Senior Global Mobility Specialist & Expat Support

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Inc. (MHIA) is looking for a Sr. Global Mobility Specialist to join our team. This is a hybrid role based out of our Houston, TX HQ office in the Galleria District.

ABOUT MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES AMERICA, INC. (MHIA):

For over 130 years Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group’s innovative and integrated solutions have demonstrated our commitment to creating a positive social impact around the globe. Our range of products and services are tailored to meet our customers’ evolving needs across the commercial aviation, energy, transportation and infrastructure, machinery, defense and space systems sectors.

Our culture embraces diversity and cooperation, and we promote a healthy balance of professional and personal development, ensuring that your ideas and expertise are valued and respected.

SCOPE:

The Senior Global Mobility Specialist & Expat Support serves as MHIA’s subject matter expert and primary point of contact for global mobility, expatriate, international assignment, and employment-based immigration programs. This role leads the end-to-end coordination of assignment lifecycle activities, including immigration, relocation, compensation, benefits, tax, payroll, onboarding, employee support, repatriation, and vendor management.

Serving as a trusted bilingual English/Japanese advisor, the position partners with employees, managers, Japan headquarters, affiliate companies, external service providers, and internal stakeholders to ensure compliant, efficient, and employee-focused mobility practices. The role also drives process improvement, policy development, governance, reporting, and program standardization across MHIA and participating affiliates.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Global Mobility Program Management

• Lead the end-to-end administration and delivery of expatriate, rotational assignment, international hire, and short-and long-term global mobility programs.
• Serve as MHIA’s senior point of contact and subject-matter expert for employees, managers, HR partners, and affiliate companies regarding global assignment policies, relocation processes, compensation and benefit coordination, and assignment-related issues.
• Independently assess complex or nonstandard mobility cases, identify business and employee implications, and recommend solutions or policy exceptions to HR leadership.
• Lead global assignment onboarding, ongoing assignment support, repatriation, transfer, and offboarding activities in partnership with HR, Payroll, Benefits, Finance, Legal, Tax, and external vendors.
• Provide bilingual English/Japanese consultation and facilitate clear communication among U.S.-based stakeholders, headquarters in Japan, expatriate employees, rotational assignees, and affiliate companies.
• Coordinate closely with Japan-based stakeholders to align assignment terms, documentation, timing, employee support, approvals, communications, and escalation needs.

Immigration and Visa Coordination

• Manage employment-based immigration processes in partnership with external counsel, including case initiation, document collection, employee communications, status tracking, and issue resolution.
• Monitor visa expirations, work authorization requirements, filing deadlines, and related compliance obligations.
• Coordinate visa petitions, extensions, amendments, transfers, dependent matters, and business travel reviews while identifying and escalating compliance risks.
• Maintain accurate immigration records, reporting, and documentation in accordance with company requirements.

Tax, Compensation and Vendor Coordination

• Coordinate assignment-related tax, cross-border payroll, permanent establishment, compensation, benefits, relocation, and compliance matters with Finance, Payroll, Legal, Tax, and external advisors.
• Manage relationships with immigration, tax, relocation, and mobility vendors, including service delivery, issue resolution, performance monitoring, and process improvements.
• Review assignment data, payroll instructions, invoices, and vendor deliverables to ensure accuracy, consistency, and compliance.

Policy, Governance and Process Improvement

• Interpret and apply global mobility policies, U.S. requirements, and organizational guidelines to complex employee and business circumstances.
• Lead the development, documentation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of global mobility policies, processes, workflows, templates, controls, tools, procedures, service standards, and training resources.
• Identify gaps or inconsistencies in mobility practices and recommend scalable solutions aligned with global requirements and local business needs.
• Prepare analyses, recommendations, and decision materials for HR leadership regarding significant mobility matters.

Employee Experience & HR Partnership

• Support expatriate employees and managers throughout the assignment lifecycle by providing guidance on cultural integration, workplace expectations, available resources, and assignment-related concerns.
• Partner with HR teams and business leaders to resolve complex employee matters, share best practices, and strengthen the overall mobility experience.
• Serve as an escalation resource and provide functional guidance on mobility-related processes and programs.

Global HR Initiatives Management

• Lead the implementation of global HR initiatives across MHIA and affiliate companies in the Americas.
• Partner with global and regional stakeholders to align business, compliance and HR objectives.
• Develop implementation plans, communications, timelines, and governance for assigned programs.
• Advise affiliates on program requirements, process changes, and issue resolution.
• Coordinate regional HR programs, including compensation surveys, global policies, travel safety, IRTM and HR forums.
• Analyze regional data, identify trends and risks, and provide recommendations to HR leadership.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS

• Education Requirement: Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business, International Relations, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience: At least seven (7) years of HR experience, including at least four (4) years of direct global mobility, expatriate program, international assignment, or employment-based immigration experience.
• Advanced working knowledge of global mobility practices, international assignment life cycles, immigration coordination, Form I-9 compliance, relocation, tax coordination, and assignment-related compensation and benefit considerations.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex global mobility, immigration, relocation and expatriate matters while exercising sound judgment and independent decision-making.
• Strong consulting, stakeholder management, analytical, project management, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives involving internal stakeholders, external vendors, and professional service providers.
• Any special skills/training/certifications:
  • Bilingual English/Japanese required.
  • Demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgment and manage sensitive, complex employee situations.
  • Excellent communication skills and ability to navigate multicultural environments.
  • Strong organizational and project management skills, with high attention to detail
  • Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Office skills.
  • Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience managing employment-based immigration, relocation, and global mobility programs in partnership with external counsel and service providers.
• Experience coordinating expatriate tax, cross-border payroll, benefits, and compliance matters with Finance, Tax, Legal, and external advisors.
• Experience supporting Japanese expatriate populations and partnering with Japan headquarters on international assignment programs.
• Experience leading enterprise-wide HR and global mobility initiatives, including program governance, procedures, controls, metrics, and vendor management.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Travel: Up to 10%
• Standard Monday through Friday work week. Occasional evening or weekend work as needed for global time zone coordination.
• Lifting/Physical Requirements: Regularly required to sit for long periods, stand, walk, talk and/or hear. Frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Why Should You Apply?

• Excellent Wellness Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision & 401K Matching)
• Company-provided STD and LTD
• Parental Leave
• Company-Provided Life Insurance and AD&D
• Paid time off: vacation, sick leave (granted at the beginning of the year).
• 15 holidays
• Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Behavioral health support 

Applications are being accepted on an ongoing basis. This position will remain posted until filled. Applicants should apply via our internal or external ( https://mhicareers.com/) career sites.

MHIA regrets that it is unable to sponsor employment Visas or consider individuals on time-limited Visa status for this position.

MHIA is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer actively seeking to diversify the workforce and is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity. Therefore, all qualified applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.

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