Supervisor, Leave of Absence

Job Summary:

The Supervisor, Leave of Absence role oversees the daily operational management and continuous improvement of the business's leave of absence, disability, and related employee benefit programs. As a key cross-functional partner, this role connects HR leadership, payroll, employees, brokers, and third-party carriers to ensure compliant and seamless program delivery. A typical day involves managing team workflows, providing ongoing direction, escalation support, and evaluating complex or escalated leave cases, monitoring compliance trends, and analyzing operational metrics.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversees and administers comprehensive Leave of Absence (LOA), disability, and benefit programs across the business in alignment with internal policies.
• Directly supervises and provides guidance to Leave of Absence staff, including the Senior HR Administrator, overseeing daily workload, performance management, and professional development.
• Serves as the primary escalation point for complex LOA inquiries, advising employees, managers, and HR partners on medical, parental, military, disability, and personal leaves.
• Manages third-party vendor performance and Leave Administration Service operations to ensure service level compliance and high-quality employee support.
• Audits leave data, adjusted hours, pay status, and benefit premium billings on a regular cadence across HRIS and payroll systems to maintain data integrity.
• Partners with legal counsel, HR leadership, and insurance brokers to ensure program compliance with changing federal, state, and local legislation.
• Tracks key operational metrics, generates analytical leave reports, and manages department project schedules to streamline leave processes.
• Oversees digital leave resources, Benefits Portal content, new hire onboarding materials, and employee communications to maintain clarity and compliance.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Position Requirements (Work Experience, Skills, Licenses, etc.):

• Comprehensive working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment and leave laws, including FMLA, CFRA, PFL, ADA, and ACA.
• Proven leadership abilities with experience supervising, mentoring, or leading administrative personnel.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to explain complex policy details to diverse audiences.
• Customer-centric approach with strong interpersonal skills to navigate sensitive employee situations compassionately and professionally.
• Demonstrated capability in tracking metrics, building analytical reports, and leading project schedules.
• Advanced proficiency in HRIS systems, vendor management portals, and Microsoft Excel functions (data modeling, formulas, importing/exporting).
• Strong critical-thinking and problem-solving skills with a track record of resolving escalated compliance or case management issues independently.

Education and Experience:

Required:

• Minimum of 5 years of HR experience with a primary emphasis on leave of absence administration.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience.

Desired: Prior supervisory or team leadership experience in a human resources or benefits environment.

• Certified Leave Management Specialist (CLMS), Certified Professional in Disability Management (CPDM), or SHRM/HRCI certification.

ACCO Competencies:

• Proactivity/Initiative: Recognizes what needs to be done and accomplishes it in a manner appropriate for one's level/position and with minimal supervision.
• Perseverance: Shows wherewithal to fight for difficult goals despite challenges and to bounce back from adversity.
• Motivation/Dedication: Commits to excellence in pursuing unselfish goals. Initiates action with collective goals, takes responsibility, and shows personal humility.
• Technical Curiosity/Willingness to Learn: Interest in seeking out new experiences, knowledge, and candid feedback; demonstrating an openness to learning and change.
• Insight: The ability to gather and make sense of information that suggests new possibilities.
• Engagement: Shows a knack for using emotion and logic to communicate a persuasive vision and connect with people.
• People Skills: Is approachable and gains the mutual trust and respect of others. Understands people's strengths & weaknesses and actively seeks to understand other perspectives.
• Communication: Fosters open, honest, candid and respectful communication. Effectively assesses, defines and communicates issues in a timely manner, both written and verbal.
• Teamwork: The ability to effectively work toward common goals with others by supporting, encouraging, and sharing information in an authentic and approachable manner.
• Big Picture: Understands and contributes to the organizations' short- and long-term business strategy. On a personal level has independently developed a vision for short- and long-term career success.
• Problem-Solver: Ability to identify, analyze, and solve problems in support of personnel, group, department, or organizational objectives.
• Execution: Effectively takes a vision and translates into action by including the right people. Identify and remove barriers, when possible, to achieve results. Demonstrates appropriate compromise, effective time management, prioritization practices and holds team members (including themselves) accountable for their performance/conduct.
• Professionalism: Respectfully observes and challenges the status quo with intent for improvement. Can take direction, accept feedback, and take full responsibility for their actions. Lead by example through positive influence and ethical leadership with consideration of the entire organization.

Job Responsibility Level:

People Manager with Direct Reports

Travel Requirements:

Travel required 0-15% of the time to other office locations.

Hours:

This is an exempt position. Workdays are scheduled from Monday through Friday. Typically, work hours begin and end between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm as scheduled with the position's supervisor. Work outside of regular hours may occasionally be necessary to meet business needs.

Physical Demands:

(The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

• Must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.
• Prolonged sitting.
• Frequently required to reach with hands and arms.
• Occasionally required to stand; walk and stoop, kneel, crouch.

Competitive Wages:

$89,500.00 to $122,750.00 annually. Applicants please note that actual compensation is determined by several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to job-related skills, depth of experience, certifications, relevant education or training, and specific work location, among others. The offered wage or salary is only one aspect of an employee's total compensation.

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