Leave Manager

Amer Sports Company•Chicago, IL

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

We are a global group of iconic sports and outdoor brands such as Arc'teryx, Salomon, Wilson, Peak Performance, Atomic, and Armada. Our purpose is to elevate the world through sport. From courts to slopes, from cities to mountains, and everywhere in between, we inspire people to explore and experience the joy of sports and lead better, healthier lives. With us, you get to inspire people to experience the joy of sports while building a network of like-minded people around the world. We have an open and relaxed culture that encourages you to grow professionally and tend to your wellbeing. Our core values are: Always authentic, Better together, Committed to impact, Driven to excellence. Our global community of over 11,000 people operates in 41 countries. Just like our customers, we are dedicated to an active lifestyle and sports. Join us. The Leave Manager will oversee our leave of absence programs, workers’ compensation, and employee accommodation processes in the region. This role is responsible for the administration and operational workflow of the leave process to ensure employee productivity & experience while reducing organizational risk. The Leave Manager will work closely with the Sr. Manager, internal leave team, HR Business Partners, legal, and payroll to ensure compliance, efficiency, and employee‑focused leave and accommodation practices. While based in Wilson’ Chicago office, this role supports Amer Sports team members across the U.S. consisting of multiple brands and various locations (warehouse, factories and administrative offices).

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration or related field preferred; equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
Minimum 5 years of leave administration experience.
Demonstrated hands‑on experience with FMLA, ADA, STD, WC and other federal, state, and local leave programs.
Customer service attitude and ability to collaborate and coach fellow HR colleagues in this area.
Strong understanding of leave processes and general HR topics.
Demonstrate the ability to maintain positive & professional work relationships with team members.
Organized, strong attention to detail, understands the importance of accuracy.
Excellent communication skills (written and verbal).
Proactive, analytical mindset; ability to review, question & develop existing processes as necessary; ability to see the bigger picture while maintaining focus on details.
Ability to work independently as well as be part of the larger team; flexible and adaptable in a fast-moving, results-oriented work environment.
Strong work ethic and dedication to completing assigned tasks on a timely basis.
Experience with and ability to manage confidential information/documents.
Ability to work standard 9:00 to 5:00 hours to ensure coverage for region.
Prior experience with HR systems is required (preferably Workday).
Proficiency in MS Office and a demonstrated technical aptitude.

Responsibilities

Oversee the administration of all employee leaves, including but not limited to: Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), state and local paid family medical leave programs, 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.
Ensure timely, accurate, consistent and compliant leave determination, tracking, and documentation.
Continually monitor our leave procedures and policies to identify gaps, risks and opportunities for improvement while implementing or revising protocols & policies to adapt to new laws or changes in business needs or best practices.
Create and maintain the leave framework / protocol for leave administration consistency and compliance.
Partner with the internal leave team and act as an escalation point for complex or sensitive leave cases.
Provide coaching to the team to help develop knowledge, ensure compliance and consistency, and ensure a positive team member experience.
Assist the team with weekly reporting of benefit premiums owed and leave status.
Proactively monitor legislative changes and assess operational impact; recommend and implement policy or process updates as needed to maintain compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local leave laws and regulations.
Partner with Legal and the HR team to mitigate risk and address escalated or complex cases.
Manage the relationship with third‑party vendors for both leaves of absence and workers’ compensation.
Meet with vendors to review outstanding inquiries and take corrective action when needed.
Ensure accurate data exchange between the vendors and our internal systems (Workday and payroll) including the weekly file exchange.
Review, process, and approve vendor invoices.
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.
Educate employees and leaders on the types of leaves and the Company’s 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 as needed.
Document and track all leave data for audit readiness.
Participate in system implementations, upgrades, and process automation initiatives in partnership with the HRIS team when needed.
Special projects and other duties as assigned.