HR People Ops EMEA
Mistral AI · London
About Mistral
Mistral provides full-stack AI solutions: from frontier models to developer tools, applications, and compute. We partner with enterprises tackling the hardest problems across high-stakes industries like finance, manufacturing, defense, healthcare, and the public sector, co-creating customized AI systems that they can run on their terms.
We are a dynamic, collaborative team passionate about AI and its potential to transform society. Our diverse workforce thrives in competitive environments and is committed to driving innovation. Our teams are distributed between Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East. We are creative, low-ego and team-spirited.
The Role
As a Senior HR People Ops on the People Operations team at Mistral AI, you will be our UK people operations expert and the engine behind our EMEA expansion. This is a hands-on, high-ownership role for someone who thrives in ambiguity and wants to help build the operational backbone of a fast-growing AI company.
What makes this role unique: Mistral AI is actively expanding into new European markets. You will play a key part in that expansion — helping open new entities, set up local HR operations, and build scalable processes from the ground up. This is not a maintenance role; it is a builder's role.
The UK is the core of this role. You will be the UK people operations expert — the person the team turns to for UK employment law, contracts, benefits, payroll, right-to-work, and visa sponsorship.
Our main location for this role is London. That said, we are open to candidates based elsewhere in Europe — Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Germany, or any other location — provided you bring super strong, demonstrable experience in UK: employment law, contracts, benefits, payroll, right-to-work, and business sponsorships.
On top of owning the UK, you will help us expand into new EMEA countries — building HR operations from scratch as we grow across Europe.
What You Will Do
Own UK people operations end to end — employment law, contracts, payroll, benefits, right-to-work, and visa sponsorship
Lead EMEA expansion — open new country entities, set up local HR operations, and build scalable processes from scratch
Oversee onboarding for new joiners, coordinating HR systems, IT setup, and office arrangements
Formalize and manage employee contractual documentation throughout the employment lifecycle
Maintain and update HR records, policies, and employee handbooks as regulations and company practices evolve
Coordinate payroll with providers to ensure timely, accurate payments across the UK and EMEA
Handle immigration requests, work permits, and related documentation — especially UK visa sponsorship
Manage day-to-day HR inquiries, employee benefits administration, and time-off policies
Ensure adherence to local employment laws, conduct compliance audits, and mitigate organizational risk
Lead process improvements and collaborate with cross-functional partners, including Finance and Talent Acquisition
What We're Looking For
7–10 years of progressive HR / People Operations experience, ideally in a high-growth tech or startup environment
Deep expertise in UK employment law and UK people operations — this is the single most important requirement. You should be confident advising on UK contracts, TUPE, ACAS processes, statutory benefits, right-to-work, and UK visa/immigration routes
Demonstrated experience supporting EMEA expansion — ideally you have helped open new country entities, set up local HR operations, configured benefits and payroll in new markets, or scaled HR processes across multiple European countries
Strong knowledge of at least 2 additional EMEA countries beyond the UK (e.g., Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, France) — covering employment law basics, contract norms, and HR practices
Familiarity with Employer of Record (EOR) models and when to use them vs. entity setup
Hands-on payroll coordination experience — you have worked with payroll providers and ensured timely, accurate payments across multiple jurisdictions
Proficiency with HRIS and payroll technology platforms — you are comfortable with tools and eager to optimize them
Excellent communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills — you can navigate ambiguity, resolve employee relations matters, and provide clear, accurate HR guidance
What We Offer
We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well-being, growth, and work-life balance. Benefits vary by country and may include healthcare coverage, parental leave, retirement plans, relocation support, wellness programs, meal and transportation allowances, and other location-specific perks.
For the most up-to-date details on benefits available in your location, please refer to our Benefits page.
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