Manager, Leaves and Disability Programs

Medica•Minnetonka, MN

1d•$100,300 - $150,465•Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager, Leave and Disability Programs is responsible for strategic people leadership, oversight, administration, compliance, and continuous improvement of Medica’s leave of absence and disability team and programs. The role ensures compliance with federal, state, and local leave regulations while providing an exceptional employee experience throughout the leave lifecycle. The manager serves as a subject matter expert in leave administration, disability management, workers’ compensation, and accommodations, and leads vendor partnerships, process improvement initiatives, and a team of leave professionals. Other duties may be assigned. This is an office role requiring onsite work at the Minnetonka, Minnesota, or Madison, Wisconsin, office an average of three days per week. The full salary grade is $100,300–$172,000; the typical hiring range is $100,300–$150,465. Salary placement depends on factors including education, experience, certifications or licensure, scope and responsibility, internal pay equity, and external market data. Medica offers a total rewards package including medical, dental, and vision coverage, PTO, holidays, paid volunteer time off, 401(k) contributions, caregiver services, and other benefits. Medica does not offer work visa sponsorship; candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at application, and employment is contingent on verification of identity and work eligibility.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and professional background.
At least 5 years of experience supporting leave of absence, disability, accommodations, benefits administration, or related employee programs.
Comprehensive knowledge of FMLA, ADA, USERRA, workers’ compensation, and applicable state and local leave regulations.
Proven experience managing third-party administrators and vendor partnerships, including service-level performance and issue resolution.
Excellent communication and consultation skills, with the ability to influence decision-making and provide guidance to leaders and employees.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in HR systems including ServiceNow and UKG.
Demonstrated ability to lead, develop, and motivate a team while fostering accountability, collaboration, compliance, and exceptional employee service.
Familiarity with multi-state paid family and medical leave programs and evolving legislative requirements.
Strong analytical capabilities, including measuring program effectiveness, identifying trends, and developing actionable recommendations.

Responsibilities

Oversee administration of FMLA, ADA accommodations, state and local leave requirements, paid family and medical leave programs, military leave, parental leave, disability programs, and company-sponsored leave offerings.
Ensure consistent application of policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements, and monitor legislative changes to implement program updates.
Lead, develop, and manage the leave administration team; establish performance expectations; provide coaching and feedback; and support employee development and engagement.
Promote accountability, collaboration, compliance, and alignment with organizational goals and company policies.
Monitor operational metrics, leave trends, and employee feedback; identify opportunities and lead initiatives to improve efficiency, compliance, employee experience, and operational effectiveness.
Oversee relationships with leave, disability, and accommodation vendors and third-party administrators; establish, monitor, and evaluate service-level agreements and performance metrics.
Lead issue resolution, process enhancements, and implementation of technology solutions supporting leave administration.
Ensure integration and coordination between leave, payroll, benefits, and HR systems.
Serve as the organization’s subject matter expert on leave and disability regulations; partner with Legal, Human Resources, Employee Relations, and Compliance on complex cases.
Conduct audits and quality reviews to ensure compliance, accurate documentation, and adherence to company policies; identify and mitigate operational and compliance risks.
Act as an escalation point for sensitive and complex leave cases and advise leaders, HR partners, and employees on leave administration and return-to-work practices.
Develop communications and educational resources to increase understanding of leave programs and employee responsibilities.
Promote a compassionate, compliant, employee-centered approach to leave management.
Perform other duties as assigned.