Director of Employer Contributions - Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML)

DHRM•Richmond, VA

19h•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Employer Contributions - PFML role is a senior founding leader within Virginia's new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program and collaborates closely with other office directors to safeguard fund solvency and deliver a fair, transparent employer experience. This position sets and executes the operational strategy for PFML's employer contribution framework, building — from the ground up — the team, policies, and processes that ensure premiums are collected accurately, wages are reported completely, and the PFML Trust Fund is funded and defensible from day one. The Director owns the end-to-end employer contribution lifecycle: employer registration and account management; quarterly wage reporting and premium remittance; accounts receivable (A/R) reconciliation, delinquency, and collections; audit, examination, and compliance; private and voluntary (equivalent) plan review and oversight; and the employer resolution (phone/service) function. The position is directly accountable for readiness to begin collecting contributions on April 1, 2028 and for supporting the annual premium rate-setting cycle (first rate set October 1, 2027, annually thereafter). The role requires advanced executive judgment in complex regulatory environments and strong financial and operational oversight. This position supervises the Contributions work unit and may require extended hours during launch, quarterly filing, and rate-setting cycles.

Requirements

Extensive knowledge of employer contribution administration, payroll-tax or premium collection, wage reporting, accounts receivable, and audit within a social insurance, unemployment insurance, or paid-leave context.
Understanding of state and federal statutes and regulations governing premium collection, debt collection, worker classification, and the confidentiality of wage and tax information.
Demonstrated ability to lead high-performance teams and to develop and execute short- and long-range strategies that improve organizational effectiveness and efficiency.
Strong financial and analytical acumen — able to assess contribution and receivable data, identify trends and fraud indicators, and translate findings into policy and process improvements.
Skilled in managing relationships with demanding stakeholders in complex, high-stakes environments, including employers, third-party administrators, legislative bodies, and executive leadership.
Excellent written and verbal communication, including the ability to represent the Directorate before state officials, legislative committees, and employer audiences.
Working understanding of how modern technology (employer self-service portals, wage-reporting intake, payment processing) improves compliance and the employer experience.
Experience building and/or overseeing operations involving tax/premium collection, employer accounts receivable, or audit.
Track record of data-driven, user-centered improvements to employer-facing processes and training.
Must complete mandatory Statement of Economic Interests forms and Conflict of Interest training.
A valid driver’s license is also required, as the job duties may occasionally involve statewide overnight travel.

Nice To Haves

Experience with a comparable state employer-contributions or unemployment-insurance tax function.
Familiarity with private/voluntary (equivalent) plan review and third-party administrator/payroll-provider coordination.
Experience in progressively responsible roles within state government, particularly related to Commonwealth fiscal or tax rules and regulations.
Experience designing/contributing to organizational structure, staffing plans, and operating procedures for a new program function from the ground up.