, and documentation to reduce repeat escalations and improve service quality.
• Apply strong judgment when balancing employee needs, client expectations, operational considerations, and compliance requirements.
• Support consistent and compliant employee experiences across multiple EMEA jurisdictions.

Requirements:

• 4-6+ years of professional experience in HR Operations, Employee Services, Shared Services HR, Employee Relations, EOR, PEO, or a closely related environment.
• Strong knowledge of multi-country HR practices across EMEA.
• Direct experience supporting markets such as Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France is highly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience independently managing complex HR escalations and sensitive employee cases.
• Solid understanding of the full employee lifecycle, including employment documentation, onboarding, leave, payroll, benefits, employee relations, and offboarding.
• Previous experience within an EOR, PEO, or global employment environment is highly preferred.
• Excellent written and spoken English, with the ability to communicate clearly, confidently, and empathetically.
• Strong investigative and problem-solving abilities, with the judgment to assess risk and determine appropriate courses of action.
• Excellent stakeholder-management skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional and regional teams.
• Comfortable handling sensitive or challenging conversations with professionalism and empathy.
• Experience working with ticketing or case-management platforms such as Intercom, HubSpot, Zendesk, or similar tools.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple complex cases while maintaining accurate documentation.
• Proactive mindset with an interest in identifying recurring issues and improving HR processes and service delivery.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary.
• Asynchronous working environment designed to support autonomy and flexibility.
• Remote-first or hybrid working model, depending on the nature of the role.
• Ability to work from abroad for a short period of time.
• Opportunities for professional development and career growth.
• Access to opportunities within a rapidly growing international environment.
• Necessary hardware provided from day one to ensure you have the tools required to succeed.
• Opportunity to work with colleagues and stakeholders across multiple countries and cultures.
• Exposure to complex, multi-country HR operations and global employment practices.
• Collaborative environment with cross-functional interaction across HR, Payroll, Legal, Compliance, Finance, and Operations.
• Inclusive workplace that values diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences.