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Teressa Bernardino

Global Mobility Specialist

About Me

Global Mobility & International HR Specialist (with + 8 years of experience)| Cross-Border Compliance | Remote Workforce Enablement. I’m a Global Mobility professional with hands-on experience supporting organizations as they scale internationally and manage cross-border talent. I specialize in helping companies navigate the legal, tax, immigration, and operational complexities of global employment — while keeping the employee experience front and centre. I’ve partnered closely with People Ops, Legal, Finance, and external vendors to deliver seamless international relocations, remote work models, and compliant global hiring strategies. My work spans high-growth startups through to globally distributed teams, supporting both in-house programs and fractional/advisory engagements. Cross-cultural collaboration, and project coordination, with a results-driven approach and a passion for fostering high-performing, compliant, and values-led work environments. Fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese, highly organized, proactive, and committed to delivering practical, human-centered legal solutions. Interview clients and prepare immigration documents and forms, and keep clients updated on the progress of their applications. Typical responsibilities for Global Mobility & International HR Specialist, include Preparing immigration application forms and related documents. Interviewing clients. What I support organizations with: • End-to-end global mobility programs, including relocations, work permits, and international assignments • Cross-border employment, immigration, and tax compliance guidance • Remote-first and hybrid workforce policy design • International hiring through EOR, PEO, and local entity models • Vendor management across immigration, relocation, and global payroll providers • Risk audits, compliance gap assessments, and process improvements • Stakeholder education on global mobility policies and best practices Additional Information • Ability to set my own pricing based on scope and engagement needs • Fully remote availability • Flexible schedule to support global time zones • Experience working across multiple industries and business models

Jurisdiction

Portugal

Experience

Seniority LevelDirector
Years of Experience10-15 years
Current StatusActive
2015 - 2026

Global Mobility Specialist Manager, Lisbon (11/2019- present) • Managed end-to-end global mobility processes, including international relocations, work permits, visas, and long- and short-term international assignments across NAMER, EMEA, and APAC regions • Advised organizations on cross-border employment, immigration, tax, and labor law compliance, mitigating risk while supporting business growth • Supported the design and rollout of remote work and distributed workforce policies, ensuring compliance with local employment, tax, and data privacy regulations • Partnered closely with People Ops, Legal, Finance, and international stakeholders to align mobility programs with organizational strategy and operational needs • Led international hiring initiatives using EOR/PEO and global employment platforms (e.g., Deel, Remote, Oyster, Papaya Global), supporting compliant market entry and workforce expansion • Managed and coordinated external vendors, including immigration counsel, relocation providers, payroll partners, and global employment platforms • Maintained accurate and compliant mobility documentation, ensuring adherence to visa, labor, and data protection requirements • Conducted compliance audits and program reviews, identifying gaps, mitigating risk, and driving continuous process and policy improvements • Educated internal stakeholders and employees on global mobility policies, best practices, and compliance requirements, improving transparency and employee experience • Delivered mobility support through fractional, advisory, and project-based engagements, adapting to diverse industries, company sizes, and operational models Case Study: Enabling Compliant Global Expansion for a Remote-First Scale-Up Client Profile High-growth SaaS company (Series B), ~250 employees, remote-first, expanding across EMEA, NAMER, and APAC. No prior formal global mobility framework. Challenge The company was hiring internationally at speed without a standardized mobility or compliance strategy. Key risks included: • Employees working cross-border without clear immigration or tax compliance • Inconsistent use of EOR platforms across countries • Lack of documented remote work and mobility policies • Limited internal knowledge of visa, labor law, and data privacy obligations Leadership needed immediate support to scale safely while preserving employee experience. Role & Scope Engaged as a Fractional Global Mobility Specialist to design, implement, and oversee compliant global mobility and international hiring operations. Actions Taken • Conducted a global mobility and compliance audit across 15 countries, identifying immigration, tax, and labor law risks • Designed a global mobility framework covering relocations, international assignments, and remote work eligibility • Implemented compliant international hiring workflows using EOR platforms (Deel and Remote) based on country-specific requirements • Partnered with immigration counsel and relocation vendors to manage work permits and cross-border relocations • Created clear remote work and cross-border employment policies, aligned with data privacy and labor regulations • Established standardized documentation and approval processes for mobility cases • Delivered training sessions for People Ops, Legal, and managers on global mobility best practices Outcome • Enabled compliant hiring and mobility across 15+ countries within 6 months • Reduced immigration and employment compliance risk through standardized processes • Improved employee experience by providing transparent mobility guidance and timelines • Gave leadership confidence to scale internationally without legal or operational bottlenecks Key Skills Demonstrated Global Mobility Strategy • Cross-Border Compliance • EOR Implementation • Vendor Management • Remote Workforce Enablement • Stakeholder Advisory • Risk Mitigation • Proactively identify add-on services that match the client’s real needs and timelines • avoiding delays and scope gaps. • Translate requirements and next steps into clear, client-friendly guidance using internal playbooks and templates. • Maintain clean, submission-ready files by validating documentation quality and organization, preparing compliant bundles for Legal review, and keeping case trackers updated in real time. IGlobal Mobility Specialist Team Lider, Lisbon (15/2015- 10-2019) • I’m, the Global Mobility Specialist is a professional who manages and supports employees moving across countries for work • In plain terms: they make international assignments actually work—legally, logistically, and human-to-human. • What they typically do: o Handle international relocations (moves, housing, schooling, settling-in) o Manage immigration & visas (often with external providers) o Coordinate tax, payroll, and social security implications o Ensure compliance with local labor laws o Support expatriates and their families before, during, and after the move o Advise HR and leadership on mobility policies and costs o I work in HR, People Operations, or Talent teams—especially in multinational companies. o Big picture: I’m the bridge between business needs and employee well-being when work goes global. o This represents part of my work, built on solid and extensive experience in Global Mobility, including roles as Immigration Specialist, HR Business Partner (HRBP), and Total Rewards. o This is exactly what I do—and much more—thanks to my broad experience in Global Mobility, Immigration, HRBP, and Total Rewards.

Education

Masters of Law and admministrationUniversity of Portugal
Present

Skills

Core skills0
Languages4

Languages

English
Portuguese
Spanish
French