HR Compliance Officer
Location: Co. Cavan
Permanent Full Time
Hybrid Working - 2 days remote
The purpose of this role is to ensure the organisation consistently meets its obligations under Irish employment legislation, regulatory standards, and internal HR policies. The HR Compliance Officer will manage and monitor compliance activities relating to work authorisation, right-to-work verification, working time regulations, people data governance, and other key HR compliance areas, supporting effective risk management and maintaining a state of ongoing audit readiness.
Key Responsibilities:
- Manage all aspects of work permit and immigration compliance, including applications, renewals, tracking, and expiry monitoring.
- Liaise with external stakeholders, including government bodies, legal advisors, and relocation providers.
- Ensure robust right-to-work verification processes and maintain compliance with employment eligibility requirements.
- Support internal and external audits relating to immigration and work authorisation.
- Monitor compliance with the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, including working hours, rest periods, breaks, night work, and Sunday working requirements.
- Partner with Operations, Payroll, and HR to review attendance data and identify compliance risks.
- Support corrective actions and maintain accurate records to demonstrate statutory compliance.
- Support GDPR compliance across HR processes, including data retention, lawful processing, access controls, and data minimisation.
- Act as a key HR contact for data protection audits, DSARs, and people data governance matters.
- Promote best practices in the management and protection of employee data.
- Maintain accurate, audit-ready HR records and documentation in line with legal and organisational requirements.
- Support internal compliance reviews and external audits, including WRC, customer, and certification audits.
- Identify compliance gaps and drive corrective actions to completion.
- Support the review, implementation, and monitoring of HR policies, procedures, and SOPs.
- Maintain documentation and evidence to demonstrate compliance across HR activities.
- Ensure all compliance requirements are completed during onboarding, including contracts, right-to-work checks, and employment permits.
- Monitor compliance throughout the employee lifecycle, including recruitment, transfers, role changes, and offboarding.
- Partner with Recruitment, Payroll, and HR Operations to ensure consistent and compliant processes.
- Conduct periodic audits of employee records and lifecycle activities.
- Support continuous improvement of onboarding and employee lifecycle compliance processes.
- Monitor and report on key HR compliance metrics, including work permits, working time compliance, and audit findings.
- Identify emerging compliance risks and legislative changes, recommending actions to mitigate exposure.
- Support the Head of People & Development in managing people-related risk and maintaining audit readiness.
- Maintain compliance reporting and tracking mechanisms to monitor performance and risk.
- Drive continuous improvement of HR compliance processes, systems, controls, and documentation.
- Promote a culture of compliance through stakeholder engagement, communication, and best-practice governance.
Skills & Qualifications:
- 3+ years’ experience in HR operations, HR compliance, or workforce compliance roles.
- Strong hands‑on experience with Irish work permits / immigration processes.
- Working knowledge of Irish employment law, particularly working time legislation.
- Experience in manufacturing, production, FMCG or similar sector.
- Relevant third‑level qualification in HR or related discipline.
- CIPD qualification (or working towards) desirable.
- Exceptional attention to detail and compliance discipline.
- Strong understanding of Irish employment legislation and HR regulatory frameworks.
- Ability to interpret legislation and translate it into practical HR controls.
- Strong organisational and record‑keeping skills.
- Confident communicator with the ability to challenge non‑compliance constructively.
- Proactive, risk‑aware and solutions‑focused mindset.
