Senior People Operations Specialist

About the Position

As a Senior People Operations Specialist, you will play a key role in delivering thoughtful, scalable people programs and operational support across the employee lifecycle. Based in Lisbon, Portugal, you will be part of Upwork Inc.’s People Operations team, combining strong operational expertise with the judgment and partnership skills needed to support HR Business Partners, managers, and employees through both day-to-day needs and more complex people matters.

Responsibilities

• Partner on onboarding, offboarding, organizational changes, and other employee lifecycle moments, providing guidance to employees, managers, and HRBPs on more complex People Operations matters.
• Own end-to-end coordination of immigration matters alongside our external vendor, serving as a trusted internal resource for employees and managers navigating immigration processes and requirements.
• Maintain accurate immigration records, documentation, communications, and workflows while supporting employment eligibility and related compliance requirements.
• Navigate ambiguous or sensitive situations with discretion, sound judgment, and an understanding of when to independently resolve an issue versus engage the appropriate partner.
• Provide guidance and operational support across coaching and performance processes, helping managers navigate tools, documentation, expectations, and next steps. Act as a trusted partner for employees and managers, balancing advocacy for people with business needs.
• Support People Operations processes across our growing global footprint, partnering with internal teams and external vendors to address local requirements and maintain consistent employee support.
• Identify opportunities to simplify and improve People processes, using technology, automation, and AI where they can meaningfully reduce manual work or improve the employee and manager experience.

Requirements

• 5+ years of progressive experience across People Operations, HR Generalist, shared services, or related roles, ideally in a fast-moving or evolving organization. Experience supporting employees and People Operations processes across multiple countries or regions is a plus.
• Hands-on experience supporting U.S. employment-based immigration, with working knowledge of common visa categories, immigration processes, and employment eligibility requirements. Exposure to immigration or employment processes in additional countries is a plus.
• Strong understanding of employee lifecycle operations and HR practices, with experience owning processes from intake through resolution.
• Experience partnering with HRBPs, managers, and cross-functional People teams to solve employee and operational challenges.
• Experience with performance management, manager coaching, or employee relations is valuable; demonstrated ability to quickly develop expertise in new areas is equally important.
• Strong judgment and problem-solving skills, with the ability to navigate ambiguity and determine when an issue requires escalation or additional partnership.
• Process-oriented mindset with demonstrated experience improving workflows, documentation, tools, or employee-facing resources.
• Ability to independently manage multiple priorities while maintaining a high degree of accuracy, responsiveness, and follow-through.

We Offer

• Competitive annual base salary range: €39.000 - €56.000 EUR
• Comprehensive benefits package including healthcare coverage, life insurance, meal allowance, mental health support, wellness reimbursement program, and Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
• Opportunity to work in Upwork’s first international operational hub in Lisbon, Portugal, with a hybrid work model requiring 3 days per week in office.

About the Company

Upwork Inc.’s family of companies connects businesses with global, AI-enabled talent across every contingent work type including freelance, fractional, and payrolled. With access to professionals spanning more than 10,000 skills, Upwork enables businesses of all sizes to scale, innovate, and transform their workforces for the age of AI and beyond. Learn more about Upwork at Upwork.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X; and learn more about Lifted at Go-Lifted and follow on LinkedIn.

Upwork is committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workforce. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law.