Senior Employee Relations Specialist (Western Europe) - Remote

Oyster is a global employment platform that enables companies to hire, pay, and care for talent anywhere. Founded in 2020, Oyster is distributed across 60+ countries and has been recognized as:

• Ranked #10 of 250 on TIME and Statista's 2026 list of America's Top WorkTech Companies
• Named one of America's Greatest Startup Workplaces 2026 by Newsweek
• A G2 Spring 2026 Leader across Employer of Record, Global Employment, Multi-country Payroll, and HR Compliance
• The only B Corp-certified global employment platform since 2023

This fully remote role requires you to be based within UTC+0 to UTC+3 and focuses on Western Europe, primarily Portugal, Italy, and Spain.

In this client-facing role, you’ll serve as the go-to expert for Oyster’s customers and internal teams, solving complex HR challenges across multiple countries. Your responsibilities include:

Key Responsibilities

Complex Employee Relations (ER) Matters

• Act as a senior HR expert for complex employee relations matters across allocated countries, with in-depth knowledge of Portugal, Italy, and Spain.
• Provide pragmatic, solutions-focused guidance on high-risk and sensitive cases, including performance management, misconduct, investigations, and terminations.
• Navigate nuanced local legal frameworks with confidence, ensuring compliance while supporting business objectives.
• Partner closely with internal stakeholders and Oyster customers to deliver clear, actionable advice on complex people issues.

Country HR Information and Knowledge

• Draft country-specific information on a wide range of HR topics.
• Leverage AI and automation tools to streamline the generation, updating, and scaling of country-specific HR documentation.
• Answer HR-related questions (in the form of tickets) that cannot be resolved by Lifecycle Operations teams.
• Provide internal Oyster teams with training on HR topics as needed.
• Proactively improve country-specific HR information.
• Attend customer calls regarding country-specific HR information.
• Collaborate with teams like Customer Support, Sales, Product, and Legal to solve country-specific issues.

Continuous Improvement & High Performance

• Continuously audit and refine workflows to reduce response times and elevate service quality.
• Leverage AI responsibly to maximize personal output and share best practices with the broader People Services team.
• Analyze recurring ticket trends and queries to identify systemic issues and build preventative resources.

Projects

• Lead People Services and cross-functional projects to support Oyster’s mission of enabling companies to hire anyone, anywhere.

Core Requirements

• Deep employee relations expertise across multiple countries, with hands-on experience handling complex and high-risk cases (e.g., investigations, PIPs, terminations).
• 6+ years of ER & HR generalist experience, with a strong track record of supporting internal stakeholders and external clients.
• Portuguese, Italian, and/or Spanish language skills are highly beneficial.
• Cross-country HR experience, with a deep global focus (e.g., EMEA). Experience in France is a bonus.
• Culturally aware, with a nuanced understanding of local HR practices, norms, and expectations.
• Exceptional communicator, able to translate complex employment topics into practical, accessible advice.
• Solution-oriented and commercially minded, offering well-reasoned options and confident recommendations.
• Skilled at stakeholder engagement, including presenting confidently to senior leaders, clients, and cross-functional teams.
• Change-ready and growth-driven, excited by ambiguity and eager to challenge the status quo.
• People-first mindset, with a strong focus on the experience of customers, team members, and employees.
• Tech-Forward & AI-Literate: Digitally savvy with practical experience using AI tools to accelerate drafting, research, and data analysis.
• Continuous Improvement Mindset: Proven track record of optimizing processes and moving from reactive firefighting to proactive problem-solving.
• High-Performance Delivery: Thrives in a metrics-driven environment with a focus on speed, precision, and high-quality outcomes.
• [BONUS] Experience with Employer of Record (EOR) and navigating international employment complexities.
• [BONUS] Additional languages.
• [BONUS] Experience in a fast-paced, scaling startup or global tech environment.
• [BONUS] Experience implementing AI tools or automation workflows within HR or Ops.

Additional Requirements:

• A reliable home internet connection.
• Fluent English language.