Provide strategic oversight and day‑to‑day management of employee leave programs, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations while delivering a consistent, employee‑centered experience.
Lead leave administration operations, partnering closely with internal Benefits, Payroll, Employee Relations, HRBP, Workforce Relations, and Legal teams as well as external vendors.
Provides guidance to leaders and employees on complex leave and accommodation matters.
Oversee the administration of employee leave programs, including but not limited to: Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), state and local paid family medical leave programs (including CO FAMLI and MN PFML), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and interactive accommodation process, company sponsored leaves such as parental leave, short-term disability, long-term disability, and coordination of the return-to-work process from worker’s compensation.
Ensure timely, accurate, and compliant leave determinations, tracking, and documentation.
Implement or revise leave programs to adapt to new laws or changes in business needs or best practices.
Maintain compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local leave laws and regulations.
Monitor legislative changes and assess operational impact; recommend and implement policy or process updates as needed.
Partner with Legal and Employee Relations to mitigate risk and address escalated or complex cases.
Manage the relationship with third‑party leave administration vendor. Meet with vendor to review performance metrics and take corrective action when needed.
Ensure accurate data exchange between vendor, leave systems, HRIS, and payroll.
Participate in system implementations, upgrades, and process automation initiatives in partnership with HR Technology.
Serve as a subject matter expert for managers, HR partners, and employees on leave‑related matters.
Provide guidance on sensitive, complex, or escalated leave and accommodation cases.
Develop and deliver training and communication materials related to leave programs.
Analyze leave data and trends to identify risks, cost drivers, and improvement opportunities.
Prepare reports and metrics for HR leadership and senior management. Lead process improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency, compliance, and employee experience.
Lead, coach, and develop the leave administration staff. Establish performance standards, workflows, and quality controls to ensure service excellence. Promote a culture of accountability, empathy, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field.
At least 5+ years of HR experience, including demonstrated leadership in leave administration, disability management, or HR operations.
In-depth working knowledge of leave administration, FMLA, ADA, USSERA, HIPPA, and state and local leave laws.
Experience with HRIS and leave management systems (e.g., Workday, UKG, ServiceNow, vendor leave platforms, etc.).
Proficient in MS Office tools.
Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and decision‑making skills.
Demonstrated ability to manage sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.

Benefits

Annual Incentive Program
Medical/Pharmacy Plan
Dental
Vision
Life Insurance
Dependent Care Reimbursement Account
Health Care Reimbursement Account
Health Savings Account (HSA) (if enrolled in eligible health plan)
Limited-Purpose FSA (if enrolled in eligible health plan and HSA)
Transportation Reimbursement Account
Short-term disability (STD)
Long-term disability (LTD)
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Fitness Center Reimbursement (if enrolled in eligible health plan)
Tuition reimbursement
Transit programs
Employee recognition program
Pension
401(k) plan
Paid time off (PTO)
Holidays
Volunteer Paid Time Off (VPTO)

Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills & Tools

leave administrationdisability managementFMLAADAUSSERAHIPAAdata analysisprocess improvementHRISleave management systems

Soft Skills

leadershipanalytical skillsproblem-solvingdecision-makingcommunicationpresentationstakeholder managementdiscretionempathycontinuous improvement