Associate Director, Central Operations & Compliance

The Associate Director, Central Ops & Compliance will lead and oversee key operational and compliance functions across the EMEA region, ensuring efficient execution of global employment, payroll, onboarding, mobility, and regulatory compliance activities. This role acts as a strategic advisor to internal stakeholders, supporting expansion initiatives, operational excellence, and risk management while driving knowledge-sharing and process standardization across the organization. RESPONSIBILITIES: Oversee four major operations functions in EMEA including central ops and compliance, payroll, onboarding and local representatives. Be the trusted advisor to all stakeholders within the scope of global employment, international mobility and regulatory compliance. Be the owner of our central knowledge base and develop strategy plans to encourage all stakeholders to contribute to and utilize the knowledge base. Be the owner of global employment and mobility solutions for EMEA, and guide and hand over these solutions internally to sales and operational stakeholders. Work with Legal Department, internal stakeholders, and external vendors on internal and legal documentation including but not limited to Employment Agreements, work rules and policies, knowledge base documentation on global employment regulations, best practices, FAQs, as well as internal operational procedures and processes. Provide key operational and compliance support to internal stakeholders including Sales, Customer Service, Employee Relations, and Payroll teams. Advise on, execute, and project manage strategic operational expansion efforts into EMEA and other assigned jurisdictions. Provide regular training to Sales and Operations teams to enhance their knowledge and capabilities in HR compliance and payroll-related matters. Ensure operational processes and practices remain compliant with local labor regulations and company standards across EMEA. Drive process improvement initiatives to enhance operational efficiency, compliance governance, and service delivery standards. Monitor regulatory updates and proactively communicate operational or compliance impacts to relevant stakeholders. Collaborate cross-functionally to support onboarding, employee lifecycle management, and international mobility operations. Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Law, International Business, or related field. Minimum 8–12 years of experience in HR operations, payroll, global mobility, employment compliance, or related functions. Strong knowledge of EMEA employment laws, payroll regulations, and HR compliance practices. Proven experience managing regional or global operations teams. Experience working in multinational, EOR, PEO, or global workforce solutions environments is preferred. Strong stakeholder management and communication skills with the ability to influence cross-functional teams. Excellent project management and problem-solving skills. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced and evolving environment. Strong attention to detail with high levels of accuracy and compliance awareness. Experience developing operational procedures, policies, and knowledge management systems. Proficient in Microsoft Office and HR/payroll systems. Ability to conduct training and present compliance-related topics confidently to internal stakeholders. Experience supporting regional expansion initiatives and cross-border operational activities is an advantage. ABOUT US: GoGlobal is the leading professional services company to guide, establish and manage global operations with compliance and confidence. We bring the human touch to entering new markets and consolidating vendors through a single point of management. With a presence in over 140 countries on six continents and growing, we make running a global business easy. Business & Corporate Services provided: Entity Solutions: Entity establishment, Corporate secretarial & directorship services, Domicile services, Dormancy/Liquidation HR Solutions: Global recruitment, Employer of Record (EOR), Agent of Record (AOR), Global benefits, Global payroll, International HR Consulting Finance Solutions: Accounting & Tax For more information, please visit GoGlobal.com OVERVIEW We Measure Success by Results, Not Hours Worked At GoGlobal, we give you the autonomy to make decisions that create real impact. We prioritize results over hours worked, focusing on quality of outcomes rather than tracking time. As a privately owned company, we are free from the pressures of venture capital or private equity investors demanding exponential growth in unreasonable time frames. Sometimes, things just take time to do well. In our business, delivering great results is a process - and we're committed to doing it right. We are not for sale. We believe that financial success is a natural outcome of our work, not the primary goal. Unlike many investors who view money as a goal, our focus is on long-term growth and sustainable success. We are a global team, built for those who want to go further. Here's what your career at GoGlobal looks like: A company small enough for your voice to be heard meaningfully, yet large enough to make a global impact Collaborating with a diverse, global and supportive team Built for the long-haul - no VC or PE pressure, just a focus on sustainable growth WHY WE ARE DIFFERENT We Make Growing Your Career Possible We operate with the benefits of a partnership without the complexities of a partnership. Our hybrid partnership-corporate model offers all employees the opportunity to become a partner, while maintaining a streamlined corporate structure so that decisions are made quickly. We do not offer equity plans. As we are not for sale and are not chasing an exit, "stock options" hold little value in our business model. Instead, we provide opportunities for outstanding employees to make partner and share in the profits. We believe it's better to build lasting value than to chase a one-time payout. We prioritize organic and sustainable growth. Expanding operations quickly by way of mergers and acquisitions might seem appealing, but the reality is integrating diverse cultures can be challenging. We're proud of our own culture and prefer to grow it our way. We're global. We offer career opportunities across the world-whether it's new job roles or international locations English is our official language, but for many, it's our second language. We embrace this and find it rewarding communicating with colleagues from all over the world. We are not a family. We operate more like a high-performing sports team where each individual's contribution is crucial to our collective success. We keep things simple and collaborative. Our structure makes it easy for teams to work together across borders so we can serve our clients with global needs more effectively. Unlike big, siloed companies, we work seamlessly to handle international deals without the headaches of territorial ownership. We believe in transparency and trust. Every month, we share our financials with the team so everyone knows where we stand and what's coming next. It's all about open communication, building trust and empowering every individual to be part of our journey. We don't tell you what to think - we provide the information you need to make your own informed decisions. We believe flexibility drives success. Our company is built on trust, and that's why we embrace fully remote work, and hybrid options in some countries. Forget rigid office routines - it's old school! This flexibility fuels productivity, strengthens our workforce, and ensures we remain agile in a fast-changing world. Ready to take the next step in your career with us? Apply now! **Kindly review the provided privacy notice ( LINK ) to gain a comprehensive understanding of our policies and practices governing the treatment of your Personal Data. By applying, you consent to background and reference checks, to the extent permissible by law.