Global Mobility Specialist (Japanese Bilingual)

Position Overview

A leading global firm in New York is seeking a Bilingual (Japanese-English) Global Mobility Specialist to join the Human Resources team.

In this role, you will provide end-to-end support for international assignments across the organization and its affiliates. Serving as a key liaison between HR teams in the U.S. and Tokyo, internal managers, and external service providers, you will leverage your expertise in accounting, HRIS, and global mobility to strengthen HR operations and optimize service delivery.

Key Responsibilities

1. Expatriate Payroll & Tax Management:
   • Manage end-to-end payroll operations for international assignees, including regular pay, allowances, miscellaneous expenses, tax gross-ups, and shadow payroll (for Japan salary, bonus, and retirement funds).
   • Partner with external tax and payroll vendors to ensure compliance with U.S. tax requirements, including year-end tax adjustments.
2. Accounting & Financial Administration:
   • Process journal entries, perform monthly reconciliations for expatriate accounts, and resolve finance-related inquiries.
   • Evaluate and process external and inter-company invoices in collaboration with Accounts Payable (AP).
   • Generate inter-company invoices and track payment statuses alongside Accounts Receivable (AR).
3. International Assignment Lifecycle:
   • Administer the full lifecycle of global assignments—including relocation, visa/immigration, onboarding, payroll, benefits, and tax filings.
   • Maintain up-to-date and accurate assignee records, including immigration statuses, residential leases, and dependent information.
   • Oversee expatriate benefit plans, assisting with enrollment, coverage updates, and claims resolution.
4. Process Improvement & HR Support:
   • Collaborate with HR, Finance, and third-party vendors to continuously improve mobility workflows, documentation, internal controls, and overall service quality.
   • Support broader HR administrative tasks, cross-functional initiatives, and ad-hoc projects as assigned.

Qualifications

1. Education: Bachelor's degree required.
2. Language Skills: Advanced proficiency in both Japanese and English (written and spoken) is required.
3. Experience: 5–7 years of relevant experience in HR / Global Mobility with a solid understanding of international business operations.
4. Technical Skills:
   • Hands-on experience with HRIS platforms, payroll systems, accounting, and tax administration.
   • Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) and standard HR/payroll applications.
5. Key Competencies:
   • Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with strict discretion and sound judgment.
   • Strong attention to detail, exceptional organizational skills, and a collaborative, team-oriented mindset.
   • Excellent communication skills, capable of interacting effectively with professionals at all levels of the organization.
   • Ability to work flexibly and efficiently across diverse cultures and time zones.

Job Details & Compensation

• Job Type: Full-Time 
• Location: New York, NY (Hybrid)
• Salary Range: $85,000 – $100,000 / year (Commensurate with experience)
• Benefits: Includes a highly competitive and comprehensive benefits package.