Senior Leave & Disability Specialist

Opella•Morristown, NJ

6d•$115,000 - $160,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Responsible for the governance, administration, compliance, and continuous improvement of leave and accommodation programs, partnering closely with People & Culture (P&C), Payroll, Legal, managers, and third-party administrators to deliver consistent, compliant, and employee-centered experience. Provides expert guidance on complex employee cases, oversees vendor performance, monitors legislative changes across North America, and develops solutions that balance employee support with business and regulatory requirements. Lead initiatives that advance our brands and strengthen our reputation worldwide. Mentor and uplift emerging talent while pushing your own growth and influence. Put purpose into practice — embedding sustainability, access and social impact into every decision. Model the challenger mindset: question complexity, act with integrity and make things radically simple. Help shape a culture that’s ambitious, collaborative and serious about recognition and belonging.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field, with 7+ years of progressive experience managing leave of absence, disability, accommodation, and employee benefits programs.
Deep expertise in U.S. leave and disability laws, including FMLA, ADA/ADAAA, USERRA, and state-specific leave programs, with knowledge of Canadian statutory and provincial leave requirements.
Proven experience administering leave, disability, and accommodation programs across both the United States and Canada within complex organizational environments.
Strong background managing third-party leave and disability vendors, ensuring effective program administration, compliance, and employee support.
Comprehensive knowledge of Health & Welfare benefit programs, benefits administration practices, and applicable employee benefits regulations.
Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with HR/P&C, Legal, Payroll, and business leaders to resolve complex employee relations, leave, and accommodation matters while maintaining strict confidentiality.
Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with experience leveraging HRIS and leave administration systems (including Workday), reporting, and data analytics to drive operational improvements.

Nice To Haves

professional certifications such as CEBS, SHRM-CP/SCP, PHR/SPHR
multinational/global experience

Responsibilities

Serve as the North America subject matter expert for leave of absence, disability, and workplace accommodation programs, overseeing FMLA, ADA/ADAAA, STD, LTD, Paid Family & Medical Leave, USERRA, Canadian statutory leave programs, and company-sponsored leave policies across the U.S. and Canada.
Lead the administration of complex leave, disability, and accommodation cases, including interactive accommodation processes, return-to-work planning, transitional work arrangements, benefit continuation, payroll impacts, and disability transitions.
Partner with HR/P&C, Legal, Payroll, managers, and employees to provide expert guidance on leave management, reasonable accommodations, intermittent leave, leave exhaustion, and compliance-related employee matters.
Manage relationships with third-party leave and disability administrators, monitoring service delivery, vendor performance, case quality, and employee experience while resolving escalated and complex cases.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, provincial, and local leave, disability, accommodation, and benefits regulations; monitor legislative changes, advise on policy enhancements, support audits, and maintain documentation and record retention requirements.
Support administration of Health & Welfare benefits programs, serving as a Tier II escalation resource for complex benefit inquiries and collaborating with vendors and internal stakeholders to ensure accurate benefits administration during employee life events and leaves of absence.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives by analyzing operational metrics, compliance trends, vendor performance, and employee feedback to recommend and implement process, policy, technology, training, and program enhancements that improve efficiency, reduce risk, and strengthen the employee experience.