A career as a Global Mobility Specialist (GMS) can be incredibly rewarding.
You get to work at the intersection of HR, immigration law, and international relations – pretty exciting stuff!
Becoming successful in this field isn’t just about having the right qualifications (though that helps). It’s about understanding cultures across borders, speaking multiple languages fluently, and helping businesses operate smoothly in foreign territories.
Sounds daunting? Don’t worry! Let’s take a look at the key aspects of this interesting role.
The Escalating Need for Global Mobility Specialists
As the business landscape continues to globalise, especially in our post-Covid world, a new breed of HR professionals known as global mobility specialists is gaining prominence. These experts are responsible for managing international employee populations and tackling various immigration-related aspects that come with their movements.
Global Expansion Spurs Demand
A company’s growth often involves venturing into uncharted territories beyond its home country borders. This expansion process necessitates transferring employees across different regions, which can be quite complex due to diverse laws, customs, and practices.
The Role of a Global Mobility Specialist
As businesses expand internationally, the role of global mobility specialists becomes increasingly important. These professionals are tasked with managing various aspects related to international employee populations and their movements.
Navigating Immigration-Related Aspects
A crucial part of a global mobility specialist’s work involves addressing immigration-related matters. This includes facilitating visa applications for employees moving overseas, ensuring compliance with local laws in foreign territories, and handling other necessary permits required for such assignments.
In order to effectively manage these tasks, it is essential that global mobility specialists stay updated on changing immigration policies across different countries. For instance, U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services provides comprehensive information about American immigration rules which can serve as an invaluable resource for them.
Beyond visas, there are additional documents needed when relocating employees abroad like work permits or residence cards – all falling within the administrative scope handled by these experts who ensure seamless transitions while adhering strictly to each country’s legislation.
Supporting Employees in Foreign Territories
Moving beyond logistical responsibilities associated with relocation, global mobility specialists also play key roles in supporting relocated staff members in new locations. They act as guides, helping navigate cultural differences and customs unique to each region, thus providing bespoke solutions and enhancing the overall experience for individuals during the initial stages after the move.
According to the InterNations Expat Insider Survey, around 34% of expats struggle initially with settling down abroad; this is where GMS come into the picture, offering much-needed assistance through orientation programs aimed at familiarising newcomers with local practices and traditions, reducing feelings of alienation, and thereby contributing towards productivity levels of diverse teams operating from different geographical locales.
Moreover, they often serve as point contacts for addressing any concerns raised by personnel, reflecting the pivotal role organisations have in having a workforce spread across multiple nations, hence making working solutions vital internal business services, especially in the context of the growing international footprint of companies today.
Skills and Qualifications Needed for Global Mobility Roles
The global mobility specialist role is multifaceted, requiring a unique blend of skills. Prospective GMS candidates must navigate international laws, manage diverse teams, and tackle logistical challenges.
Language Proficiency and Cultural Awareness
Mastery in multiple languages gives an edge to those eyeing entry-level global mobility roles. This not only facilitates communication with foreign counterparts but also aids in understanding local legal documents often drafted in the native language.
Besides linguistic abilities, cultural sensitivity plays a pivotal role when working across borders. A deep appreciation for different cultures enables specialists to effectively lead diverse teams while ensuring smooth transitions for employees moving abroad.
Cultural training programs can help hone these skills further while fostering quick adaptability to new environments, an essential quality that complements cultural understanding well.
Generalist HR Experience
Experience of working in HR roles such as recruitment, employee relations or compensation & benefits is useful experience for a GMS to have, as knowledge of these areas will certainly come in handy when managing international relocations.
Technical Acumen
Much of the global mobility process is now transacted online, from visa applications, work permits, tax filing, health insurance and more. So it’s definitely useful for a GMS to be quite tech savvy. Different countries have different processes, some often quite complex, so being comfortable in imputing data and submitting documents into diverse systems is a distinct advantage.
Employment Opportunities for Global Mobility Specialists
The role of a global mobility specialist is not limited to any specific industry. They are required in every sector where businesses expand internationally, offering their expertise within companies or through outsourced organisations providing bespoke solutions.
In essence, whether it’s working directly for a company with an existing international footprint or assisting multiple industries as part of an outsourced organisation, there are definitely exciting professional opportunities to be found.
In-House vs Outsource Organisations
A career as an in-house global mobility specialist involves being embedded within a particular business’ HR team. Their work revolves around coordinating employees’ movement across borders while adhering to local immigration laws and regulations.
Conversely, some professionals opt to join outsourced organisations that offer end-to-end services related to global expansion – from facilitating visa applications right down to shipping personal belongings overseas.
This kind of exposure provides them the chance to hone their skills on various fronts, making these roles highly sought after among employers who wish to grow beyond national confines while maintaining strong workforce cohesion regardless of the geographical distance separating teams.
Opportunities Across Different Sectors
Sector-wise too, there’s no dearth of opportunities available for qualified individuals interested in becoming global mobility specialists; they’re needed wherever businesses expand internationally. Industries such as financial services have long been reliant on talent migration due to their widespread presence around the globe.
Mobility Roles Span Industrial Boundaries
Beyond traditional corporate settings like finance and IT sectors, construction and manufacturing also provide ample scope for those wishing to pursue this field since projects often span industrial boundaries, necessitating personnel transfers between countries. Thus, understanding how different sectors operate both domestically and globally can prove beneficial when choosing a path to enter into this profession.
Get Moving!
The Global Mobility Specialist Career is on the rise, fueled by businesses expanding their reach across borders.
These professionals play a crucial role in managing international employee populations and navigating complex immigration-related aspects.
Their duties extend beyond just paperwork, providing support to employees transitioning into unfamiliar territories and cultures.
To thrive in this field, one needs language skills for effective communication, cultural understanding for smooth integration, as well as being IT savvy to handle technicalities of international assignments.
Opportunities abound both within specific businesses or outsource organisations offering global solutions. Sectors like financial services, technology & IT, construction & manufacturing are ripe with prospects for these specialists.Want to work in HR, but not sure of Global Mobility is for you? Check out our posts on other HR roles.
