HR Director

Welo Global

22h•$135,000 - $150,000

About The Position

The HR Director-Welo Data is a senior management leader responsible for the organizational development, HR infrastructure, and multi-jurisdictional compliance framework underpinning Welo Dataâs global people operations. Working in close partnership with Welo Dataâs Head of Talent, this role does not own talent acquisition directly â instead, it ensures that staffing programs, workforce structures, and talent strategies are legally sound, organizationally effective, and compliant across every jurisdiction in which Welo Data operates. As the most senior HR generalist leader within Welo Data, this individual serves as the go-to authority on employment law, co-employment risk, org design, and people compliance for a globally distributed workforce that includes a high-volume managed services operation delivering AI data annotation, quality auditing, robotics teleoperations, and program management services. The role ensures that how Welo Data structures, staffs, and manages its workforce is both strategically coherent and legally defensible in each geography. This role operates with dual reporting accountability to General Manager and Head of People Success, and partners cross-functionally with Finance, Legal, and the Head of Talent to build a people function that is compliant, cost-effective, and fit for the scale of a growing AI data services business.

Requirements

Bachelorâs degree in Human Resources, Employment Law, Business Administration
Minimum 10 years of progressive HR experience, with at least 4â5 years in a senior HR management or people leadership role with multi-country responsibility.
Deep, practical expertise in multi-jurisdictional employment law â required competency includes California labor law, multi-state US compliance, EU employment frameworks (works councils, GDPR-adjacent people data), and working knowledge of India and Japan employment law.
Demonstrated experience structuring and governing staffing programs in managed services, BPO, or operational delivery environments, including co-employment risk management, worker classification, and client-embedded workforce compliance.
Proven track record in organizational development: org design, job architecture, spans and layers analysis, and building or restructuring HR functions to support business scale.
Experience partnering with a dedicated Talent Acquisition function rather than owning TA directly â comfortable operating as the compliance and org development authority while a separate team owns the recruiting execution.
Proficiency with HRIS platforms (Workday preferred); comfort with workforce analytics, headcount reporting, and people data governance.
Demonstrated ability to operate as both a strategic partner and a hands-on operator â capable of advising at the executive level while ensuring rigorous operational execution across a distributed team.
Excellent communication and influencing skills; ability to translate complex employment law and compliance requirements into practical guidance that business leaders can act on.
High degree of professionalism, integrity, and discretion; experience navigating sensitive organizational and legal contexts with sound judgment.

Nice To Haves

Background in the AI/ML, data annotation, managed services, or technology-enabled services industry.
Experience advising on or implementing workforce structures for variable-demand, high-volume staffing programs with fluctuating headcount needs.
Formal employment law qualification or significant experience working alongside in-house or external employment counsel.
SPHR, SHRM-SCP, or equivalent senior HR certification.
Spanish language ability (beneficial given the US and Mexico managed services workforce demographics).
Familiarity with HR technology ecosystems beyond Workday â including ATS integrations, workforce management tools, and people analytics platforms.

Responsibilities

Define and drive Welo Dataâs people strategy in alignment with business objectives and the 4 Pillars framework, with a particular focus on organizational health, workforce compliance, and scalable HR infrastructure.
Serve as the primary HR authority and strategic partner to the Welo Data leadership team, providing counsel on org design, people risk, employment law, and workforce structure across all geographies.
Build a scalable, fit-for-purpose HR function for a growing AI data services business â including policies, governance frameworks, and operational processes that can support Welo Data at scale.
Partner closely with the Head of Talent to ensure that all talent strategies, staffing programs, and workforce plans are structured in a manner that is legally compliant across every jurisdiction Welo Data operates in.
Own the compliance architecture for Welo Dataâs staffing programs, including co-employment risk management, worker classification, client-embedded workforce governance, and third-party service delivery structures.
Review and advise on the design of high-volume staffing programs for managed services client engagements (AI data annotation, QA, robotics teleoperations) to ensure they reflect applicable labor law requirements in each operating country.
Translate workforce expansion plans into compliant org structures: defining employment types, contract frameworks, and jurisdictional requirements before staffing programs are executed.
Maintain current intelligence on regulatory changes across jurisdictions that could affect how Welo Data structures or executes its staffing programs; proactively advise the Head of Talent and leadership accordingly.
Lead org design and organizational effectiveness initiatives for Welo Data, including role architecture, job family structures, spans and layers analysis, and headcount modeling in support of business growth.
Drive the design and implementation of the future-state people operating model for Welo Data, including the global HR Generalist team structure and the people processes required for the business to operate effectively at scale.
Champion employee engagement, culture, and retention programs appropriate for a globally distributed, high-growth AI data services business.
Identify structural or organizational risks in Welo Dataâs workforce model and work with leadership to address them proactively through org design, policy changes, or program investment.
Partner with Finance and Operations on workforce cost modeling, headcount planning, and organizational change initiatives to ensure people decisions are data-driven and financially sound.
Oversee and standardize end-to-end HR operations globally including onboarding, offboarding, contracts, payroll and benefits coordination across all Welo Data geographies.
Ensure Workday data integrity, audit-compliant employee records, and consistent HR process execution.
Establish and maintain HR policies and an employee handbook aligned to Welo Dataâs operating model and compliant with local employment law across all geographies.
Deliver accurate and timely headcount, attrition, and workforce reporting to Finance and leadership.
Serve as the global escalation point for complex employee relations matters, including grievances, performance improvement plans, disciplinary actions, terminations, and sensitive investigations.
Maintain deep expertise in multi-jurisdictional employment law, with particular strength in California labor law, multi-state US compliance, co-employment law, EU works council requirements, and employment frameworks in India and Japan.
Advise and coach managers globally on performance management, People Success policies, and legally compliant HR practice; ensure consistency of application across all geographies.
Own statutory compliance obligations across all operating countries, including employment contracts, mandatory reporting, right-to-work verification, and regulatory filings.
Act as the compliance backstop on all people matters: reviewing proposed talent strategies, org changes, and workforce programs for legal or regulatory exposure before implementation.