Job Title: Regional Compliance Coordinator
Location: Remote/Hybrid
Salary: £45,000 – £50,000
Reports To: Technical Operations Director
About Pentagon Technical Services
Pentagon Technical Services is a dynamic SME specializing in project management, operating across our European operation including offices in Germany, Switzerland, Norway, The Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, Sweden, Portugal, Italy, Sweden, and beyond. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of compliance in our business operations, particularly regarding employee visas and global regulatory requirements.
Role Overview
The Regional Compliance Coordinator (EMEA) serves as the principal authority for compliance matters across the EMEA region. The role encompasses responsibility for overseeing daily compliance operations, including the initiation and handling of visa documentation and ensuring regulatory adherence in all regional offices. This position involves close collaboration with central HR and external legal counsel when required, but the ultimate accountability remains with the coordinator. The role also provides vital support for project mobilisation in various jurisdictions, guaranteeing that compliance standards are consistently maintained within dynamic operational environments.
Key Responsibilities
1. International Mobility & Immigration Management
* End-to-End Immigration Ownership: Take full ownership of the visa and immigration lifecycle for employees across EMEA, including the preparation, submission, and tracking of all required paperwork.
* Multi-Jurisdictional Compliance: Navigate and implement immigration law requirements across multiple countries, ensuring all international moves align with local statutes and company policy.
* Social Security & A1 Coordination: Manage the application and maintenance of A1 certificates and social security coverage for cross-border workers to ensure continuous compliance and mitigate dual-liability risks.
2. Regulatory Compliance & Office Governance
* EMEA Office Standards: Ensure all regional office setups and physical/Virtual entities adhere strictly to local labour laws, health and safety regulations, and data protection (GDPR) requirements.
* Labour Law Advisory: Act as the subject matter expert on local employment regulations, providing guidance on working hours, leave entitlements, and termination protocols.
* Audit Leadership: Lead periodic compliance audits and maintain exhaustive documentation to ensure the company is \"audit-ready\" at all times.
3. Tax Exposure & Employment Structuring
* PE Risk Mitigation: Monitor business activities across jurisdictions to identify and mitigate Permanent Establishment (PE) risks and corporate tax exposure.
* Employment Frameworks: Advise on and manage the complexities of Contractor vs. Employee structures, ensuring correct classification to avoid \"disguised employment\" penalties and tax liabilities.
* Strategic Structuring: Collaborate with finance and legal teams to determine the most compliant and cost-effective employment vehicles for new and existing markets.
4. Project Mobilisation & Operations
* Workforce Readiness: Support rapid project mobilisation by ensuring workforce compliance is established from the outset, enabling the business to deploy talent quickly in new jurisdictions.
* Agile Problem Solving: Navigate compliance hurdles in a fast-paced environment, making high-impact decisions on day-to-day actions and escalations to keep projects on track.
* Mobilisation Planning: Design and execute compliance checklists for new market entries and temporary project sites.
5. Stakeholder Management & Advisory
* Internal Advisory: Serve as the primary point of contact and advisor for line managers and department heads regarding all regional compliance matters.
* Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with the Central HR team to align regional actions with global strategy and coordinate internal processes.
* External Counsel Management: Liaise with and manage relationships with external legal counsel and Tax specialists for complex, high-risk, or niche jurisdictional advice.
Key Skills & Competencies
* Technical Expertise
* EMEA Legal Frameworks: Comprehensive, multi-country knowledge of immigration laws and labour regulations across the EMEA region.
* International Mobility Compliance: Demonstrated experience managing A1 certificates, social security coordination, and the nuances of cross-border workforce compliance.
* Tax & Structural Risk Management: Strong understanding of corporate tax exposure risks, specifically Permanent Establishment (PE), and the ability to distinguish between Contractor vs. Employee structures to mitigate \"disguised employment\" risks.
* Research & Analytical Depth: Proven ability to investigate complex legal requirements across new jurisdictions and assess their direct impact on company operations.
* Operational & Strategic Capability
* Project Mobilisation: A proven track record of supporting rapid workforce deployment and project start-ups in various international markets.
* Strategic Advisory: Capable of acting as a lead advisor to the business, directing management on necessary compliance measures while controlling outcomes.
* Agile Problem Solving: The ability to handle high-volume, complex compliance requirements within a fast-paced, fluid operational environment.
* Autonomous Ownership: Experience in independently managing end-to-end compliance processes with a high degree of accountability and minimal supervision.
* Core Professional Competencies
Precision & Attention to Detail: A rigorous commitment to accuracy and thoroughness, ensuring all visas, permits, and legal filings are error-free.
Tracking & Data Organisation: Highly skilled in maintaining meticulous records and using tracking systems to manage renewal dates, permit statuses, and compliance documentation.
Communication & Stakeholder Liaison: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex legal jargon into actionable advice for stakeholders and negotiate effectively with regulatory bodies.
Reporting & Presentation: Proficient in compiling detailed compliance reports and presenting findings or risk assessments to senior management clearly and concisely.
The Ideal Candidate
We are seeking a highly organized, proactive, and resilient compliance professional who excels in the complexities of the EMEA regulatory landscape. The successful candidate will not only be a subject matter expert but also a builder of systems and a culture champion.
* Proven EMEA Compliance Leader: You bring a track record of successfully managing multi-country compliance frameworks, with deep expertise in navigating the intersection of immigration, tax, andlabour laws across various jurisdictions.
* Systemic & Process-Driven: You have experience working within highly organized professional environments and possess a natural aptitude for establishing efficient, scalable systems, processes, and operational structures from the ground up.
* Practical & Hands-on: You adopt a \"no task is too small\" mentality. While capable of strategic oversight, you are equally comfortable getting into the weeds of visa paperwork, contract audits, and day-to-day administrative execution.
* Agile & Growth-Oriented: You thrive in fast-paced, rapidly growing workplaces where priorities can shift quickly. You remain calm under pressure and are energized by the challenge of supporting project mobilisation in new and emerging markets.
* People & Culture Focused: Beyond the rules and regulations, you value people and workplace culture. You are committed to achieving operational excellence while ensuring that compliance serves as an enabler for the business and its employees.
* Controlled & Influential: You possess the confidence to guide senior stakeholders and departments, ensuring compliance outcomes are strictly controlled while maintaining collaborative and positive professional relationships.